Description
Hearty Zuppa Toscana brings rustic Italian comfort straight from Tuscany’s countryside kitchens, blending spicy sausage, tender potatoes, and creamy broth. Rich flavors and comforting warmth invite you to savor each spoonful of this classic soup.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 pound (454 grams) Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 4 slices bacon, chopped (optional, for extra smokiness)
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium potatoes, diced (Russet or Yukon Gold)
- 2 cups kale, chopped (or substitute with spinach)
Liquids and Seasonings:
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Render the sausage in a spacious cooking vessel over medium flame, methodically fragmenting the meat into delicate morsels until achieving a rich, golden-brown exterior.
- Transfer the caramelized sausage to a separate container, preserving its robust flavor and allowing the pot to retain its savory essence.
- If incorporating bacon, crisp the slices within the identical pot, extracting them once they reach a delectable crunch and allowing excess lipids to dissipate.
- Introduce finely chopped onions and minced garlic into the residual aromatic drippings, gently sweating the aromatics until they transform into a translucent, fragrant foundation.
- Cascade chicken broth into the pot, accompanied by cubed potatoes, initiating a gentle liquid dance that will gradually tenderize the starchy cubes.
- Orchestrate a soft bubbling rhythm, reducing thermal intensity to encourage gradual potato softening, approximately 15 minutes until they yield effortlessly to a fork’s gentle pressure.
- Incorporate verdant kale leaves, allowing them to delicately wilt and infuse the broth with their earthy essence, requiring mere moments of immersion.
- Temper the thermal source and lavish the soup with velvety heavy cream, stirring to create a harmonious, silken texture.
- Reunite the reserved sausage (and optional bacon) with the bubbling concoction, permitting a final 5-minute melding of flavors.
- Season judiciously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, calibrating to personal preference.
- Present steaming hot, accompanied by rustic bread or adorned with a drift of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Swap sausage with plant-based alternatives like crumbled tempeh or vegan sausage for a vegetarian version that maintains the robust flavor profile.
- Select waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold for better texture, preventing them from falling apart during simmering and maintaining a pleasing bite.
- Reduce dairy content by using coconut cream or cashew cream for lactose-intolerant guests, which adds richness without compromising taste.
- Control sodium levels by using low-sodium chicken broth and adjusting salt gradually, ensuring a balanced and heart-friendly soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated Fat: 16 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg