Zuppa Toscana Italian Soup (Print)
A creamy Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, kale, and rich broth for cozy nights.
# 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 onion, diced
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 5.3 oz fresh kale, chopped
→ Dairy
06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 oz grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
→ Liquids
08 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
09 - 1 tbsp olive oil
→ Seasonings
10 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
11 - Salt and 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 crumbles with a wooden spoon. Cook until evenly browned, approximately 5 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, cook the diced onion until translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add the sliced potatoes and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork.
04 - Stir in the chopped kale and the reserved browned sausage. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes until the kale has wilted and the flavors meld together.
05 - Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the heavy cream and stir gently to combine. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper to taste. Heat through without bringing to a boil.
06 - Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese if desired and serve immediately with crusty bread alongside.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The creamy broth tastes like it simmered all day, but it comes together in under an hour.
- It freezes beautifully, so you can always have a bowl of comfort waiting on a rough Tuesday.
02 -
- Boiling the soup after adding cream will cause it to break and look curdled, so keep the heat low and gentle at the end.
- Slicing the potatoes thin and even is the single thing that determines whether every spoonful feels perfect or patchy.
03 -
- Do not stir the sausage constantly while browning it, because letting it sit undisturbed is what creates those caramelized bits that make the broth taste rich.
- Taste and adjust the salt right at the very end, since the Parmesan and sausage both contribute salt you cannot predict at the start.