Italian Sausage Tomato Orzo Soup

By PineyCook

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 lb. Italian sausage links (casings removed); rolled into bite-sized pieces
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 cup whole wheat orzo pasta
• 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 2-15oz cans diced tomatoes – no salt added
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tablespoon dried Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
• 1 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste

Details

Adapted from amandascookin.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a 3-quart soup pot on medium-high flame, heat olive oil until shimmering (about 1-2 min).

Add sausage pieces and sauté until lightly browned; transfer cooked pieces to a plate and set aside.

To the heated, oiled pan, add onion, garlic, and celery; sauté until fragrant and slightly tender, stirring as needed (3-4 min).

Add orzo; sauté to lightly brown (2-3 min).

Add chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes (with their juice), Italian seasoning, oregano, fennel, salt, and pepper.

Bring to boil; continue boiling until pasta is cooked through (about 10 min); add sausage back to pot about halfway through boiling process.

Serve warm.