Description
A comforting, creamy soup with crumbled turkey sausage, tender butternut squash, and spinach, finished with a hint of Parmesan for added richness.
Ingredients
- Main Dish:
- 15 oz turkey sausage, crumbled
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or Herbs from Provence)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (just the leaves, not sprigs)
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 cup orzo (uncooked)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 10 oz butternut squash, peeled and cubed
- 5 oz fresh spinach
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved, shredded, or grated (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook Sausage: In a large saucepan, add the crumbled turkey sausage, Italian seasoning, fresh thyme leaves, and red pepper flakes. Cook on medium heat, stirring regularly to break up the sausage as it cooks.
- Brown Orzo & Garlic: Once the sausage has released its juices and is halfway cooked, add the uncooked orzo and minced garlic. Stir constantly and cook for about 2 minutes until the orzo begins to brown.
- Add Stock & Squash: Pour in chicken stock and add the cubed butternut squash. Stir well, cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until the orzo and squash are tender.
- Add Spinach: Add the fresh spinach to the pot, cover with the lid, and allow the spinach to wilt on low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Finish Soup: Once the spinach has wilted, remove the soup from the heat. Stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken stock or water to reach your desired consistency. Add more red pepper flakes if you prefer extra heat.
- Garnish & Serve: Top the soup with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh thyme. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- For a lighter version, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Feel free to add extra vegetables like carrots or celery for added flavor and nutrition.
- Can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for later use.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmered
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 531
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 920mg
- Fat: 34g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 58mg
