Zuppa Toscana Soup (Printable)
Creamy Tuscan-style soup with sausage, potatoes, and kale in a rich, comforting broth.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casing removed
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
05 - 3.5 oz curly kale, stems removed and chopped
→ Broth and Dairy
06 - 4.2 cups chicken broth
07 - 1 cup heavy cream
→ Oils and Seasonings
08 - 2 tbsp olive oil
09 - 1 tsp dried oregano
10 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Garnish
12 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
13 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, and cook until evenly browned, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
02 - Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, roughly 1 minute.
03 - Add the sliced potatoes, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes.
04 - Stir in the chopped kale and continue simmering until wilted and vibrant green, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Reduce heat to low and pour in the heavy cream, stirring gently to combine. Warm through without bringing to a boil. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls while hot. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy broth carries so much flavor from the sausage that every spoonful feels like a warm hug on a cold day.
- It comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have lurking in your kitchen.
02 -
- Never let the soup boil after adding the cream or it can separate and take on a grainy texture instead of staying smooth.
- Slicing the potatoes uniformly thin is the single most important step because uneven pieces mean some turn to mush while others stay crunchy.
03 -
- If your sausage is very lean, save a tablespoon of the rendered fat before adding the onion because that flavored fat is liquid gold for sautéing.
- Let the soup rest off the heat for five minutes before serving because the broth settles into a creamier, more cohesive texture as it cools slightly.