Creamy Butternut Squash and Sausage Soup with Orzo and Spinach

Ingredients:

• 15 oz spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or Herbs de Provence
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• Red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 cup orzo, uncooked
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 10 oz butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 5 oz fresh spinach
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, shaved, shredded, or grated (for garnish)

Instructions:

1. Sauté the sausage: In a large saucepan, cook the crumbled Italian sausage over medium heat, stirring regularly to break it up. Add Italian seasoning, thyme, and red pepper flakes to taste.
2. Add orzo and garlic: Once the sausage is half-cooked and has released its juices, add the uncooked orzo and minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes to brown the orzo.
3. Simmer with broth and squash: Pour in the chicken stock and cubed butternut squash. Stir well, cover the pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the orzo and butternut squash are tender.
4. Add spinach: Stir in the fresh spinach and cover the pot again. Let it wilt on low heat, stirring occasionally.
5. Finish with cream and Parmesan: Once the spinach has wilted, remove the soup from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken stock or water. Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.

Enjoy your creamy sausage and butternut squash soup!