1-First Step: Gather and Prep Ingredients Start by preparing all your ingredients to make the process smooth. Dice the yellow onion and carrots, mince the garlic, and chop the kale and sun-dried tomatoes. This prep takes about 15 minutes and sets you up for a seamless cook, especially if you’re a busy parent juggling multiple tasks.

2-Second Step: Brown the Sausage Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add 1 pound of ground Italian sausage, along with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Sear for 1 minute per side, then crumble and cook until browned, which takes about 5-7 minutes. Remove the sausage, leaving 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot, and drain any excess fat to keep the soup from becoming too oily.

3-Third Step: Sauté the Vegetables Reduce the heat to medium and add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 2 cups of diced yellow onion, 2 cups of diced carrots, and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Sauté these until tender, stirring occasionally, for 7-9 minutes. This step builds flavor, so don’t rush it the softened veggies add a sweet, aromatic base to your Italian sausage pasta soup.

4-Fourth Step: Make the Broth Base Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of white flour and cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth to form a slurry, then gradually add the remaining 6½ cups of chicken broth, whisking and scraping the pot bottom to incorporate everything smoothly. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, which should take about 5 minutes.

5-Fifth Step: Add and Cook Pasta Once boiling, stir in 2 cups of mini bowtie pasta. Cook according to the package directions minus 1 minute, stirring to prevent sticking this usually takes 5-7 minutes. Keeping it al dente ensures the pasta doesn’t get mushy in the soup, perfect for meal prep or leftovers.

6-Sixth Step: Finish and Combine Reduce the heat to low and stir in 1½ cups of heavy cream, 2½ packed cups of finely chopped kale, and ½ cup of finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Gradually add ½ packed cup of refrigerated grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until it melts and blends in. Return the browned sausage to the pot, then season with salt to taste and adjust with extra broth if needed for the right consistency. Let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to meld the flavors.

7-Final Step: Serve and Enjoy Serve the soup hot, with optional hearty buttered bread and red pepper flakes on the side. The total prep time is 30 minutes, cooking takes another 30 minutes, making this a quick one pot Italian sausage pasta soup for any occasion. For more pasta ideas, try our chicken Parmesan pasta skillet recipe.