Skip the takeout and enjoy pizza in soup form, with this savory pot of deliciousness that can be customized to taste – just like your favorite pizza!
Grace and Evie are back for another edition of Fountain Avenue Kids, and they’re sharing a longtime family favorite that redefines pizza night!
Pizza soup is a gift my sister-in-law, Melissa, shared with our family shortly after marrying my brother nearly two decades ago. I vividly remember eating my first bowl in the kitchen of the home they lived in at the time.
It was nothing short of delicious – wholesome comfort food at its best. The savory, tomatoey base brimmed with all the classic pizza toppings – meaty and vegetable-laden – for a hearty, soul-warming meal that rivals the classic takeout fare any night of the week.
As a family-friendly bonus, pizza soup can be tailored to individual tastebuds and what you have on hand. And as Melissa says, “You can’t mess it up!”
It seemed only fitting for my nieces, Grace and Evie (now 12 and 9!), to help me cook this meal for its past-due inclusion on the blog. The girls will tell you to skip the mushrooms and Melissa says double the olives. My brother loves a good Hawaiian pizza, but the girls and I decided that this soup is one place pineapple doesn’t belong.
The beauty of the recipe is that everyone is happy in the end. And my brother can always have his pineapple on the side ; )
Variations on Pizza Soup:
- The sausage adds a welcome heartiness and flavor to the soup, but Melissa sometimes skips it.
- You could also use a pound of this homemade sausage recipe, which can be made with pork or turkey and spices you likely have on hand.
- Add mushrooms.
- Add a can of cannellini or other white beans.
- Like broccoli or spinach on your pizza? They’ll taste just as good in this soup as they do on a pizza.
- Use one (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes or marinara in place of both the 14.5-ounce can/jar diced tomatoes and sauce.
- Stir in some fresh basil at the end.
- You could get fancy and top the soup, once ladled into bowls, with cheese toasts.
- If you love anchovies on your pizza, by all means, add a few to the soup!
Chopping vegetables can be fun!
A very good kitchen helper…
…and another!
Pizza soup is loaded with colorful vegetables and filling meat, and there’s plenty of room for flexibility. It’s also a great recipe for doubling and feeding a crowd.
Toppings add flavor and fun factor. They also allow individual diners to customize the soup to taste. Shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, grated Parmesan, sliced banana peppers, and croutons are a few of our favorites. Crouton sticks (recipe forthcoming), garlic bread, or a roll on the side are good options too.
Grace and Evie now have a collection of recipes to enjoy!
- Oatmeal Packet Mug Muffin – Choose your flavor in these healthy, protein-rich, single-serve muffins that can be made with just four easy ingredients. (Kids cooking video included!)
- Pizza Chicken – The pizza theme is a keeper, as reinforced by this speedy, customizable, family-friendly meal. (Kids cooking video included!)
- Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets – The DIY-ers will appreciate this recipe, which allows you to mix and match an extensive list of options to create a wholesome, economical alternative to store-bought flavored instant oatmeal packets. (Don’t miss the photos of Grace and Evie – they were 6 and 3!)
- Viral Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Rice Cake – A fun snack or dessert that went viral for a reason. It’s delicious!
If you try this recipe, let us know. Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook!
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Pizza SoupPrep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes Yield: 6-8 servings
Skip the takeout and enjoy pizza in soup form, with this savory pot of deliciousness that can be customized to taste – just like your favorite pizza!
Ingredients
- 1 (3-ounce) package pepperoni, quartered (~¾ cup once chopped and separated)
- 1 pound Italian sausage*, removed from casings (pork or turkey; see notes for substitutions)
- 1 small to medium red or yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 small to medium bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups; colors of choice – we like at least one red)
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder** and dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (fire roasted or regular)
- 1 (14-ounce) jar pizza sauce (may sub 1¾ cups marinara sauce like Rao’s)
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives (may sub ¼ – ⅓ cup pitted and sliced Kalamatas; or omit if not a fan)
- Optional toppings: shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, sliced banana peppers, croutons (may also serve garlic bread or a roll on the side***)
Instructions
- Add the pepperoni and sausage to a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat and sauté, breaking the sausage up as you go, until the pepperoni renders its fat and the sausage is cooked through.
- Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 3-4 minutes more. Add the garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, followed by the tomatoes with juice, pizza sauce, chicken broth, and olives.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a light simmer and cook for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally, to allow the soup to thicken slightly and the flavors to develop. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. (We typically don’t add salt as the meats, sauce, and broth contribute, but you may enjoy a pinch or two depending on tastebuds and products used.)
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, croutons, and other toppings of choice.
- Storage: The soup will keep for approximately 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes well.
Notes & Options*You may skip the sausage or pepperoni (using at least one of them makes the soup heartier and the flavor more pizza-like) and add 8-12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (sauté them at the beginning until the moisture is released and they are golden). A 14.5-ounce can of cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained, would be another nice addition if excluding one of the meats.
**If you prefer to use fresh garlic, add 3 minced cloves along with the onions and bell peppers.
***As yet another serving option, you can get fancy and top the soup bowls with cheese toast.
Melissa adds 1 teaspoon sugar to the soup, which I omit. It will very lightly sweeten and mellow the tomato flavor; feel free to add it if you like.
Melissa often makes pizza soup with a 28-ounce can of tomato puree (and a touch more of the herbs and seasonings) instead of the pizza sauce/diced tomato combo. In this case, the 1 teaspoon of sugar is more helpful.
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- 1 (3-ounce) package pepperoni, quartered (~¾ cup once chopped and separated)
- 1 pound Italian sausage*, removed from casings (pork or turkey; see notes for substitutions)
- 1 small to medium red or yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 small to medium bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups; colors of choice – we like at least one red)
- 1 teaspoon each garlic powder** and dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice (fire roasted or regular)
- 1 (14-ounce) jar pizza sauce (may sub 1¾ cups marinara sauce like Rao’s)
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives (may sub ¼ – ⅓ cup pitted and sliced Kalamatas; or omit if not a fan)
- Optional toppings: shredded mozzarella or Italian blend cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, sliced banana peppers, croutons (may also serve garlic bread or a roll on the side***)
- Add the pepperoni and sausage to a large soup pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat and sauté, breaking the sausage up as you go, until the pepperoni renders its fat and the sausage is cooked through.
- Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 3-4 minutes more. Add the garlic powder, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes, followed by the tomatoes with juice, pizza sauce, chicken broth, and olives.
- Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to maintain a light simmer and cook for at least 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally, to allow the soup to thicken slightly and the flavors to develop. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. (We typically don’t add salt as the meats, sauce, and broth contribute, but you may enjoy a pinch or two depending on tastebuds and products used.)
- Ladle into bowls and top with cheese, croutons, and other toppings of choice.
- Storage: The soup will keep for approximately 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes well.
*You may skip the sausage or pepperoni (using at least one of them makes the soup heartier and the flavor more pizza-like) and add 8-12 ounces of sliced mushrooms (sauté them at the beginning until the moisture is released and they are golden). A 14.5-ounce can of cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained, would be another nice addition if excluding one of the meats.
**If you prefer to use fresh garlic, add 3 minced cloves along with the onions and bell peppers.
***As yet another serving option, you can get fancy and top the soup bowls with cheese toast.
Melissa adds 1 teaspoon sugar to the soup, which I omit. It will very lightly sweeten and mellow the tomato flavor; feel free to add it if you like.
Melissa often makes pizza soup with a 28-ounce can of tomato puree (and a touch more of the herbs and seasonings) instead of the pizza sauce/diced tomato combo. In this case, the 1 teaspoon of sugar is more helpful.