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Marry Me Sausage Orzo Soup Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 56 reviews

Marry Me Sausage Orzo Soup is a hearty and flavorful Italian-inspired soup featuring savory Italian sausage, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and orzo pasta in a creamy, luscious broth. Inspired by the viral Marry Me Chicken sauce, this soup blends earthy umami from sun-dried tomatoes and the sweetness of roasted red peppers with creamy half-and-half and parmesan cheese, creating a comforting and satisfying meal perfect for chilly days or family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Meat

  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage (raw, ground or removed from casings)

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

Liquids and Dairy

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (for deglazing)
  • 4 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 1 cup half-and-half, divided (or substitute with heavy cream or whole milk)

Pantry

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup orzo pasta (dried)
  • 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Optional

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the sausage: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up if needed, until browned and cooked through with a nice sear on the outside. Transfer the sausage to a bowl but keep the drippings in the pot.
  2. Deglaze the pot: Pour in the white wine (or a splash of chicken broth) to deglaze, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a spatula. These flavorful bits add depth to the soup.
  3. Sauté the aromatics: Add diced onion, celery, roasted red peppers, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes.
  4. Create the roux: Sprinkle the flour and Italian seasoning over the softened vegetables. Add the minced garlic and stir constantly to combine. Pour in a small splash of chicken broth and half-and-half, stirring well to create a thick, smooth roux-like mixture within the pot.
  5. Add liquids and pasta: Gradually add the remaining chicken broth in increments, stirring well after each addition to incorporate into the roux mixture. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a gentle bubbly simmer. Return the cooked sausage to the pot, add the dried orzo pasta, and stir frequently to keep the orzo from settling and sticking to the bottom.
  6. Cook the orzo: Maintain the simmer and cook until the orzo is tender, approximately 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
  7. Finish the soup: Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining half-and-half, fresh spinach, chopped parsley, and half of the grated Parmesan cheese. Allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes to thicken. Serve garnished with the remaining Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Notes

  • This soup is best served fresh and not recommended for freezing due to the creamy dairy and pasta texture changes after thawing.
  • The soup can be made ahead but store pasta and soup separately if possible, as orzo will continue absorbing liquid and thicken the soup when refrigerated.
  • To thin reheated soup, stir in additional chicken broth gradually until desired consistency is achieved.
  • For pasta substitutions, small shapes like ditalini, pearl couscous, small elbows, rotini, small shells, or orecchiette work well.
  • Using sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil is preferred to avoid soaking and to maintain proper texture; chop whole sun-dried tomatoes finely to avoid chewy large pieces.
  • Adjust creaminess by substituting half-and-half with heavy cream for richer soup or whole milk for lighter, but avoid anything leaner than whole milk for best texture.

Keywords: Marry Me Sausage Orzo Soup, Italian sausage soup, creamy Italian soup, sun-dried tomato soup, roasted red pepper soup, orzo pasta soup, comforting winter soup

Find it online: https://tastybynova.com/marry-me-sausage-orzo-soup-recipe/