Add the sausage meat and onions to a Dutch oven/soup pot. Sauté over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden (about 7-10 min). If there's a lot of excess fat, you can spoon some of it out.

Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, red bell pepper, Italian seasoning, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes. Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil.

Add the pasta in once it's boiling.

Reduce the heat and simmer it (covered, with the lid slightly open) for about 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked. Stir it a few times to ensure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pot. Some brands of crushed tomatoes are thicker than others. Add more beef broth if the soup has become too thick.

Stir in the basil and season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve with parmesan grated over top if desired.