Easy Zuppa Toscana at Home
It’s Fall Y’all! That means it’s soup season, which is my favorite food season of all. Soup is one of those warm you from the inside out kinds of foods, and this easy Zuppa Toscana will have your family full and happy in under thirty minutes!
Soup is my go to dinner when I am not sure what to make or I’m pressed for time. It is so easy to just chop up some veggies and throw them into a pot with some liquid and maybe a meat and Voila! Soup!!
Okay well maybe it is a little more than that, but it’s pretty dang close. Check out our Refrigerator Soup for proof!
Discovering Zuppa Toscana
I first had Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden in Roanoke Virginia on a shopping trip with my Mom and sister. Growing up, we lived in a very rural area where the closest real shopping mall was an hour away, so we always made a day of it.
I thought it was one of the most delicious soups I had every had. The spice of the sausage and richness of the creamy broth were delectable. Potato soup had alway been one of my favorite soups, but this was a new level!
Once I had it, I set out to make it at home. This version is how I remember it. It may or may not be a copycat recipe, because I am literally going off the feeling that soup gave me as silly as that may sound.
Isn’t it funny how memory of a food can make you feel a certain way?
As an adult, it is still one of my favorite soups and now is my daughters favorite as well. We love to see fall come around so we can break out the crockpot and stockpot and start making all of our fall favorite soups!
Ingredients
One of the things I love about this soup is the simpleness of the ingredients. Potatoes and Kale meet a rich and creamy broth and spicy sausage. It is heaven in a bowl y’all!
To get started brown the sausage in a stock pot, breaking the meat up until it is well browned. Drain off the fat. To the sausage add in prepared Golden Potatoes.
To prepare the potatoes, scrub the skin well because these will be left on to help the potatoes keep their shape and give the soup added body. Slice the potatoes into medallions about a quarter of an inch thick and add to the sausage along with diced garlic clove turning to coat in the remaining sausage fat.
Next add in chicken stock and cream. I often substitute whole milk for the cream, because like I have told y’all before, I am not much for buying special ingredients to just make one dish. It doesn’t change the flavor only the consistency of the broth a little. It is still delicious!
Salt and pepper to taste. If you want, at this point you can add in a dash or two of red pepper flakes. I typically skip this part due to the kiddos, but if you like a little spice feel free!
Allow this mixture to simmer for a few minutes while you prepare the Kale.
I Digress Again
Our Kale has done a number this year in the garden. I have never grown Kale before, so I was surprised at how abundant it was for us this year. Needless to say, I have been using all the Kale in all the recipes! I would love to hear any suggestions y’all have!
If you don’t like Kale, you can also use spinach. I have done this in the past and while it changes the flavor minimally, it isn’t enough to really notice. So use what you have. If you really hate greens all together, just leave them out and you can have a delicious potato soup instead!
Back to the Kale
To prepare the Kale, remove the stems and chop into large pieces. I typically cut the leaf in half and then chop three times cross ways so that I get really large chunks. These are going to cook way down.
Wash well and spin dry. Add these to the soup and stir. Allow the mixture to simmer until the potatoes are soft and starting to break apart.
Serve and enjoy
Serve this delightful potato soup with a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan Cheese and a side of breadsticks or cornbread for a truly delicious experience.
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Easy Zuppa Toscana at Home
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bulk Italian Sausage
- 5 medium Golden Potatoes Skin on cut into ¼ inch thick medallions
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups Cream or Whole Milk
- 2 cups Chopped Kale
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- In stock pot brown sausage and drain off any excess fat
- Add Potatoes and Garlic and stir until coated. Cook for 1 minute
- Add in chicken broth and milk and bring to a simmer. Simmer covered for five to 10 minutes
- Add kale and stir. Return to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Serve warm
One Comment
Molly @ Transatlantic Notes
I like the sound of this and can easily make some vegetarian substitutions to it (it’s great when you find a recipe that both a meat eater and veggie can enjoy). Thanks for sharing, it sounds so hearty and perfect for the Fall.