Zuppa Toscana
Every so often I pull a recipe out of the family box and finally write it down before it fades. This Zuppa Toscana is written in Karen’s hand. She and I made it together more winters than I can count. It’s a hearty Tuscan soup of sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale in a creamy broth, the kind of pot that warms up a whole cold evening. I recall this soup fondly and am glad I’m getting the recipes written down. Here it is just as her card has it.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage, crumbled
- 1/2 lb bacon, chopped
- 1 quart water
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
- 2 large russet potatoes, cubed
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion
- 2 cups chopped kale or swiss chard
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Brown the sausage and brown the bacon.
- In a large pot, combine the water, broth, potatoes, garlic, and onion. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
- Add the browned sausage and bacon to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the kale and heavy whipping cream.
Note: Cauliflower can be substituted for the potatoes.
Nutrition (estimated): about 650 calories per serving, based on 6 servings. This is a rough estimate calculated from standard ingredient data, not a lab analysis. Actual numbers vary with brands, portion sizes, and any substitutions.
Tips and substitutions
- For a little heat like the restaurant version, use hot Italian sausage or stir in a pinch of crushed red pepper.
- Swiss chard or spinach both work in place of the kale. If you use spinach, stir it in at the very end, since it wilts in seconds.
- For a lighter pot, use half and half in place of the heavy cream, or turkey sausage in place of pork.
- Cauliflower can stand in for the potatoes, as the card notes, for a lower-starch version.
- Drain most of the grease after browning the sausage and bacon so the broth stays clean.
Questions people ask about Zuppa Toscana
Is this the same as Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana?
It is the same classic Tuscan soup a lot of people first taste at Olive Garden, sausage, potatoes, and greens in a creamy broth. This is our family version of it. If you want it closer to the restaurant, lean on hot sausage and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it?
It keeps in the fridge for a few days and reheats gently on the stove. Cream soups can separate when frozen, so if you want to freeze a batch, leave the cream out and stir it in fresh when you reheat.
What can I use instead of kale?
Swiss chard works just like kale. Spinach works too, but add it right at the end so it does not overcook.
What do you serve with it?
A loaf of crusty bread and not much else. It is a full meal in a bowl, especially on a cold night.
