Zuppa Toscana Soup (Print Version)
Hearty Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, kale, and a luscious creamy broth for cozy dinners.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed
→ Vegetables
02 - 4 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
03 - 1 medium onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 5 oz fresh kale, chopped
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
→ Liquids
08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, and cook until browned throughout, about 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, cook the diced onion until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the sliced potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender.
04 - Return the browned sausage to the pot and add the chopped kale. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the kale has wilted and softened.
05 - Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to taste. Heat through gently without bringing to a boil.
06 - Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve with crusty bread alongside.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- It tastes like something you would order at a little trattoria but comes together with one pot and zero fuss.
- The creamy broth clings to every slice of potato and crumble of sausage in a way that makes each spoonful feel like a small reward.
02 -
- Boiling the soup after adding the cream will cause it to curdle and look broken, so keep the heat low and patient once the dairy goes in.
- Slicing the potatoes thinly and uniformly is the single thing that determines whether every bite feels balanced or you end up with some chunks hard and others dissolved into mush.
03 -
- A splash of dry white wine deglazed into the pot after browning the sausage adds a layer of acidity that makes the whole soup taste more complex with almost no effort.
- Remove the sausage casings by slicing down the length with a sharp knife and peeling them off rather than trying to squeeze the meat out, which is messy and frustrating.