Equipment Needed
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Ladle
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Can opener
Step-by-Step Instructions
We start by building the flavor foundation, and it all begins with the sausage. In your large pot, cook the Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up with your spoon as it browns. You want to get some nice caramelization on the meat—that’s where tons of flavor lives. Don’t drain the fat unless there’s an excessive amount; that rendered fat is gold for cooking our spices. Once the sausage is nicely browned, reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic. Stir it for just 30 seconds until it’s incredibly fragrant. Be careful not to burn it, as burnt garlic turns bitter fast.
Now, for the secret weapon: the seasoning blend. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, onion powder, steak seasoning, paprika, and black pepper directly over the sausage and garlic. Stir constantly for about one minute. This is called “blooming” the spices, and it’s a step you cannot skip. I learned this the hard way when I just dumped them into the liquid later; the soup tasted flat. Blooming them in the fat wakes up their oils and makes the entire soup taste deeply, authentically Italian. Your kitchen will smell amazing.
After the spices are bloomed, it’s time for the liquid. Pour in the tomato sauce, the diced tomatoes with their juices, the chicken broth, and the water. Give everything a good stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot—that’s pure flavor. Bring the soup to a lively simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle bubble. Let this simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. This allows the flavors to start marrying and the broth to reduce slightly, concentrating the taste. Taste it now and add a pinch of kosher salt if needed, but remember the sausage and broth bring salt too. (See the next page below to continue…)