Italian Sausage, Noodle and Spinach Soup

Last week, the “real feel” in the Midwest was -40 degrees F.  I had a few appointments so I was forced to leave my house and within minutes my hands felt like I had been outside skiing for an entire day.  It was FREEZING!   And, while the temperatures have warmed up to a balmy 35 degrees (practically a tropical heat wave), I think my body is still thawing out because I feel the need for multiple hot beverages every day and a warm bowl of soup at night for dinner.

I made this particular soup on Tuesday and it was hearty and spicy- everything you would want on a sub arctic type of day.  The whole soup is packed with flavor since even the noodles are cooked in the rich broth.   You could, however, certainly make extra soup for leftovers if you cook the noodles separately and only add them to the portion of soup you plan on eating.   Otherwise, your noodles will continue to absorb liquid until they are a mushy mess.


Italian Sausage, Noodle and Spinach Soup 


2 tbsp grapeseed oil

1 sweet onion, diced

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup white wine

5 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 pound spicy italian chicken sausage

1 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes

1 cup small pasta of your choice (I used a gluten-free version)

4 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped



Saute sausage, onions, garlic and red pepper in grapeseed oil over medium heat.  Break the sausage apart as it cooks.  Once the sausage is browned and cooked through (about 6-8 minutes), add the wine and cook until it has evaporated.  Add the tomatoes and break apart with a wooden spoon.  Next, add the chicken broth.  Bring the soup to a boil and add the pasta.  Cook for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is al dente (Note: if you want to freeze part of the soup, skip this step and cook the pasta separately so you can add it as needed).   Once the pasta is cooked, turn off the heat and stir in the spinach just until wilted.  Stir in the cheese and serve.  Garnish with additional cheese as desired.