This Italian Potato Sausage soup is cozy, hearty, and full of flavor in every spoonful. Look familiar? Yes, if you’re a fan of Olive Garden you probably recognize this soup! The popular original soup is loaded with bacon, cheese, and cream (no wonder why it’s so good!) but my lighter version delivers big on flavor, while saving on fat and calories. It’s satisfying enough for a full meal but still light and fresh, thanks to the simple ingredients. Perfect for busy nights or chilly days, it comes together easily and tastes like it simmered all afternoon. This is a family favorite at our house, and I bet you’ll love it, too!
Here are a few simple tweaks I made to lighten up the classic Olive Garden creamy Italian sausage soup:
- I used lean Italian turkey sausage instead of full-fat pork Italian sausage.
- To add smokiness, I used smoked paprika instead of bacon.
- I left the skins on the potatoes to add fiber and nutrients.
- To make it creamy, I basically used a thickened-up version base of our Guiltless Alfredo sauce. It’s definitely lighter than heavy cream or a traditional roux made with a lot more butter and flour.
- Instead of using Parmesan in the sauce where it’s easy for the flavor to hide, I saved it for sprinkling on top of the soup–you get a lot more flavor that way with not nearly as many calories.
How to Make Italian Sausage and Potato Soup
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Brown sausage with onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and smoked paprika in a large pot; drain if needed.
- Add chicken broth and Italian seasoning, bring to a boil, then add potatoes. Cover and simmer until potatoes are tender.
- Blend milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt until smooth.
- Cook the milk mixture with butter until thick, then stir it into the soup with spinach.
- Season to taste and serve topped with Parmesan cheese.
Storage & Other Tips
- Refrigeration: Let the soup cool to near room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. It keeps well for 3 – 4 days in the fridge.
- Freezing: this soup freezes really well! Portion it into freezer-safe containers and freeze for longer term storage. It reheats nicely when thawed, but may need a splash of broth or milk to bring back that nice consistency.
- If Cooking Ahead: keep the grated parmesan separate if possible. Adding freshly grated cheese just before serving gives it a much brighter finish.
- Serving Tip: if you have people in your family who will complain about green stuff in their soup, just place the spinach in individual bowls (for those who want it) and ladle the hot soup over!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can substitute a regular pork Italian sausage, but because this version is designed to be lighter, you may want to drain excess fat after browning to keep the texture balanced.
Nope, not unless you really want to! We like the skin left on to boost fiber and nutrients a bit, and retain more texture, but you can definitely peel them if you want to!
Yes! You can freeze it in 1 or 2 cup portions. When you reheat, you probably will want to add a bit extra broth or milk to bring back that creamy texture.
Yes! This soup reheats really well. You can make it a day ahead, just leave out the parmesan cheese. Cool and refrigerate, then warm it up on the stove. Add a splash of broth or milk if it’s thickened overnight.
Italian Sausage and Potato Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 20 ounce lean Italian turkey or chicken sausage
- ½ + teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 onion, large diced
- 5-6 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 8 cups chicken broth 2 boxes
- 1 ½ pounds red potatoes diced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups milk low-fat
- 3 ounces cream cheese light
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups baby spinach chopped
Instructions
- Remove the sausage from casings and crumble it into a large soup pot. Begin cooking it over medium heat and add red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, onion, and garlic. Saute until the sausage is fully cooked and drain if necessary.
- Add the chicken broth and Italian seasoning, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook potatoes until tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, place the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Heat the butter over medium-low heat in a small saucepan, then add the milk mixture and cook over medium heat until thick (like a very thick cream soup or a stirrable pudding). When the potatoes are cooked, add the thickened milk mixture and chopped spinach.
- Season with additional crushed red pepper flakes and kosher salt to taste and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Nutrition
Questions & Reviews
Brilliant idea for the thickener! I make a soup that’s much like this, but it’s pretty thin, and my husbands says, “What could you do to make this thicker?” So I’ll definitely be trying that trick, if not the entire recipe!
I made this recipe last night and it was totally amazing. My daughter said it was the best soup I had made in a long time. Thanks ladies!
We had this for dinner last night. It was fabulous thanks. Such great flavor!
oh that looks perfect for today, the weather is cold and rainy.
So I’m thinking Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana made healthier? That’s one of my most favorites soups, in their restaurant and the homemade version, but I will have to try this without so much of the fat in it from the whipping cream!
Yes, exactly! 🙂 I didn’t want to bring up the Olive Garden because it’s kind of a hot topic and I think this soup is way better than anything you’ll eat at the Olive Garden. 🙂
This sounds YUMMY!!!!! Sounds like it’s not too bad nutrition wise either! I’m going to add this to my menu and try asap! BTW I love your site!! I just started mine a few wks ago but you ladies are proof that I can make it big and have all my dreams come true!! 🙂
yeah…this looks totally awesome! Thanks for posting it.
Yummy! This is one of our family favorites .. now a lighter twist! Thanks!
Cozy and comforting!!! Love me a good “lighter” soup!
This look amazing – perfect soup for this cold snap we’re in!