Pizza Soup with Mozzarella (Printable Copy)

Comforting Italian-American soup blending sausage, pizza sauce, and melted mozzarella for authentic pizza flavors in every spoonful.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz Italian sausage, casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

05 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
06 - 1 2/3 cups pizza sauce
07 - 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained

→ Cheeses

08 - 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp dried basil
11 - 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Garnish

13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley (optional)

# How to Make:

01 - In a large pot over medium heat, crumble and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
02 - Add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Sauté until softened, about 4 minutes.
03 - Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in the broth, pizza sauce, and diced tomatoes. Stir to combine.
05 - Add oregano, basil, red pepper flakes (if using), salt, and black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
07 - Just before serving, stir in half the mozzarella until melted.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each with remaining mozzarella. Garnish with fresh basil or parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like pizza night but in the most soothing, filling way—like you've wrapped yourself in something warm and familiar.
  • Ready in under an hour, which means you can go from craving to ladle without the fuss of rolling dough.
  • The mozzarella melts into the broth and creates this subtle, creamy richness that makes it feel fancier than it actually is.
02 -
  • Don't skip the simmering time—rushing it means you miss out on the layers developing; the soup actually tastes better if you give it those fifteen minutes to become something more than the sum of its parts.
  • Stir in the mozzarella off the heat, not bubbling away on the stove, because high heat can make cheese seize up and turn grainy instead of silky.
03 -
  • Use a good quality pizza sauce from the jar rather than trying to make your own—sometimes convenience wins, and this is one of those times when store-bought is genuinely better.
  • Draining the sausage fat makes the difference between a soup that coats your mouth and one that feels light and balanced, so don't skip that step even if it feels fussy.
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