Hearty Zuppa Toscana Soup
Hearty Zuppa Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 1 pound spicy Italian ground sausage, use mild for kid-friendly
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups kale, chopped
For Topping (Optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped bacon, or bacon bits
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1
Wash fresh kale thoroughly and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Slice the yellow potatoes into uniform 1-inch pieces. Dice the white onion and mince the garlic.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the 1 pound of spicy Italian ground sausage, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a meat chopper or spoon. Cook until no pink remains.
⏱️ 8 min
- 4
Once the sausage is cooked, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a separate bowl. Leave the rendered sausage grease in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min
- 5
Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot with the sausage grease. Once melted, add the diced white onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Add the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the pot with the onions and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 7
Pour in the 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Add the sliced yellow potatoes to the broth mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the potatoes simmer until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min
- 9
Pour in the 2 cups of heavy cream and add the 4 cups of chopped kale to the soup. Stir gently.
⏱️ 2 min
- 10
Return the cooked Italian sausage to the soup. Season with 3 teaspoons of salt (or to taste), 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (adjust to your preferred spice level).
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Stir all ingredients together and let the soup simmer for an additional 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the kale to soften.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Serve the Zuppa Toscana soup hot in bowls. Optionally, top each serving with chopped bacon or bacon bits and grated Parmesan cheese.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Hearty Zuppa Toscana Soup
- 1 pound spicy Italian ground sausage, use mild for kid-friendly
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 white onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups kale, chopped
For Topping (Optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped bacon, or bacon bits
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- 1
Wash fresh kale thoroughly and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Slice the yellow potatoes into uniform 1-inch pieces. Dice the white onion and mince the garlic.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the 1 pound of spicy Italian ground sausage, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a meat chopper or spoon. Cook until no pink remains.
⏱️ 8 min - 4
Once the sausage is cooked, remove it from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a separate bowl. Leave the rendered sausage grease in the pot.
⏱️ 2 min - 5
Add the 4 tablespoons of butter to the pot with the sausage grease. Once melted, add the diced white onion and sauté until it becomes translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Add the 1 tablespoon of minced garlic to the pot with the onions and sauté for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 7
Pour in the 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Add the sliced yellow potatoes to the broth mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let the potatoes simmer until they are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
⏱️ 15 min - 9
Pour in the 2 cups of heavy cream and add the 4 cups of chopped kale to the soup. Stir gently.
⏱️ 2 min - 10
Return the cooked Italian sausage to the soup. Season with 3 teaspoons of salt (or to taste), 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper (adjust to your preferred spice level).
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Stir all ingredients together and let the soup simmer for an additional 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the kale to soften.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Serve the Zuppa Toscana soup hot in bowls. Optionally, top each serving with chopped bacon or bacon bits and grated Parmesan cheese.