Save There's something magical about ladling a bowl of soup that tastes exactly like pizza—all the crispy, salty, cheesy comfort without needing to heat up the oven. My partner came home one chilly evening craving pizza but I'd already made a big pot of broth, and instead of starting over, I grabbed the pizza sauce from the pantry and threw in some sausage. Twenty minutes later, we were both staring at this impossibly good hybrid that somehow captured everything we loved about pizza in spoon form.
I made this for my sister's book club last month, and someone actually asked for the recipe before they'd finished their bowl. What really got everyone was that moment when you top it with fresh mozzarella and it gets all stringy and warm—it felt like we were sharing something from a cozy Italian kitchen, not just eating soup on a Tuesday night.
Ingredients
- Italian sausage: This is your flavor anchor—the seasoning in the sausage does half the work, so don't skip it or substitute with ground beef.
- Yellow onion and red bell pepper: The softer base that turns sweet and mellow as it cooks, holding onto the savory sausage flavors.
- Garlic: Just two cloves, but they need that full minute of cooking to lose their rawness and become warm and inviting.
- Chicken or vegetable broth: Go low-sodium so you're in control of the salt—the pizza sauce and sausage bring plenty of their own.
- Pizza sauce and canned tomatoes: Together they create the tangy, rich base that makes this taste unmistakably pizza-like.
- Mozzarella cheese: Half goes in at the end to create creaminess throughout the broth, and the rest gets scattered on top for those melty, stretchy bites.
- Dried oregano and basil: These are your nod to Italian seasoning—they infuse the whole pot as it simmers.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but they add a subtle heat that makes you keep going back for another spoonful.
- Fresh basil or parsley: A bright, last-minute flourish that cuts through the richness and reminds you this is still a fresh bowl of soup.
Instructions
- Brown the sausage first:
- Break it into small pieces as it hits the hot pot, and listen for that sizzle. You want it fully cooked and starting to turn golden at the edges—about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Build your aromatic base:
- Once the sausage is done, toss in the onion and bell pepper, and stir them into the rendered fat. They'll soften and turn translucent, which takes about 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic:
- Give it just one full minute after adding—you'll smell when it shifts from raw and harsh to warm and fragrant, and that's your cue to move forward.
- Pour in all your liquids:
- The broth, pizza sauce, and tomatoes with their juices create the body of your soup. Stir everything together so it's evenly combined.
- Season and simmer gently:
- Add the oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if you like heat, salt, and pepper. Bring it up to a gentle boil, then drop the heat and let it bubble quietly for 15 to 20 minutes, giving it a stir now and then so the flavors get to know each other.
- Taste before you commit:
- This is the moment to adjust salt or pepper to your preference—the soup should taste like the best pizza sauce you've ever had, but in broth form.
- Stir in half the cheese:
- Just before serving, add half the mozzarella and let it melt into the soup, creating subtle creamy swirls throughout.
- Serve and top:
- Ladle into bowls and scatter the remaining mozzarella on top—it'll keep melting from the heat of the soup, and you get those gorgeous stretchy cheese strands with every bite.
Save My favorite part is watching people's faces when they realize it's pizza soup—that moment of delighted confusion right before they dive back in for another spoonful. It's comfort food that tastes like an adventure, which is maybe the best kind to serve on a quiet night at home.
Why This Soup Works
Pizza has always been about building layers of flavor—salty meat, tangy sauce, herbs, and melted cheese all working together. This soup takes that same logic and makes it something warm and nourishing that you can eat with a spoon. The simmering time lets all those elements marry into something that tastes more intentional than the sum of its quick-cooking parts.
Easy Ways to Make It Your Own
The beauty of pizza is that everyone has their own version of it, and this soup is the same way. Once you've made it once and understood how the flavors balance, you can start experimenting with toppings you actually crave. Some people swear by adding sliced mushrooms for earthiness, others throw in black olives or even pepperoni slices that get a little crispy in the heat.
Serving and Storage
Serve this hot, straight from the pot, with a hunk of crusty bread on the side for soaking up every last drop of broth. If you make extra, it keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days, though the mozzarella on top is really best served fresh—you can always add more cheese when you reheat a bowl. Some people even try this with smoked mozzarella or provolone instead of regular mozzarella, and if you're feeling fancy, that's absolutely worth experimenting with.
- Pair it with a crispy garlic bread or toasted bread slices for dipping.
- Add fresh mozzarella on top right before serving for the best melting effect.
- Double the recipe if you're feeding more than four people or want leftovers.
Save This soup sits at that perfect intersection of weeknight simplicity and genuine coziness, the kind of meal that makes people ask for seconds and then ask you for the recipe. Make it once and it'll become a rotation favorite.