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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.
Made this recipe tonight and used mild Italian turkey sausage. Also subbed fat free half and half. What a delicious soup! Definitely comfort food on a chilly night. Baked apples for dessert - all the fall and holiday feels!
Linda, I am so glad you tried this recipe and loved it! 🙂 Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback. ❤️ Baked apples is a perfect dessert!
I hope this reaches some vegetarians. I just made this with Field Roast smoked apple and sage sausage. I didn't want to open a second veggie stock so I added some Chardonnay and water for my 5th cup. Because the sausage isn't spicy I was a bit heavy handed with the red pepper flake. I'm not vegan so I did use heavy cream. It was DIVINE!! Because the sausage was pre-cooked, I used extra olive oil in the early stages. A keeper. Thank you!
Alyssa, thank you so much for sharing so many helpful tips on how to make this vegetarian-friendly! ❤️ Your recipe adjustments sound delicious! ❤️
What are your thoughts on using sweet potatoes in place of the squash? I look forward to making this.
Leslie, sweet potatoes would work just as great as butternut squash! Enjoy!
This soup is so delicious!! Interested to know how you peel, then cube the butternut squash?? It is so hard to cut & peel raw, so I tried to soften & pre-cook it in the microwave 1st...then it's too hot to handle & gets too soft. Need your advice!! Thanks!
Linda, I am glad you loved the soup! 🙂 I have a detailed recipe on how to peel, cut, and roast the butternut squash - you might find it helpful:
https://juliasalbum.com/roasted-butternut-squash/
Delicious! Loved this soup and it was even better the second day. Can’t wait to make it again next week!
Sherry, I am so glad you loved it! Thank you for the feedback! ❤️
Oh my gosh! This soup is STUPID good! I have quite a few butternut squash in my garden, so have been looking for good recipes. This soup is fab!
Christina, thank you for your rave review! ❤️ 🙂 ❤️ 🙂 So glad you enjoyed this soup. Here are some other butternut squash recipes you might like (since you have your graden full of them - how lucky! 🙂 ):
https://juliasalbum.com/category/vegetables/butternut-squash/
This soup was amazing! It came together quickly and my “slightly suspicious” spouse went back for seconds! A keeper!
Thank you, Mary! Ha-ha, I am glad the "suspicious" spouse loved it, too! 🙂
I am vegan so I replaced meet and dairy wit vegan sausage, coconut milk and vegan Parmesan. I also used un-chicken stock. This soup is ridiculously delicious. Definitely my new favorite!!!
Thank you for the recipe!
Patricia, thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful feedback on how you made it vegan. So very helpful to me and other readers who might want to make similar changes. ❤️❤️
This was SO good! It was a quick and easy one to make on a weeknight before running my kids off to their sports and the whole family loved it! Going into the rotation for sure!
Ann, your comment made my day! 🙂 So glad everyone enjoyed this easy recipe! ❤️
Made this tonight and husband called it a top 5 ever made. Made exactly as posted except used ground thyme instead of fresh. It was delicious and definitely going on the fall/winter rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Wow, Ashley, your comment really made my day! ❤️
Can you freeze this soup?
Laura, I wouldn't freeze this soup for 2 reasons:
1) Cream when defrosted doesn't keep its texture
2) Orzo tends to absorb all the liquid and that will not work well for freezing.
Might actually be the best soup recipe I made in a long time! Try it, you will not be sorry!
Jacki, thank you for your rave review - I appreciate it! ❤️
Absolutely delicious. One of the better soups I have made as well.
Ann Marie, I am so happy to hear that. 🙂
Do delicious!
Thank you, Donna! ❤️
Probably one of the best soups I’ve ever made!! Delicious recipe.
Delicious! This soup was a big hit with the whole family.
Vicky, I am so happy to hear that! ❤️
Can't really have cream and half and half isn't good either - would evaporated milk or coconut milk (full fat) work?
I think you can use any type of milk. Coconut milk (full fat) would be delicious!
Yes, unsweetened coconut milk (from a can) works great!
I made this soup tonight for dinner and it was fantastic! Than you so much for this recipe.
Jennifer, thank you for trying this recipe and so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Holidays! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hi! Very new to cooking. I noticed that the recipe says to cook the sausage half way and then to continue to the next step. How do you know when your meat is fully cooked?
Abbie, after you add the chicken stock and boil the soup for 10 or 15 minutes, the sausage should be cooked through - it will no longer be raw.