Description
Zuppa Toscana is a hearty and comforting Italian soup featuring flavorful Italian sausage, tender potatoes, kale, and a creamy broth. Enhanced with a blend of spices and a touch of heat from hot sauce, this soup is perfect for a satisfying meal any time of the year.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage, hot or mild
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce (can substitute Worcestershire sauce)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3-4 small russet potatoes (about 1 lb.)
- 3 cups kale, roughly chopped
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
For Serving
- Grated Parmesan cheese
- Roughly chopped bacon
Instructions
- Cook the Sausage: In a large soup pot over medium heat, cook and crumble the ground Italian sausage until fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the drippings and set the sausage aside. If there are not enough drippings, use an additional tablespoon of butter.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the reserved drippings and butter to the soup pot. Add diced onion and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic, hot sauce, soy sauce, mustard powder, dried parsley, oregano, basil, and optional red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Make the Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the onion mixture and stir continuously for 2 minutes to cook the flour and remove the raw taste.
- Add Liquids: Gradually add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Follow by adding the heavy cream in the same manner. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Prepare Potatoes: Clean and pat dry the potatoes. Cut them in half lengthwise and then slice into ¼-inch slices. Add the potatoes and the cooked sausage to the simmering soup.
- Simmer Potatoes: Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are nearly fork-tender.
- Add Kale and Finish Cooking: Stir in the roughly chopped kale and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the kale is wilted and tender.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, chopped bacon, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Serve hot.
Notes
- The hot sauce adds flavor complexity without making the soup spicy; Frank's hot sauce is recommended.
- Hot Italian sausage is traditional, but mild sausage can be used for less heat; Jimmy Dean Original Pork Sausage is a good choice.
- Cooking the sausage over medium heat keeps it juicy and creates flavorful drippings for the roux.
- Garnish with freshly grated Belgioioso Parmesan cheese for the best flavor.
- Spinach can be substituted for kale if preferred.
- Pair this soup with crusty, airy no-knead bread for dipping.
- For a slow cooker method, omit the flour. After cooking sausage and aromatics, transfer ingredients (except cream, potatoes, and kale) to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add potatoes in the last 45 minutes, then stir in cream and kale at the end.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Cream-based sauces may change texture after freezing; avoid overcooking potatoes if freezing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
