Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
For the Soup Base
- 2 mild Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 russet potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
- 1/2 bag kale, roughly chopped
- 1/2 leek, sliced into thin half-moons
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 fluid ounces chicken broth
- 32 fluid ounces water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons onion salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
For the Topping
- as needed Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- as needed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables: Slice the russet potatoes into thin rounds. Slice the leek into thin half-moons. Dice the white onion. Mince the garlic cloves. Combine the sliced leek, diced onion, and minced garlic in a bowl.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Prepare the sausage: Slit open the mild and hot Italian sausages and remove the meat from their casings.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Cook the sausage: Add the sausage meat to a large pot over medium-high heat (a little oil can be added if the pot is dry, but rendered fat will be produced). Break the sausage meat apart with a meat chopper or wooden spoon and brown it thoroughly, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
Remove sausage: Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the browned sausage from the pot, leaving the rendered fat behind. Set the cooked sausage aside.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Sauté aromatics: Add the combined chopped leek, diced onion, and minced garlic to the pot with the rendered sausage fat. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Season the aromatics: Add the garlic salt, onion salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and continue to sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Make a roux: Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Then, add the all-purpose flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute to create a roux.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Add liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and water, stirring well to combine and prevent lumps from the roux.
⏱️ 2 min
- 9
Add potatoes: Carefully add the sliced russet potatoes to the pot and stir.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
Add kale: Add the roughly chopped kale to the pot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Return sausage: Add the cooked Italian sausage back into the pot.
⏱️ 1 min
- 12
Add cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Simmer: Cover the pot with a lid and let the soup simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 14
Finish with lemon: Uncover the pot and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the soup. Stir well.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Serve: Ladle the hot Zuppa Toscana into bowls. Top with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes to taste.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Zuppa Toscana
For the Soup Base
- 2 mild Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 hot Italian sausages, casings removed
- 2 russet potatoes, sliced into thin rounds
- 1/2 bag kale, roughly chopped
- 1/2 leek, sliced into thin half-moons
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 fluid ounces chicken broth
- 32 fluid ounces water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
For the Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons onion salt, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
For the Topping
- as needed Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- as needed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the vegetables: Slice the russet potatoes into thin rounds. Slice the leek into thin half-moons. Dice the white onion. Mince the garlic cloves. Combine the sliced leek, diced onion, and minced garlic in a bowl.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Prepare the sausage: Slit open the mild and hot Italian sausages and remove the meat from their casings.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Cook the sausage: Add the sausage meat to a large pot over medium-high heat (a little oil can be added if the pot is dry, but rendered fat will be produced). Break the sausage meat apart with a meat chopper or wooden spoon and brown it thoroughly, about 8-10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
Remove sausage: Once cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove the browned sausage from the pot, leaving the rendered fat behind. Set the cooked sausage aside.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Sauté aromatics: Add the combined chopped leek, diced onion, and minced garlic to the pot with the rendered sausage fat. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Season the aromatics: Add the garlic salt, onion salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and continue to sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Make a roux: Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Then, add the all-purpose flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute to create a roux.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Add liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and water, stirring well to combine and prevent lumps from the roux.
⏱️ 2 min - 9
Add potatoes: Carefully add the sliced russet potatoes to the pot and stir.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
Add kale: Add the roughly chopped kale to the pot.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Return sausage: Add the cooked Italian sausage back into the pot.
⏱️ 1 min - 12
Add cream: Pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Simmer: Cover the pot with a lid and let the soup simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 14
Finish with lemon: Uncover the pot and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the soup. Stir well.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Serve: Ladle the hot Zuppa Toscana into bowls. Top with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes to taste.
⏱️ 1 min