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.

Spoonful of keto sausage and pepper soup lifted from a bowl topped with melted cheese

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.

Halved Poblano pepper and sliced celery on a white cutting board

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.

Crumbled raw Italian sausage starting to brown in a Dutch oven

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

Diced celery and Poblano pepper on a cutting board next to browned sausage in a Dutch oven

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.

Browned sausage topped with celery, Poblano pepper, dried herbs and spices in a Dutch oven

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.

Chicken stock being poured into a pot of browned sausage and vegetables

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.

Fresh baby spinach added to simmering sausage soup in a Dutch oven

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.

Wilted spinach stirred into keto sausage soup with a wooden spoon

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.

Bowl of keto sausage and pepper soup with spinach, red peppers and melted Cheddar Jack cheese

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.

Bowl of keto sausage soup with spinach and celery beside a teal Dutch oven

More Easy Keto Recipes

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

Recipe

Bowl of keto sausage soup with spinach and celery in front of a teal Dutch oven

Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup

A hearty low-carb soup packed with Italian sausage, red and Poblano peppers, celery and spinach in a warmly spiced broth. It's ready in under an hour and makes great keto meal prep.

4.7 from 52 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Course Soups

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories 408 kcal

Equipment

Dutch Oven or large soup pot

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Italian pork sausage casings removed if using links; check the label for added sugar
1 medium red pepper diced
½ medium Poblano pepper diced
3 celery stalks diced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt and black pepper to taste
6 cups organic sugar-free chicken stock or broth with no added sugar
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup Cheddar Jack cheese shredded, for topping

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains.
Add the red pepper, Poblano pepper, celery, basil, oregano, rosemary, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper, stir to combine, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the spinach and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, just until wilted. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, and remove the pot from the heat.
Ladle into bowls and top with shredded Cheddar Jack cheese and extra diced Poblano pepper, if you like.

Video

Notes

Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, cool completely and freeze without the cheese topping for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 408kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 18gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 1573mgPotassium: 450mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2043IUVitamin C: 39mgCalcium: 188mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.

More Soups

Comments

4.72 from 52 votes (45 ratings without comment)

Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

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

Helpful Tips

Variations

Serving Ideas

Storing & Freezing

More Easy Keto Recipes

Recipe

Easy Keto Sausage & Pepper Soup

Equipment

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Video

Notes

Nutrition

More Soups

Comments

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Ingredients