Zuppa Toscana
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
35 mins
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Total Time
50 mins
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Servings
6
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Calories
456 kcal
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Course
Main Course, Soup, Dinner
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Cuisine
Italian, Italian-American Fussion
Zuppa Toscana
Description
This Zuppa Toscana recipe starts by frying chopped bacon until crisp, then browning sweet Italian sausage pieces. Aromatic vegetables like diced onion, celery, and carrot are sautéed in the rendered fat along with potatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Flour is sprinkled in to create a roux base that thickens the soup when chicken stock is added.
The soup is brought to a boil and then simmered to cook the potatoes through. Milk is stirred in to create a creamy texture, followed by the addition of torn kale leaves that soften but maintain some bite. Parmesan cheese shavings add depth and a subtly savory finish. Salt and black pepper are used to season throughout.
Zuppa Toscana serves as a warming meal or starter, pairing well with crusty bread. Its combination of meat, potatoes, and greens offers balanced textures and flavors, with the creamy broth enriched by the roux and dairy components.
For storage, it is recommended to omit milk and kale when freezing, adding them fresh when reheating to prevent separation. Reheated soup can be adjusted before serving and keeps well refrigerated for up to three days. The recipe yields about two quarts, suitable for multiple servings.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 lices Bacon chopped
- 3 sweet Italian sausage about .65 pounds, casings removed
- 1 yellow onion medium, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 1 pound potato waxy, cubed into bite sized pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes crushed
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups chicken stock unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups milk whole
- 3 cups kale about 2 large leaves, torn and packed, ribs removed
- 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese shaved
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour oil into a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon drain bacon onto paper towels and set aside.
- Add the sausage to the bacon grease and cook, breaking up into bite sized pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned.
- Transfer sausage to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
- Remove all but 3 tablespoons drippings to dutch oven and place back over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot. Sauté vegetables for about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add potatoes, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and thyme. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is evenly distributed and begins to brown on the bottom of the pot, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stir stock into pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper.
- Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir milk, kale and sausage to the pot until evenly distributed. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the kale is softened and the soup is heated through about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed and stir.
- Serve immediately in bowls garnished with shaved parmesan, crumbled bacon and crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
- The recipe makes about 2 quarts, yielding roughly 1 1/3 cups per serving.
- To reheat, gently simmer refrigerated soup over medium-low heat until warmed; adjust seasoning as needed.
- When freezing, omit milk and kale to avoid separation; add them fresh when reheating.
- Freeze the cooled soup in airtight containers for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 456 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 456kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 21g | 42% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 65mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 748mg | 31% |
| Potassium | 909mg | 19% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 5408IU | 108% |
| Vitamin C | 60mg | 67% |
| Calcium | 269mg | 27% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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