Zuppa Toscana Soup made in one pot! This easy soup is loaded with bacon, sausage, potatoes, kale, cream, and seasonings to give it great texture and flavor. It's the perfect comfort food on a chilly night.
One of my favorite things to make when the cold weather sets in is SOUP! We have soup at least once or twice a week in our household. It's the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night, and it's the best comfort food. You seriously can't go wrong with it. Unfortunately, my husband isn't a huge fan of soup...but Zuppa Toscana may have changed his mind. This soup is packed with potatoes, sausage, kale, and lots of seasonings, it certainly doesn't lack texture or flavor. I can guarantee any "soup hater" will change their mind too!
What is Zuppa Toscana?
Zuppa Toscana originates from Tuscany, Italy, the word literally translates to "Tuscan soup." Classic Italian Zuppa Toscana is made with veggies, beans, seasonings, and Tuscan bread. The American version, which you'd find at the Olive Garden, adds Italian sausage, bacon, and cream. It's obviously the more fattening option, but it is SO good with the additions! Definitely worth the extra calories in my opinion.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana
- Fry the sausage in a large pot. Remove and cook the bacon.
- Saute onions and add garlic.
- Add the chicken stock and boil. Add seasonings.
- Add in potatoes and cook until tender.
- Reduce heat and add cream, sausage, bacon, and kale. Boil until kale is softened.
Can I use spinach instead of kale in Zuppa Toscana?
Spinach can certainly be used! I'd recommend adding it during the last minute or so of cooking, and cooking it just until it starts to wilt.
Can this soup be frozen?
Soups that contain dairy usually don't do well when frozen. They tend to get a grainy texture and they separate when rewarmed. If you do wish to freeze it, I would recommend doing so before you add the cream or kale (kale tastes best when fresh.)
How do you make this soup thicker?
To create a thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock. Add it in while the soup is boiling and then continue with the rest of the recipe.
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Easy One Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- salt and pepper
- 5 yellow potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 ½ qts chicken stock
- 5 slices bacon
- ½ bunch kale chopped
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Fry the sausage in a large pot over medium high heat. Break up the sausage with a spoon as you cook it. Drain and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook the bacon in the same pot over medium heat until crispy. Transfer cooked bacon to the plate.
- Sauté onions in the pot and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Increase heat to high and add the chicken stock. Allow soup to come to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, fennel and chili flakes.
- Add potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add heavy cream, sausage, bacon and kale. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until kale is softened, about 2 minutes.
Notes
- I like to use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces before cooking it. It makes it easier to cook this way, and takes out the extra step of crumbling it!
- Spinach can be used instead of kale. I'd recommend adding it during the last minute or so of cooking, and cooking it just until it starts to wilt.
- Soups that contain dairy usually don't do well when frozen. They tend to get a grainy texture and they separate when rewarmed. If you do wish to freeze it, I would recommend doing so before you add the cream or kale (kale tastes best when fresh.)
- To create a thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock. Add it in while the soup is boiling and then continue with the rest of the recipe.
Lindsay Howerton-Hastings says
This looks so delicious! The perfect addition to our "omg is it spring yet" meal rotation.