This classic Italian soup is an entire meal in a bowl
Zuppa Toscana is Italian for Tuscan Soup, a hearty, delicious dish from the Tuscany region of central Italy. Originally called Minestra de Pane, or Bread Soup, because the first recipes for it called for adding leftover stale bread, this rustic, satisfying dish is a deeply flavorful combination of sausage, kale, and tender potatoes in a luscious, creamy broth. While our version doesn’t include the bread in the soup, we definitely recommend you serve a crusty loaf on the side.
Italians make many different kinds of bread soups. Also from Tuscany, we have Pappa al Pomodoro, a rich tomato soup made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and stock, and thickened with torn up pieces of bread. Northern Italy brings us Ribollita, a hearty, almost stew-like soup which calls for white cannellini beans and doesn’t include meat. And while all of these soups are delicious, only one–the Zuppa Toscana–has gained a huge fan base in the United States, thanks to the Olive Garden Restaurant: it is their most popular soup. We see why–the OG’s version is pretty darn good, but we think you’ll agree ours is The Best Zuppa Toscana.
This one-pot wonder has all the components of a full meal with sausage (protein), greens (vegetable), potatoes (starch), and dairy (heavy cream). It’s my go-to when I need something hearty and complete. And what happens when you simmer all of those ingredients together? An incredible party in your mouth! It’s savory from the browned sausage, slightly earthy from the cooked kale, and buttery from the soft yellow potatoes, all united by the rich tanginess of the cream. Serve it with Baked Garlic Rolls or Simple Challah Bread–both are perfect for dunking.
The Secret to Maximum Flavor
Cooking the sausage first in the pot the rest of your ingredients will go into is the key to getting the best flavor in this soup. That’s because after you remove the browned sausage from the pot, you are left with those incredible sausage drippings, into which you’ll add the butter and then cook the onion and the garlic in this crazy delicious fat, creating the mouthwatering foundation for this soup (not to mention that irresistible aroma!).
How to Make Ahead and Store?
You can make Zuppa Toscana 1-2 days ahead of time, but it’s best to add the kale and the cream at the end of the reheating process. In my experience, Zuppa Toscana will last in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months (thaw the frozen Zuppa Toscana in the refrigerator overnight before reheating).
Serving Suggestions
As we’ve already suggested, a perfect pairing for Zuppa Toscana is bread (after all, it is based on something called Bread Soup), but even though all bread is good bread (at least in my opinion), serving the soup with Flatbread White Broccoli Pizza or Spiced Tomatoes and Chickpeas on homemade flatbread adds different textures and flavors to your meal.
Soup and salad is, of course, a perfect combination so you can’t wrong by serving Zuppa Toscana alongside Kale Caesar Salad or Tomato, Basil and Blue Cheese Salad. And if you want to add even more veggies to the meal, try pairing Zuppa Toscana with Roasted Vegetable and Farro Salad. If you have leftover Zuppa Toscana but only enough to serve it the next day as a first course or an appetizer, you’ll love what a great prologue it is to Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers or Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti.
The Best Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 4 large yellow potatoes scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 cups kale stems removed and leaves torn into pieces
- Optional toppings: crumbled cooked bacon and shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and crumbly, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate and drain any excess grease.
- In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for another minute. Make sure not to burn it.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water, then add the potatoes, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. They are done when a fork easily pierces the potatoes.
- Add the kale to the pot and cook until it turns bright green (about 2-3 minutes). Pour in the heavy cream and return the cooked sausage to the pot. Warm through, adjust seasoning.
- Pour the hot soup into bowls. You can top it up with crumbled bacon, a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and serve with a side of bread (preferably crusty!).
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