Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup

Say hello to your next favorite keto recipe! This Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup simmers crumbled Italian sausage, sweet red pepper, smoky Poblano, celery and baby spinach in a warmly spiced broth, and it's on the table in under an hour.

It's hearty enough for dinner, low enough in carbs for a keto or low-carb plan (about 3 grams of net carbs per serving), and it tastes even better the next day, which makes it a natural for meal prep.

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Italian sausage. Bulk pork sausage is easiest, but links work too; just slit the casings and squeeze the meat out. Hot Italian sausage adds a nice kick, mild keeps it family-friendly. Read the label, since some brands add sugar or fillers. Ground turkey or chicken Italian sausage also works for a leaner pot.
• Red bell pepper and Poblano pepper. The red pepper brings sweetness and color, while the Poblano adds a gentle, smoky heat. A green bell pepper can stand in for the Poblano if you want zero spice, or use a jalapeño for more heat.
• Celery. Gives the soup body and a savory backbone without adding many carbs. Diced zucchini is a good swap if you're out.
• Dried herbs and spices. Basil, oregano, rosemary, chili powder, cumin and a little cinnamon make the broth taste like it cooked all day. The cinnamon is subtle and warm, not sweet, so don't skip it. You can replace the basil, oregano and rosemary with 1 tablespoon of Italian seasoning.
• Chicken stock. Use a stock or broth with no added sugar, such as Pacific Foods organic unsalted chicken stock. Low-sodium or unsalted stock lets you control the salt, which matters because the sausage is already well seasoned. Bone broth adds extra protein.
• Baby spinach. It wilts in minutes. Chopped kale or Swiss chard also work; give them a few extra minutes to soften.
• Cheddar Jack cheese. A handful of shredded cheese on top melts into the hot soup. Plain sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack, pepper jack or grated Parmesan are all good substitutes.

How to Make Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup Step by Step

Step 1: Brown the sausage. In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no pink remains. Break the sausage into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.

Step 2: Add the vegetables. Add the diced red pepper, Poblano pepper and celery to the pot with the browned sausage.

Step 3: Season and soften. Sprinkle in the oregano, basil, rosemary, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon, then season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Step 4: Simmer. Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 5: Add the spinach. Add the baby spinach to the pot. It will look like a lot at first, but it cooks down quickly.

Step 6: Wilt and finish. Stir and cook just until the spinach wilts, about 4 to 5 minutes. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, and remove the pot from the heat.

To serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with shredded Cheddar Jack cheese and, if you'd like, a little extra diced Poblano pepper.

Helpful Tips

Brown the sausage well. Let the sausage sit undisturbed for a minute or two before you start breaking it up so it gets some golden, crispy edges. Those browned bits on the bottom of the pot dissolve into the stock and give the broth a much deeper flavor.

Toast the spices in the fat. Adding the dried herbs and spices while the vegetables are still sautéing in the sausage drippings wakes up their flavor far more than stirring them into the liquid later would.

Season at the end. Sausage, stock and cheese all bring salt, so hold back on salting early and taste the soup after the spinach goes in. A splash of red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything up.

Use a heavy pot. An enameled cast iron Dutch oven holds steady heat, browns the sausage evenly and keeps the soup at a gentle simmer without scorching. Any large, heavy-bottomed soup pot works, too.

Skim if you like. Depending on the sausage, a layer of fat may rise to the top while it simmers. On keto that fat is welcome, but you can skim some off with a large spoon if you prefer a lighter broth.

Variations

• Creamy version. Stir in ½ cup of heavy cream or 4 ounces of cubed cream cheese with the spinach for a rich, creamy soup in the style of our Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana.
• Extra veggies. Add diced zucchini, sliced mushrooms or chopped cauliflower along with the peppers. Keep an eye on carbs if you're tracking them closely.
• Tomato-based. Add a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes with the stock for an Italian-style sausage and pepper soup. It adds a few carbs but plenty of flavor.
• Spicier. Use hot Italian sausage, keep the Poblano seeds, or add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the spices.
• Slow cooker. Brown the sausage on the stovetop first, then add everything except the spinach and cheese to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the spinach for the last 10 minutes.
• Cauliflower rice. Stir in 2 cups of riced cauliflower during the last 10 minutes of simmering to make the soup even heartier.

Serving Ideas

Serve this soup on its own for a satisfying low-carb lunch or dinner, or ladle it into smaller cups as a starter. Crunchy Easy Keto Cheese Crisps are perfect for dipping, and a crisp side of Easy 5-Minute Broccoli Slaw makes a light, fresh contrast to the warm broth.

For a bigger meal, start with a bowl of soup before a slice of Easy Weeknight Keto Pizza with Pepperoni, or pair it with a tray of Spicy Easy Roasted Cauliflower. If you're not eating low-carb, crusty bread or garlic toast is great for soaking up every last drop.

Storing & Freezing

Let the soup cool, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavors keep developing overnight, so it makes an excellent make-ahead meal. For easy lunches, portion it into individual glass meal prep containers and reheat single servings in the microwave or on the stovetop. Add the cheese right before serving.

To freeze, cool the soup completely and freeze it without the cheese in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. The spinach will be softer after thawing, but the flavor holds up well. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a pot over medium heat until steaming, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened.

More Easy Keto Recipes

If you loved this soup, here are a few more low-carb recipes you might enjoy:

• Italian Sausage and Cauliflower Rice Stuffed Peppers
• Curry Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Soup
• Keto Wedge Salad with Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
• Keto Loaded Baked Avocado Eggs

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