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This Spicy Italian Pesto Noodle Soup is my go-to dinner on nights when I am craving Italian, but also want something warming. Spicy Italian chicken sausage simmered in a basil pesto broth with carrots, kale, a little lemon, and plenty of noodles. Finish each bowl off with a sprinkle of cheese and serve with crusty bread. It’s hearty, full of colorful veggies, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. And the leftovers the next day, they make for the best lunch!
Happy Halloween!
I’ve been so exited for Halloween this year. Something about Halloween is just the best. It’s such a fun day of the year. I mean it’s pretty much expected that we go for all the candy, cookies, and pizza we like…no excuses necessary. Or at least that’s how I see it.
Except over here we’ll be swapping the pizza for soup. Because it’s cold and snowing here, and I just need a bowl of (cheesy) soup in my life. Not going to sugar coat it, my week has been hard. Monday just started off on the wrong foot. I don’t know If I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or what, but man oh man, it was not an easy day. You know those days when one thing goes wrong and then every other thing decides to go wrong with it? Well, that was my Monday. Just looking back on it makes me cringe.
All I have to say is that technology is the best…and technology is also the absolute worst. When technology fails you, it’s not fun. And that was a big part of why my Monday was so rough.
But it’s all ok. First world problems. Nothing major. Just a bad day. It happens.
My week is already back on track and I’m looking at the positive side of things. It’s Halloween, it’s snowing, Thanksgiving is coming, and the next two months are my favorite of the entire year. Focusing on all the good things…
Like this soup, which is very, very good.
Not sure if this recipe is really Halloween appropriate, but it’s pretty delicious any night you decide to make it. And I don’t know, coming home to a bowl of this tonight after trick-or-treating sounds pretty great to me. Thinking you should try it.
Here’s the deal. I’ve been on a real soup kick this fall. In the last two weeks alone I’ve made a coconut sweet potato lentil soup, a butternut squash soup, and a French inspired shallot soup. Today it’s Italian Noodle Soup, and next week?
Something pumpkiny, and perfect for Thanksgiving.
Sure, hope you guys like soup!
Right now though, let me tell you about this Italian Noodle Soup.
It’s a little spicy (but not overly so), full of vegetables (the good ones), has spicy chicken sausage, lots of noodles (mine are pumpkin shaped and I am so obsessed with them), and topped off with cheese (provolone to be exact).
It’s simple, it’s pretty quick, and it’s one of the better bowls of Italian soup that I’ve ever had. The secret? A parmesan rind, basil pesto, lemon, and cheese. Ok, and pasta – lots of pasta.
The parmesan rind and basil pesto add a salty, herby flavor to the broth. The lemon adds a nice zing of freshness. And the cheese and pasta? Well, those don’t need much explaining, they’re always good.
Whether you end up making this tonight, sometime this week, or even in the next couple of weeks, it’s sure to become a favorite. I’m loving serving this up on bitter cold nights like tonight, with a good loaf of crusty bread. Normally I’m either making chili or pizza on Halloween, but this soup is the perfect switch up!
PS. I feel bad for all the trick-or-treaters out in my town tonight. It’s SO cold and snowy…hoping it’s a little warmer for the rest of you! Have fun tonight!
If you make this soup please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spicy Italian Pesto Noodle Soup
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 910 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 2 small shallots, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- kosher salt and pepper
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 1 parmesan rind (the end knob of the parmesan wedge)
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale, roughly chopped
- 1 pound short cut pasta
- 1 1/2 cups shredded provolone cheese
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken sausage and shallots, and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the carrots, sage, thyme, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the broth, pesto, parmesan rind, and lemon juice. Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and boil the pasta until al dente according to package directions.3. Stir the kale into the soup, cooking another five minutes. Remove the parmesan rind. Taste and season with salt and pepper. 4. Divide the noodles among bowls and pour the soup overtop. Top each bowl off with cheese and allow the cheese to melt slightly. Enjoy!
Can you freeze it?
Hey Amy,
Totally! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Delicious! Can’t wait to make again. There were no leftovers!
I added a can of white beans & a little red pepper flakes.
Hey Liz,
Happy Monday!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks for giving it a go! xT
Just wanted to pop on here to say thank you for this wonderful soup recipe. It is my husband’s and my favorite soup, at this point affectionately referred to simply as “the soup” since we’ve been making it at least once a month for the past few years. It’s our go-to for cozy nights, weeknights, comfort food nights, and care package deliveries. Many, many thanks for this delightful recipe!
Hi Kristen,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear that you have enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for making it!! xx
I made a vegetarian version of this with Tofurky sausage. The flavor is there but Tofurky tends to fall apart in soups. Anyway it was absolutely delicious. I put in some extra pesto (I had to finish the container, didn’t I?!) and used Fontina instead of Provolone. This is definitely going into regular rotation.
Hey Lynn,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Just bought all my ingredients & am SOO excited to try this soup, had it on my must try list since i saw it posted! will using a Parmigiana Reggiano rind change the flavour profile drastically?
Hey Erin,
That will also work well, I hope you love this recipe! Let me know how it turns out:) xTieghan
OMG SO GOOD !!! the perfect bowl of hearty but not overpoweringly heavy soup! DELICIOUS!! so much flavour, & so easy to make ! i couldn’t find ground Italian chicken sausage, so i took the casings off of Italian chicken sausage, worked like a charm !! sucha delicious cozy soup ! yum! sucha genius idea to put pesto in soup 🙂 also, it looked gorgeous, so colourful, especially w. the farfalle ‘bow tie’ pasta i used 🙂 thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Erin,
Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xTieghan
I have made this soup several times, exactly as instructed, and loved it every time. I have been told by 3 different family members that it is the best soup they have ever had!!
This was absolutely AMAZING!! I had to make only 2 minor “tweaks” to ensure the happiness of my Italian boyfriend ?
I added a can of White beans and switched out the Kale for Broccoli Rabe.
Thought I would have leftovers for lunch….thought wrong ? The ENTIRE pot was emptied out. Fantastic recipe!! Keep up the great work ??
Hey Thomi,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Love this recipe!! Since we don’t eat meat I substituted Beyond Meat Brats for the sausage.. turned out so good!!
Amazing! I am really glad this turned out so well for you Brooke! xTieghan
One of the best most hearty soups I’ve ever made!! So good!
Thank you so much Amanda! xTieghan
This was amazing! Adding pesto to soup broth is such an amazing idea. We used considerably less pasta (like 1/3 the amount) but otherwise followed the recipe exactly!
I am really happy this turned out so well for you, Caitlin! Thank you! xTieghan
Can I simmer all ingredients in broth day with the dry noodles in to cook tjay way instead? Wanted to have the lovely fall smell in my apartment all day for a football Sunday!
Hey Sarah,
Yes that is okay to do! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made this for my crew and it was a total hit! I decided to do a week of your recipes and everyone is happy, satisfied, and oddly on time for dinner 🙂
Haha that is amazing! I am really glad your family has been enjoying my recipes, Laura! Thank you! xTieghan
Hey, can I make this in the instant pot?
Hey Larra! I am sure that will be great! I would cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you!! xTieghan
The most delicious soup I’ve made! Flavors are perfectly balanced. It’s warming without beating to heavy and it’s great even when you warm it up. So yummy!
Thank you Pernilla! xTieghan
This looks delicious! I plan on making it today as it’s a chilly fall day in Montana. I’m wondering if it could be made in a crock pot?
Hi Nikki! I am sure this would work so well in the crockpot. I would cook on low for 6-7 hours. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan