Zuppa Toscana Italian Soup (Printable Version)
Hearty Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, kale, and creamy broth for cozy comfort.
# 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 yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 5 oz fresh kale, stems removed and chopped
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream
07 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
→ Liquids
08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Kosher salt and freshly cracked 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 bite-sized crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned throughout, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside, leaving the rendered drippings in the pot.
02 - In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the sliced potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender.
04 - Return the browned sausage to the pot along with the chopped kale. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the kale has wilted and the flavors meld together.
05 - Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to taste. Allow the soup to heat through gently, but do not bring to a boil after adding the cream.
06 - Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately alongside crusty bread.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour with zero fussy techniques or hard to find ingredients.
- The creamy broth tastes like something you would pay sixteen dollars for at a restaurant.
02 -
- Never let the soup boil after adding the cream or the texture will turn grainy and separated instead of smooth.
- Slice the potatoes as evenly as you can because uneven pieces mean some turn to mush while others stay firm.
03 -
- A splash of white wine deglazed into the pot after browning the sausage adds a brightness that makes the whole soup taste more complex with almost no extra effort.
- Letting the soup rest for ten minutes off the heat before serving allows the flavors to marry and the broth to thicken to its best consistency.