1 pound ground Italian sausage (mild or spicy)

1 medium white onion, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

8 cups chicken stock (or beef or veggie stock)

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach or kale

Heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the ground sausage and sauté until browned and cooked through, stirring and crumbling with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked meat to a clean plate and set it aside, reserving 1 tablespoon of grease in the pot. (If there is more grease in the pot, discard it. If there is no grease remaining, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the stockpot.)

Add the onion, carrots and celery and stir to combine. Sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the diced tomatoes, stock, Italian seasoning and cooked sausage and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain the simmer.

Stir in the orzo until combined. Cover the pot with a lid and continue simmering the soup, stirring occasionally so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, until the orzo is al dente.

Stir the spinach into the soup. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, as needed.

Serve immediately, garnished with your favorite toppings.