Classic sausage and peppers in soup form! This creamy sausage and pepper soup is full of flavor, really easy to make, and topped off with crunchy garlic and herb croutons.
Is it just me, or does it seem like it’s always Monday? Technically it’s Sunday while I write this, but since Monday is looming it feels like it’s already here.
Did you all have a nice weekend? Mine was pretty uneventful with some errand running and packing for my little week-long getaway. I’m headed to visit my parents for the week and I have my first wedding dress fitting!
I’ve come to the conclusion that I lack the ability to pack light. For some reason I find the need to pack half of my closet, a quarter of my shoe collection, and a bunch of jewelry that I know I won’t wear. The best part is that I’m probably only leaving the house twice during the week. Most of my time will be spent cooking and tackling projects for my upcoming bridal shower. This means I’ll probably only be in loungewear (which makes up about half of my bag). Yet I can’t seem to part with any of the extras that I have packed.
Anyone else have this problem? Or am I just crazy?
Ok enough of my chit chat, let’s talk about this fantastic Creamy Sausage and Pepper Soup.
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It tastes EXACTLY like a big ‘ole sausage and pepper hoagie. Plus, it’s extremely simple to make and it comes together in under 30 minutes!
You know how a lot of soups taste better after they’ve simmered for a while or better yet, sat overnight? Well, this soup tastes amazing after simmering for only 5 minutes! This is because you’ve got super flavorful sausage and marinara sauce going on. It makes all the difference in the flavor department.
I used homemade sausage and homemade marinara sauce, but you can very easily use store-bought. I always have both in my freezer, so it’s easy to thaw them out and whip something up. Eventually I’d like to do a post on making homemade sausage, but not until I have a better set up for photo shoots.
Ok back to the soup!
After your soup simmers for a whopping 5 minutes, you’re basically ready to dig in. Right at the end I stir in just a smudge of heavy cream. It’s definitely an optional ingredient, but I highly recommend going ahead with it.
Think creamy tomato soup… that tastes like sausage and peppers. Does that make any sense?
Oh, and let’s not forget about the croutons! I have a slight homemade crouton obsession. I toss some cubed gluten-free bread with olive oil, garlic, and seasonings. Bake ’em for about 10 minutes and that’s all there is to it.
I recommend making double the amount of croutons because I guarantee you’ll eat at least half of them before serving the soup. I speak from experience, so just trust me on this one.
Just talking about this soup makes me want a bowl! Too bad the leftovers are long gone ?.
Have a great week, friends!
- 1 Tablespoon Extra-Light Olive Oil
- 1 Onion, thinly sliced
- 3 Small Bell Peppers, thinly sliced (I used 1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 orange)
- 2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
- Salt & Pepper
- ¾ Pound Ground Sausage*
- 2 Cups Marinara Sauce, I used homemade, but you can use your favorite store-bought sauce if you prefer
- 4 Cups Chicken Stock
- ½ Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¼ Cup Heavy Cream, optional
- 4 Slices Gluten-Free Bread, cubed (or use other bread of choice if you don’t need gluten-free!)
- 1-2 Tablespoon Extra-Light Olive Oil
- 2 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
- ¼ Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- Salt & Pepper
- Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese, for serving
- Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add in the sliced onion and peppers and sauté for 3-4 minutes, or until beginning to soften. Add in the garlic cloves and season the mixture well with salt and pepper.
- Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot, leaving a well in the middle. Break up the sausage with your hands and drop it into the well. Cook the sausage until it’s just about cooked through and beginning to brown, you’ll want to continue breaking the sausage up with a wooden spoon.
- Pour the marinara sauce and chicken broth into the pot. Give it a good stir and then allow the soup to come to a simmer. Let is simmer for 5 minutes and then turn off the heat and stir in the oregano and heavy cream.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350º.
- Toss the bread cubes with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Lay them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Bake the croutons for about 10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Keep a close eye on the croutons as they can burn very easily!
- Serve the soup topped with croutons and grated cheese.
- *I use a mixture of homemade mild and hot sausage - you can use whatever your favorite sausage is. If you can't find patties or sausage not in casing, simply buy the links and just remove it from the casing before cooking.
That’s so exciting that you get to try on your wedding dress! I remember doing that…one of the best feelings! And yes, I ALWAYS have a problem with packing too much! This soup looks so good, Keri! I love the creaminess of it. Sounds perfect for the cold weather! Pinned!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
I’m super excited to see it again! I’m actually embarrassed at the amount of stuff I’m traveling with haha 😉 Thanks for the kind words and pin, Gayle!
It does always seem to be Monday! And I have the same packing problem as you. It’s better to be prepared, right? Your first wedding dress fitting is so exciting! The big day will be here before you know it! That soup looks like one big delicious flavor bomb!
Thanks Rachelle! I can’t believe how close the wedding is – time is flying!
Lol, I write my posts the day before too, and yes, I feel like it is always Monday! AND my weekend was uneventful too…AND I don’t know how to pack light either. Clearly we are all sorts of twinning. Except I didn’t have a wedding dress fitting. 😉 Anyways. I love sausage and peppers, so turning that into a creamy dreamy soup is all sorts of genius! Plus those crunchy croutons on top are perfect! This is soup-erb, Keri!! Love it! Cheers, doll!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Fig & Balsamic Glazed Chicken Thighs {with Gorgonzola & Walnuts}
Yay for twinning! Thanks Cheyanne 🙂
I’ll never understand the girl that DOESN’T over pack! haha We need options! Soup looks so tasty and looking forward to hearing more wedding and bridal shower deets!
Ali recently posted…Dressing for Date Night
Yeah it’s impossible for me to pack light! Thanks Ali!
I hope your wedding dress fitting went well! So fun! Getting so close! This soup looks so dang delicious!
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely recently posted…Instant Skinny Chai Tea Latte Mix
It went fantastic – doesn’t even need to be altered! Ha! Thanks Natalie!
I see that heavy cream is optional,but have you tried it without?We both are lactose intollerant.
Hi Desiree! The heavy cream just adds a little creaminess and richness. You can add coconut milk or almond milk instead!
Thank you!I only have vanilla almond at the time,so we will pass on creaminess!.I am going to try it both ways.Tonight we are having it with gluten free croutons for me,and regular for him.I think this is my new favorite blog!
Wonderful! Do let me know how it turns out. And thank you for the sweet compliment 🙂
BTW we loved it!
So happy to hear that! 🙂
Can all the ingredients be thrown into a crockpot for the day?
Hi Sarah. I believe it will work as long as you brown the sausage and sauté the peppers and onions first. May defeat the convenience of using the slow cooker, but that will give the best flavor. Do report back and let us know if you give it a go!