How to Make Zuppa Toscana

This post is about zuppa toscana.

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Bring the best flavors to your kitchen with this creamy Zuppa Toscana recipe. Loaded with spicy Italian sausage, smoky bacon, tender potatoes, and fresh kale, this homemade soup tastes like comfort in a bowl! The addition of fresh rosemary and thyme makes the broth fragrant and savory. 

This post is about zuppa toscana.

Zuppa Toscana How-To:

1. Prep ingredients: Dice the bacon, peel and dice the onion, mince the garlic, and peel/dice the potatoes into ½-inch pieces. De-stem and tear kale into smaller pieces.

2. Brown sausage: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large ditch oven over medium-high heat. Add sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until browned, then transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

3. Crisp the bacon: In the same pot, add diced bacon. Cook until golden and crispy, then transfer to the plate with sausage. Drain all but about 1-1½ Tbsp of bacon grease.

4. Cook aromatics: Add diced onion to the pot and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Stir garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

5. Thicken broth: Sprinkle flour over the onion and garlic, stirring to coat. Slowly pour in chicken stock, whisking as you go.

6. Flavor the broth: Add thyme stems and chopped rosemary directly into the stock for an herby depth of flavor. Stir well.

7. Cook potatoes: Add diced potatoes, bring mixture to a gently boil, and cook 12-15 minutes or until fork-tender.

8. Finish the soup: Stir in cooked sausage, most of the bacon, heavy cream, and kale. Simmer another 5-10 minutes, until kale is wilted and everything is heated through.

9. Season & serve: Taste and adjust with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as desired. Garnish bowls with the remaining crispy bacon.

Recipe FAQs:

Can I make this ahead of time?

YEs! This soup reheats beautifully. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavors deepen as it sits.

Can I freeze it?

You can, but the potatoes and cream may change texture slightly. If freezing, leave out the cream until reheating, then add it fresh.

What if I don't like kale?

Spinach is a perfect substitute. Just add them at the end since they wilt quickly.

Do I have to use fresh herbs?

Fresh thyme and rosemary really enhance the broth, but if needed, substitute with dried thyme and dried rosemary. You can skip these all together, but they truly make the flavor better!

What substitutions can I make?

Sausage: Spicy Italian sausage adds heat, but you can use mild Italian sausage if you prefer a less spicy version.

Flour: You can replace the flour with cornstarch to thicken the broth or if you prefer to not use flour.

Kale: Don't like kale? Swap in baby spinach. Make sure to stir it in at the very end to avoid wilting.

This post was about zuppa toscana.

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