Zuppa Toscana Italian Soup (Printable Version)

Hearty Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, and kale in a rich creamy broth. Tuscan comfort in a bowl.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
03 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 5 oz fresh kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

→ Liquids

06 - 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium, gluten-free preferred)
07 - 1 cup heavy cream

→ Spices & Seasonings

08 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, adjust to taste)
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Other

10 - 2 tbsp olive oil

# Directions:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles, about 6 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside, leaving a little rendered fat in the pot.
02 - Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
03 - Return the browned sausage to the pot. Add the sliced potatoes and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
04 - Stir in the chopped kale and simmer until wilted and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Heat through gently without boiling. Season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
06 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and a light drizzle of olive oil.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The creamy broth hugs every single ingredient like a warm blanket, and somehow it tastes even better the next day.
  • You only need one pot and about fifty minutes, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent on a weeknight.
  • That combination of crumbled sausage and tender potatoes with kale is the kind of thing that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
02 -
  • Never let the soup boil after you add the cream or it will curdle and leave you with a grainy texture that no amount of stirring can fix.
  • The soup thickens as it sits overnight in the fridge, so if youre serving it the next day, stir in a splash of broth or water while reheating to loosen it back up.
03 -
  • Slice the potatoes uniformly thin so every round finishes cooking at the same time and you dont end up with mush mixed with crunch.
  • Bloom the red pepper flakes in the olive oil for thirty seconds before adding the sausage to unlock a deeper, toastier heat than stirring them in at the end.

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