Description
This authentic Zuppa Toscana recipe delivers a rich and comforting Italian-American soup featuring Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and nutritious kale all simmered in a creamy broth. Perfect for a hearty meal that warms you up on chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, casings removed)
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 3 cups chopped kale, stems removed
Liquids and Seasonings
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
Garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the Italian sausage until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Remove the sausage from the pot and set aside, leaving a little of the rendered fat in the pot to enhance the flavor.
- Cook the bacon and aromatics: Add the chopped bacon to the pot and cook until crisp. Then stir in the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to burn it.
- Add broth and potatoes: Pour the low-sodium chicken broth into the pot and add the thinly sliced russet potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes become fork-tender and cooked through.
- Combine sausage and kale: Return the cooked Italian sausage to the pot. Stir in the chopped kale and let the soup simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the kale wilts and softens.
- Finish with cream and seasoning: Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Season the soup with salt, black pepper, and the optional crushed red pepper flakes according to your taste preferences. Allow the soup to warm through without boiling.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and extra crispy bacon if desired. Serve immediately for the best experience.
Notes
- For a lighter version of this soup, substitute turkey sausage for Italian sausage and use half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Serve with crusty bread or garlic bread to make it a complete and satisfying meal.
- You can adjust the spiciness by varying the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or by choosing mild or spicy Italian sausage.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, ensure that the sausage and broth you use are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 16g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 23g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
