Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

My kids love a good cheesy pasta, so why not turn that love into a soup. A creamy soup filled with lots of cheese, Italian sausage and noodles. A soup that is filling, comforting and makes enough to feed a crowd or give you plenty of delicious leftovers for another meal.

Creamy Italian Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces penne pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 16 ounces Italian sausage
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 24 ounces marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 3 cups half and half
• 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 29 ounce can whole tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

For Serving

• black pepper
• Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and drain well.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the sausage, onions and garlic, cooking until onions are soft and sausage is completely cooked. Remove the sausage to a bowl and drain any grease from the pot.
3. In the same pot, over medium-high heat, add in the chicken broth, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning, half and half and diced tomatoes. Add in the whole tomatoes, squeezing the tomatoes with your hand to break them up, as you put them in the pot. 
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the mixture at a simmer, not a boil.
5. Add in the sausage mixture, butter, 2 cups mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
6. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and the pasta.
7. Serve immediately with a dash of black pepper and Italian seasoning.

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 695
Total Fat		47g
Saturated Fat		22.2g
Trans Fat		0g
Polyunsaturated Fat		0g
Monounsaturated Fat		1.2g
Cholesterol		110mg
Sodium		932.9mg
Total Carbohydrates		36.7g
Dietary Fiber		3.5g
Sugars		8.5g
Protein		22.7g
Calcium		37.9%
Iron		8.2%
Potassium		58.3mg
Vitamin A		26%
Vitamin C		13.2%
*Nutritional information will vary depending on the brands you use.

*Adapted from Dash of Sanity.