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Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Soup

Creamy pumpkin sausage soup made in one pot with browned Italian sausage, tender vegetables, and a velvety pumpkin-cream broth. Simmered until the vegetables are soft, then finished with heavy cream and Parmesan for a silky texture.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
Aromatics and vegetables
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery stalks, diced
Soup base
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried sage
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp salt, or to taste
Creamy finish
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cup baby spinach
To finish
  • Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the sausage
  1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the Italian sausage for 6–8 minutes, breaking it apart until browned and fully cooked to 165°F, then transfer excess grease if needed.
Sauté the vegetables
  1. Add the olive oil if needed, then stir in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–6 minutes until softened.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Simmer the soup
  1. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the pumpkin puree, dried thyme, dried sage, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
  2. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for 12–15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the broth is slightly thickened.
Make it creamy
  1. Stir in the heavy cream and grated Parmesan cheese. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the cheese melts and the soup becomes silky.
  2. Fold in the baby spinach and cook for 1–2 minutes until wilted.
Serve
  1. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve hot with chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese for garnish.

Notes

Pro tip: If the sausage renders a lot of fat, remove most of the excess grease before sautéing the vegetables to keep the broth from tasting greasy. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 4 days; reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or cream if it thickens. Freezing is not ideal because cream and pumpkin can change texture, but you can freeze for up to 2 months if needed and reheat slowly. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (the soup stays creamy but slightly less rich).