Italian Chicken Sausage Veggie Soup with Cavatappi Domani
Hearty one-pot Italian soup loaded with seasoned chicken sausage, tender zucchini, carrots, and onions in a rich marinara broth. This recipe cleverly creates two meals - a warming soup for tonight's dinner plus leftover cavatappi domani for tomorrow's lunch. The Tuscan Heat spice blend adds aromatic depth while garlic butter ciabatta toast provides the perfect accompaniment. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want homestyle comfort food that stretches into multiple satisfying meals.
Ingredients
- 2 unit Zucchini, trimmed and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 unit Carrots, trimmed, peeled, and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 unit Yellow Onion, halved, peeled, and finely diced
- 18 ounce Italian Chicken SausageTurkey sausage or ground turkey1:1dairy-freegluten-free
Use seasoned variety
- 6 ounce Cavatappi PastaPenne or rigatoni1:1shape
Any short pasta works
- 1 tablespoon Tuscan Heat Spice
- 14 ounce Marinara CupMarinara sauce1:1none
Standard jarred marinara
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 unit Chicken Stock Concentrate
- 1 teaspoon Chili Flakes
- 1 unit Ciabatta Bread, halvedSourdough or French bread1:1gluten-free
Any crusty bread works
- ½ cup Italian Cheese BlendMozzarella and provolone mix1:1dairy-free
Use plant-based cheese if needed
- ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
- 4 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 2 ½ tablespoon Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- 1
Bring medium pot of salted water to boil
- 2
Wash and dry all produce
- 3
Trim and dice zucchini into 1/2-inch pieces
- 4
Halve, peel, and finely dice onion
- 5
Trim, peel, and dice carrot into 1/2-inch pieces
- 6
Heat large drizzle of olive oil in large pan over medium-high heat
- 7
Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through
- 8
Transfer half sausage to medium bowl, leaving remaining half in pan
- 9
Add cavatappi to boiling water and cook until al dente
- 10
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain
- 11
Add half the zucchini, half the onion, half the Tuscan Heat Spice, salt, and pepper to pan with sausage
- 12
Cook, stirring, until softened
- 13
Add marinara sauce and reserved pasta cooking water
- 14
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes
- 15
Turn off heat and stir in 3 cups cooked pasta and butter
- 16
Season with salt and pepper
- 17
Heat large drizzle of olive oil in pot used to cook pasta over medium-high heat
- 18
Add carrot, garlic powder, salt, and remaining zucchini, onion, and Tuscan Heat Spice
- 19
Cook, stirring, until veggies are softened
- 20
Stir in reserved sausage, water, and stock concentrates
- 21
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes
- 22
Stir in remaining cooked pasta and half the Italian cheese
- 23
Taste and season with salt and pepper
- 24
Microwave butter in small microwave-safe bowl until softened
- 25
Stir in remaining garlic powder and pinch of salt and chili flakes
- 26
Halve ciabatta and toast in toaster oven until golden
- 27
Spread evenly with garlic butter
- 28
Divide soup between bowls and top with remaining Italian cheese
- 29
Sprinkle with chili flakes if desired and serve with garlic toast
- 30
Divide cavatappi domani between 2 reusable containers and pack each with Parmesan
- 31
When ready to eat, microwave, stirring, until warmed through and sprinkle with Parmesan
Tips
Reserve pasta cooking water to add body and starch to the marinara sauce for better consistency.
Cook sausage until well-browned before adding vegetables to build deeper flavor in the base.
Divide the recipe strategically - half becomes tonight's soup, half transforms into tomorrow's pasta lunch.
Good to Know
Refrigerate soup up to 3 days. Store cavatappi domani in containers up to 4 days.
Can prep vegetables 1 day ahead. Soup tastes better next day as flavors meld.
Serve soup hot with garlic toast. Reheat cavatappi domani in microwave until steaming.
Common Mistakes
Don't skip reserving pasta water or sauce will be too thick.
Don't overcook vegetables in soup or they'll become mushy.
Toast bread just before serving to avoid sogginess.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Use seasoned variety
Use plant-based cheese if needed
Gluten-Free Swaps
Any crusty bread works
General Alternatives
Any short pasta works
FAQ
Can I make this vegetarian?
Replace chicken sausage with plant-based sausage or extra vegetables like mushrooms and bell peppers. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock concentrate.
What if I don't have Tuscan Heat spice?
Mix dried basil, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes. Italian seasoning with a pinch of cayenne also works well as substitute.
How long does the cavatappi domani keep?
Store in refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat in microwave, stirring every minute until heated through, about 3 minutes total.