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Zuppa Toscana recipe in a bowl.
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5 from 5 votes

Zuppa Toscana

Made famous in the states by Olive Garden, our Zuppa Toscana recipe is based off that rich and creamy version! A delicious broth based soup loaded with Italian sausage, bacon, potatoes, kale, and finished with shaved Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes. It's a hearty soup that never disappoints!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Italian-american
Servings: 6
Calories: 456kcal
Author: Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 3 sweet Italian sausages, casings removed (about .65 pounds)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 pound waxy potatoes, cubed into bite sized pieces
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups torn and packed kale leaves with ribs removed (about 2 large leaves)
  • 2 ounces shaved Parmesan
  • salt and 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.

Video

Notes

**Recipe makes about 2 quarts (about 1 1/3 cups per serving)**
To Reheat
Cool soup and transfer to airtight containers. Store containers of soup in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, transfer soup to a pot and simmer over medium to medium-low heat and simmer until just heated through. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve.
To Freeze
Since dairy tends to separate once frozen and thawed, we recommend leaving out the milk and kale leaves when freezing the soup. Transfer cooled soup to a freezer friendly, airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to use, transfer soup to refrigerator and thaw overnight. Then pour soup into a pot and simmer over medium to medium-low heat until heated through. Once soup is simmering, stir in milk and kale leaves and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 456kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 748mg | Potassium: 909mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 5408IU | Vitamin C: 60mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 3mg