Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup with Spinach and Orzo is a cozy and comforting meal that will keep you warm on a cold Fall or Winter night. The recipe takes only 30 minutes and is made entirely in one pot. Perfect for busy weeknights when you're craving comforting yet nutritious food but don't have too much time to spend in the kitchen.
Butternut squash and Italian sausage soup
One of the best things I love about Autumn and Winter is the abundance of winter squash. Making butternut squash soup at least once during this season is a must! This soup is quite different from the traditional creamy butternut squash soup recipes. This recipe features Italian sausage, orzo, spinach, and only ½ cup of heavy cream (or use half-and-half for fewer calories). It's a cozy comfort food that will warm you up on a chilly Fall or Winter evening. And the best part? Everything is done in 30 minutes, and you only need one cooking pot! It became my new favorite soup this season along with this creamy Italian sausage tortellini soup.
Why make it
- Well-balanced meal. Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup with Spinach and Orzo is packed with veggies and protein - a simple recipe to make on a busy weeknight when you crave something comforting yet nutritious. It has everything you need in a complete meal: protein (Italian sausage), veggies and fiber (butternut squash and spinach), and pasta (orzo).
- 30-Minute one-pot recipe. It's perfect for busy weekdays and also for special occasions when you want to feed your family and friends healthier comfort food made with lots of veggies.
- Meal-prep-friendly. You can easily make this soup up to 4 days in advance. For best results, add orzo and cream right before serving - everything else can be cooked beforehand.
- Fall and Winter comfort food. The best time to cook butternut squash is when it's in season. This soup is like Fall in a bowl.
Main ingredients
- Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, B6, C, and E, as well as several minerals, including magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Butternut squash is also rich in dietary fiber.
- Spinach is packed with nutrients and antioxidants. It’s high in fiber and a good source of many vitamins and minerals. Spinach is a great source of vitamins A and C, as well as folic acid, iron, and calcium. I use fresh spinach - you can also use frozen spinach - thawed and drained of any liquid. Or, use arugula or kale instead.
- Sausage. I used spicy Italian ground sausage which adds lots of savory flavors and a bit of heat to the butternut squash soup. You can use sausage in casings - just remove the casing before cooking and crumbling the sausage.
- Orzo is an Italian pasta that is shaped and looks like long rice.
- Seasonings that I used to make this butternut squash and sausage soup are Italian seasonings, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme.
- Broth or water. Use water, chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
- Cream. I used only ½ cup of heavy cream for a whole soup to add a touch of creaminess.
- Shredded or grated Parmesan is added on top of the soup when serving.
Recipe Notes
- Reduce calories by using chopped cauliflower or cauliflower rice instead of orzo. Also, use half-and-half instead of cream.
- Save time by using pre-cut butternut squash sold in some grocery stores.
- Toppings. When serving creamy butternut squash and sausage soup, you can add grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano or Asiago), red pepper flakes, fresh herbs, or cracked black pepper.
Substitutions
- Butternut squash can be replaced with diced sweet potatoes.
- Can't find orzo? Use any other small-cut pasta you like. This includes bow tie, orecchiette, fusilli, or even gnocchi.
- Cream. You can use half-and-half or whole milk instead of heavy cream. Or, use dairy-free unsweetened coconut cream/milk.
- Greens. This a perfect recipe to use your favorite greens. Spinach, arugula, kale, Swiss chard, and Collard greens - all would be great!
How to make it gluten-free
Make this recipe gluten-free by using long rice, gluten-free orzo, or wild rice. If using wild rice - cook it separately, not in the broth.
How to make it vegan
Make it vegan by omitting the sausage and replacing heavy cream with unsweetened coconut milk, cashew milk, almond milk, or oat milk. Replace the chicken stock with vegetable broth. You can replace the sausage with plant-based veggie sausage or simply use chopped portobello mushrooms instead of sausage. Portobellos have a deep, rich, and "meaty" flavor and work great as meat substitution.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerate. Store leftover butternut squash sausage orzo soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Reheat. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop in a large enough pan over medium heat, stirring halfway through. Add extra chicken stock or broth to thin it out.
What to serve with it
I like to serve this soup as a complete meal with a simple Fall salad. Here are some easy-to-make salads made with simple ingredients:
- Arugula Salad with Apples, Cranberries, Pecans, and Balsamic Dressing
- Cranberry Spinach Salad with Cashews and Goat Cheese and Lemon-Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
- Autumn Salad with Arugula, roasted Butternut Squash, dried Figs, toasted sliced Almonds, and Pomegranate Seeds.
- Simple Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts, Parmesan Cheese
- Arugula Salad with Pears, Apples, and Cashews
Other soup recipes
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes
- Italian Sausage Orzo Soup with Mushrooms and Spinach
- Chicken, Spinach, and Bean Soup
- Creamy Shiitake Mushroom Soup
- Black Bean and Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup with Wild Rice
Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup (30-Minute, One-Pot)
Ingredients
- 15 oz spicy Italian sausage crumbled
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs from Provence
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (no sprigs, just leaves)
- 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
- Add crumbled Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, a generous amount of fresh thyme (no sprigs, just leaves), and red pepper flakes to a large saucepan. Cook on medium heat, regularly stirring to break the sausage.
- Once the sausage released juices and is half cooked, add 1 cup of uncooked orzo and minced garlic, and cook, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes on medium heat to brown the orzo.
- Add 5 cups of chicken stock and cubed butternut squash, stir everything well, cover with the lid, bring to a boil, reduce to visible simmer, and cook for about 5 or 10 minutes until the orzo and butternut squash is cooked.
- Add spinach to the soup, cover with the lid and let it wilt on low heat, occasionally stirring.
- Once the spinach has wilted, remove the soup from the heat and add heavy cream. Stir everything and season with salt and pepper. Add more chicken stock (or water) if the soup is too dense. Add more red pepper flakes, if you like. Top with Parmesan cheese (shaved, shredded, or grated) and fresh thyme.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
QUICK, EASY & SO YUMMY! Made this (in 30 minutes!) for my 91-year-old dad who hates vegetables...he had three helpings and keeps "suggesting" I make that dish again! Your recipes look amazing and going to be making at least one a week! Thank you, Julia! You're an artist;)
Made it tonight. Wife is not a big sausage fan so I substituted ground chicken for the pork. Also, supplemented the spinach with arugula. Soup was a hit and a definite keeper.
Wonderful to hear that, Tom! Glad this recipe worked well with ground chicken and arugula!
I'd like to make this to take to friends returning home from a month long trip. I thought it would be a fabulous dinner awaiting them! What would be a good side dish to complete this dinner?
Nancy, I am sorry for my delayed response. This soup will go well with a slice of crusty bread. Also, I just created these delicious savory Bacon Cheese Scones that go so well with soups:
https://juliasalbum.com/bacon-cheddar-cheese-scones/
And, since sausage and apples is pretty much a classic combo, try my Apple Spinach Salad:
https://juliasalbum.com/apple-spinach-salad-feta/
Just made this tonight since my dad was visiting and I wanted to impress him with something homey and delicious! It was definitely a hit. The butternut squash added a great sweetness to it...
Hello Julia. What a fantastic recipe. We made this today for our guests during a rare winter snowstorm in Orange Beach Alabama. We all LOVED it!! Was really good with just a couple oyster crackers on top with the cheese. Have already taken pictures and passed it in to three other families to try
I just made this soup tonight and it was DELICIOUS! A big hit with everyone. I will definitely be adding this to my favourites. Thanks for the recipe!!!
Hello from Denver! This was DELICIOUS!! My kid who hates butternut squash says you've converted her. 🙂 I was worried it would be too spicy, but the sweetness of the squash pairs perfectly with the spicy sausage and the whole dish is just a beautiful blend of flavors.
I didn't have any spinach, so I added kale instead (I put it in right after it boiled and let it simmer for 10 minutes with the pasta and squash). I probably should try it with the spinach, but the kale was so texturally wonderful that I would definitely make this 'mistake' again.
I will make more of your recipes - thank you for sharing!!
Another hit! Just made this for my daughter & her fiancé as they are both working 2 jobs, plus fixing up their first home they bought at an auction. Lots of remodeling so their time is scant. I can at least make them dinner 1-2x week since I can’t do any construction work, lol. This is the 2nd recipe of yours I’ve tried and we love them! I’m just going to keep making recipes off your site because they are so delicious, easy to make and use common ingredients. I love they aren’t fussy at all. So good!
Thank you, Deb, for trusting my recipes! I’m so glad your daughter and her fiancé enjoy them too. Best of luck with the remodeling!
I made this soup and was delicious! Am I able to freeze some of the leftovers? Your thoughts?
Hi Cari! I am glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂 Yes, you can freeze it! I’ve shared several tips for freezing soup in my sausage tortellini soup recipe, so I’m copying and pasting them here:
1) Do not add cream. If you would like to freeze soup, do not add any cream. Heavy cream tends to separate and become grainy if frozen. Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
2) Freeze the soup in usable portions. Divide it into 4 or 6 containers. Don't freeze it in a single large container.
3) Leave space in the container. When freezing the liquid recipes, like soups, leave the space in the container (about 2 inches) as the soup will expand as it freezes.
4) Defrost the soup by placing it in the refrigerator for a day or two.
5) How to reheat. Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop in the large enough pan over medium heat, stirring halfway through. Add extra milk or heavy cream.
This soup was phenomenal! It had really great flavors and was the perfect cozy meal on a chilly fall evening. My husband loved it, too! I used Spicy Impossible Sausage, which worked perfectly in this recipe. I will be making this again very soon!
I am so happy to hear this, Jo Ann! Thank you for your 5-star review! 🙂
Made exactly as written, plus about half cup extra broth and used mild Italian ground sausage. Delicious! Freshly grated parmesan cheese made it even better and store bought pre-diced butternut squash made it quick to make. Thank you!
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a great review, Erika! 🙂 Pre-diced butternut squash saves so much time!
Hi Julia,
I'm fairly new to your recipes but have enjoyed the ones I've made immensely!
I'm in the UK and was wondering what exactly would spicy Italian sausage be?
Thank you x
Hi Mark, welcome to my site, and I apologize for the delayed response! In the U.S., I typically buy bulk frozen sausage labeled as Italian, which usually indicates it contains specific spices. I also often by this brand - Johnsonville Hot Italian Pork Sausage (just as an example):
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Johnsonville-Hot-Italian-Pork-Sausage-Links-19-oz-5-Count-Tray/10316094?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1600&from=/search