1/3 cup drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1½ teaspoons kosher salt, (plus more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, (plus more to taste)
2 cups small pasta shells ((use gluten-free noodles for gluten-free))
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup heavy cream ((sub unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk for dairy-free))
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, (plus more for serving (omit for dairy-free))
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil leaves, (plus more for garnish)
Steps
In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened to a deep brick red, 1 to 2 minutes.
Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until the wine has reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 7 to 9 minutes.
Reduce the heat so that it is simmering rapidly, but no longer boiling. Add the pasta shells and cook, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom, until al dente, about 10 minutes or according to the package directions.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the spinach and stir until wilted, about 1 minute.
Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream, then add the Parmesan, a small handful at a time, stirring until melted and smooth. Stir in the basil.
Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and finish with extra Parmesan and torn basil.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 547 kcal
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Protein: 21 g
Fat: 34 g
Saturated Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 82 mg
Sodium: 2516 mg
Sugar: 5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
Reviews
Amanda Blank on 2026-11-05 (5 stars): This is one of my new favorites I think!!! Made it last night and it just had so much flavor from the sausage & sundried tomato combo. Big fan!!!
Bethany on 2026-10-30 (5 stars): Really, really good!! Love having another option to add to my DD soup rotation :) Zuppa Toscana is one of my faves and this is a great alternative that doesn’t taste too similar!
Suzanne T on 2026-10-30 (5 stars): Absolutely delicious!! Minimal prep and comes together quickly. I had a bunch of kale I needed to use, so I used it instead of spinach and it worked great!
Paula Knapp on 2026-10-28 (5 stars): Great recipe … Quick easy and delicious… The only thing I did not add is white wine because I didn’t have any so next time I make it I will make sure I have some, but it was great even without the white wine.
Kevin Bell on 2026-10-28 (5 stars): This was so very good on a day that screamed for comfort food. I’m a tweaker, but I made this exactly as written. Flavors and texture were nothing short of amazing. Thank you (again)!
Kristin on 2026-10-18 (5 stars): This soup is amazing!!
The only thing I might change is add more sausage and little less pasta but it’s so good!
Shannon on 2026-10-16 (5 stars): Absolutely delish! Instead of using store bought sausage, I made homemade Italian sausage and only used 1 tsp of Italian seasoning and 1 tsp of salt in the soup. Fantastic recipe! This will be a staple in our kitchen!
Kristina A on 2026-10-15 (5 stars): So good!!! I’m not a soup person but this is so flavorful and so easy!
Kate C on 2026-10-11 (5 stars): Soooooo good! Perfect fall recipe. Subbed chicken sausage and it was still amazing. Thank you Alex for making my soup season dreams come true!
