Homemade Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana is a deliciously hearty soup of mainly potatoes, kale, sausage and cannelini beans. This one-pot gem is loaded with flavor and is delicious served with crusty bread. The perfect soup on a cold and snowy day.

Course Soups, Stews & Chilis

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cream soup, Italian, kale, soup, winter

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 736

Author Laurie McNamara

Equipment

Lodge EC7OD13 Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven, 7-Quart, Oyster White

Ingredients

6 slices center cut bacon diced
16 ounces hot italian sausage
1 medium yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic minced
kosher salt to taste
1 teaspoon thyme leaves chopped
4 medium potatoes diced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
15 ounces cannelini beans drained and rinsed
4 handfuls chopped kale
2 cups heavy whipping cream
black pepper freshly ground, to taste
parmesan cheese shaved, for serving
italian bread sliced, for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the diced bacon to a dutch oven and heat on medium-low, stirring ocassionally until crispy. About 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate, leaving the bacon fat in the pot. *see notes
Next add in the hot italian pork sausage. With a wooden spoon, break up the meat up into small crumbles and cook until browned. About 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the browned pork to the plate with the bacon. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot.
Add in the onions and garlic with a pinch of kosehr salt. Stir and cook until golden and tender. Add in the thyme and cook 1 to 2 mintues before transferring the onion mixture to the plate with the bacon and sausage.
To the pot, add in the diced potato, broth and water. Scrape the browned bits on teh bottom of the pan before covering and bringing to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes 10 to 12 minutes.
Then add the (drained) beans, cooked bacon, sausage and onions with handfuls of the chopped kale and stir until the kale is just wilted.
Pour in the heavy cream and heat through.
Stir and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add the slurry here if using. **see notes

Notes

*if using another type of bacon, you may need to drain most of it out of the pot.

**FOR A CREAMIER SOUP:

Make a slurry by adding 2 tablespoons of unbleached all-purpose flour in a medium bowl. Ladle a cup of the broth and pour it into the bowl with the flour, whisking or stirring well with a fork. Add this back into the soup, bring to a low simmer, stirring until thickened.

Alternatively, you can use 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons of water, mixing well. Pour this into the soup while at a low simmer, stirring until thickend.

Nutrition