Pizza Sausage Mozzarella Soup (Printer View)

A rich, savory blend of Italian sausage, tomato, and mozzarella in a warming broth.

# What you'll need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

05 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
06 - 1 2/3 cups pizza sauce
07 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Cheeses

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

# Method:

01 - In a large pot over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until fully cooked, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat as needed.
02 - Add diced onion and red bell pepper to the pot, sautéing until softened, about 4 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken or vegetable broth, pizza sauce, and undrained diced tomatoes; stir thoroughly to combine ingredients.
05 - Incorporate dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste the soup and adjust seasoning as necessary.
07 - Just before serving, stir in half of the shredded mozzarella cheese until melted.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle each serving with the remaining mozzarella, and garnish with chopped fresh basil or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like pizza night but comes together faster than delivery, with all that savory, cheesy satisfaction in a warm bowl.
  • The mozzarella melts right into the broth, creating pockets of creaminess that feel indulgent but somehow lighter than you'd expect.
  • It's the kind of soup that makes your kitchen smell amazing and convinces people you spent way more time cooking than you actually did.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the sausage properly—that caramelization is where the real depth comes from, and rushing it makes the soup taste thin and one-dimensional.
  • Add the mozzarella at the very end instead of stirring it in earlier; if it sits in hot soup too long, it gets stringy and clumpy instead of melting into creamy pockets.
  • Taste the broth before you add cheese so you can adjust seasoning—the cheese is salty and will mask flavors if you don't get it right first.
03 -
  • If you make this ahead, store the soup and cheese separately, then combine them gently when reheating so the mozzarella melts perfectly instead of seizing up.
  • The flavor gets even better the next day as everything melds together—this is one of those soups that's actually better as leftovers than it is the first night.
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