· · · · · ·

Sausage and Vegetable Soup (Paleo & Whole30)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy

Sausage and Vegetable Soup – This hearty, delicious soup has big flavors and light ingredients. The perfect nourishing soup for cold weather! (Gluten free, Paleo, and Whole30 Friendly)

Close up view of a pot of sausage vegetable soup in a white Dutch oven.

Did you have a good holiday weekend, friends?  I hope the answer is yes, whether you shared the day with friends, family, and a turkey feast or spent it solo in your pajamas watching movies you love.

In case you’re as over Thanksgiving leftovers as I am, today I’m re-visiting one of my FAVORITE cold-weather soups. This Sausage Vegetable Soup is just right for this week. It’s packed with veggies, loaded with color, and promises to deliver with big flavor.

Here’s why we can’t stop eating it…

Overhead view of two bowls of sausage and vegetable soup with spoons and fresh herbs.

Why This Sausage Vegetable Soup is Amazing:

BIG colors = veggie packed! First off, any time you get a chance to eat the nature-made rainbow, you’re doing GOOD things for your body, and this sausage and vegetable soup definitely delivers on the veggies. From the brights reds of the tomatoes, to the yellows and oranges you can bring in through the peppers and carrots, to the greens from zucchini and kale, this soup definitely feels (and looks) amazing.

An easy way to eat more greens – Next, let’s talk about the kalephant in the room. See what I did there? Because kale. It’s in this soup. Do you love it? Try to put it in everything? Aren’t a fan? Think it’s all hype? Whatever team you side with at camp kale, consider trying it in this soup. Kale holds up remarkably well without feeling like a super soggy mess. If you aren’t sure about it, feel free to start at the low end (1/2 bunch) and work your way up over time. REALLY not sure you can handle the kale? Skip it or swap it for baby spinach.

The flavor gets better with time. All those veggies bring their own yummy blend of flavors, and everything is tied together with a little bit of sausage to flavor the whole soup. Then, as the soup simmers, the flavors blend and meld together and the end result is delicious. The flavor only develops more with time, so I often make this in the morning when I plan to eat it at night, or I make it at night for the next day. So good!

You can mix & match goodies. Next time you need to clean out your crisper drawer, consider this sausage and vegetable soup! It’s easy to use up different veggies you have going on in the fridge here. Feel free to toss in a diced potato, yellow or butternut squash, different bell peppers, or some extra carrots. The more the merrier!

Overhead close up view of a bowl of sausage and vegetable soup with salt and pepper. Front view of a bowl of sausage vegetable soup with a spoon in it. salt and pepper in the background.

Notes on This Sausage Vegetable Soup

Let’s Talk Sausage. (You’re The Boss of Flavor!) I’ve made this sausage vegetable soup with ALL kinds of different sausage over the years–ground chicken or pork Italian sausage, sliced pre-cooked Italian chicken sausages, spicy andouille, and even mango jalapeño Aidell’s sausages once. Use your favorite. A little really does go a long way here, keeping the soup light while still packing a powerful flavor punch.

Swap the Veggies. If my veggie combination isn’t your jam, feel free to use what you have on hand to fill this sausage vegetable soup out a bit. You can add in more carrots, or some diced mushrooms, or that one potato you’ve been meaning to use. It’s allll good!

Or, Switch Up Your Greens (+Ways to Use Leftovers). Similarly, if you’re not a kale fan, you can swap in other greens here. I’ve used spinach, Swiss chard, and a “Supergreens” mix from the store. (If you’re looking for ways to use up extra greens, I recommend one of my smoothie recipes. This Blueberry Pomegranate or Chocolate Cherry number are extra amazing.)

An Extra Protein Boost. collagenI often stir in a few scoops of to this soup, along with the broth. It dissolves in cold or hot liquids, and you can’t taste it at all in soup. It’s an easy way to sneak in some extra protein!

Love Soup? You Might Also Like…

Close up overhead view of sausage vegetable soup with a spoon in it.

Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Overhead view of two bowls of sausage and vegetable soup with spoons and fresh herbs.

Sausage and Vegetable Soup


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: about 10 servings 1x

Description

As always, if you have time, make this soup the night or morning before you plan on eating it to allow the flavors to blend. It gets so much better with time!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 68oz sausage (Italian sausage, sliced andouille, whatever you like)
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 2 zucchinis, quartered lengthwise and sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 quart vegetable broth
  • 1/21 bunch kale (tough ribs removed and sliced or torn into small ribbons)
  • salt & pepper (to taste)

Instructions

  1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, brown sausage over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, bell peppers, carrots, celery, and cook 3-5 minutes, or until crisp tender.
  3. Next, add the zucchini and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  4. Add tomatoes and vegetable broth.
  5. Cover the soup, bring to a boil over medium heat and reduce heat to low.
  6. Simmer 20-30 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Add kale and stir to wilt.
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Category: Soup, Main Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American, Italian

Recipe originally posted Feb 2014. Re-tested, rephotographed, and video added Nov 2018.

Overhead view of two bowls of sausage and vegetable soup with spoons and fresh herbs and text that reads "Paleo & Whole30 Sausage Vegetable Soup"

Simple, delicious sausage and vegetable soup from www.onelovelylife.comPaleo Minestrone - This Sausage and Vegetable Soup is delicious! from www.onelovelylife.com Love this simple Paleo Minestrone! Paleo Sausage and Vegetable Soup. We can't get enough of this on a cold day!

Similar Posts

19 Comments

  1. Im currently ‘freezing’ with sunny skies and temperatures all the way down in the fifties. This soup sounds like just the ticket!

  2. Has anyone added rice to this soup? Would you add it precooked toward the end, or increase the liquid and cook it in the soup?

    1. I haven’t, but I’d probably add it pre-cooked right at the end to avoid the broth turning extra starchy, and to keep the rice from absorbing too much liquid 🙂

    1. Stacey – I haven’t done it in a slow cooker before, but I’m sure it’d work. If I had to estimate, I’d say you could probably toss everything in and set it for about 3 hrs on HIGH, then break up the sausage at the end. Or, you could brown the sausage beforehand, and cook it about 2 hrs on HIGH or so.

  3. Olive oil, salt, and pepper are listed in the ingredient list, but not the quantities, nor is it stated in the recipe as to when to use them. I’m guessing you might have used the oil to saute the sausage but that isn’t always the case, especially in a non-stick pan so I thought I should check. Please advise about if these things are needed, and if so, how much and when, and also if they are included in the nutritional summary. Thank you!!

    1. Jodi – I’m so sorry for the confusion! I updated the old recipe and forgot to remove olive oil from the ingredient list (I no longer use it to brown the sausage). I didn’t include additional salt, pepper, or olive oil in the nutrition facts. Salt and pepper are added to taste, so I didn’t give specific amounts. (If your broth or tomatoes have added salt, you may not need any, for instance).

      Thank you again for your patience! I hope that helps 🙂

  4. Fiinally retired, so I am trying to use more spices in my recipes to get more antioxidants a nutrition. For ham it is Nutmeg. For a vegetable soup Italian or better yet Herbs de Provence. Do not be afraid to experiment.

  5. This was an amazing soup! We used hot Italian sausage and added a Serrano pepper to up the spice. It was so jam packed full of flavor adding some other Italian spices. We were very impressed with the soup! We made some Irish soda bread to dip in it too 🙂






    1. WOW, I bet that Italian sausage + serrano pepper combo was AWESOME! Yum! So glad you enjoyed the soup–thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review! I appreciate it so much. 🙂

  6. We love this soup.
    I take it to others who are having a hard time, and they frequently tell me its the best soup they ever had!






Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star