Zuppa Toscana (Easy Soup Recipe)
Zuppa Toscana is bright, filling, and packed with flavor. If you’re looking for a go-to easy soup, this recipe will quickly become a favorite!
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Why You Will Love Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients Needed for Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Ingredient quantities for this easy zuppa toscana soup recipe are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- Bacon
- Butter
- White onion
- Garlic cloves
- Red bell pepper
- Zucchini
- Potatoes
- Chicken broth
- Water
- Salt
- Pepper
- Heavy whipping cream
- Kale
Any potato works, but I love to use baby/petite gold or yellow potatoes in this soup.
How To Make Italian Zuppa Toscana Soup
The steps below are just a quick overview of how to make the soup. The full process in detail is located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Let’s make some delicious soup! First, in a soup pot, saute the ground sausage until cooked through.
In addition to your soup pot, you’ll need a large bowl to set aside the cooked sausage (and later sauteed vegetables), as well as a plate for the cooked bacon. Everything will come together in the soup pot at the end!
Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl.
Next, cook the bacon in the sausage grease. Remove the cooked bacon and set aside on a plate.
Remove any remaining grease from the pot and add butter. Saute the onions until translucent, then add garlic, red pepper, and zucchini. Saute for four minutes.
Technically you can skip the butter and saute the veggies in the sausage and bacon grease, but I personally love the flavor butter brings to this dish.
Transfer the sauteed vegetables to the same bowl as the sausage. (I promise these will get put back into the soup shortly!)
Next, simmer the potatoes for eight minutes in the soup pot along with the chicken broth and water.
Add everything back to the pot, plus the kale, salt, and pepper.
Want to further boost the nutrients of this soup? You can dump a can or two of rinsed cannellini beans in at this step.
Bring to a simmer again and simmer until the kale has softened and the potatoes are fork-tender (about 4-6 minutes).
Turn off the heat. Crumble the bacon and either stir it into the soup or use it to garnish individual servings. (I stirred it in for these photos.)
Enjoy!
Make sure to give the soup a good stir in the pot before serving it. The butter and residual sausage fat floats to the top pretty quickly when it sits, so you’ll want to stir it to pull up the heavy cream and broth.
More Italian Recipes
Zuppa Toscana originates from Tuscany in northern Italy. If Italian foods are your love language, then you’ll want to check out these recipes!
- Whip up some Italian meatballs for your family gatherings or events; they’re the perfect football game day food!
- Host a party that’s a hit with this Italian-style easy meatball casserole; it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
- Get ready for fun family dinners with this meatball and pasta bake; simple to make and perfect for weeknights!
- Italian sausage is a versatile delight that pairs wonderfully with a variety of dishes, including your favorite breakfast recipes.
- Transform the classic stuffed peppers recipe with an Italian twist! This sausage-filled peppers recipe, topped with gooey mozzarella cheese, will make your tastebuds sing.
- Spice up your dinner routine with Italian meatloaf; it’s a delicious twist on traditional meatloaf, bursting with Italian flavors and topped with mouthwatering mozzarella cheese!
More Soup Recipes
Looking for more cozy and warming soups? Give these recipes a try!
- Cozy up during the fall and winter months with these soup recipes, featuring an easy homemade beef chili recipe that’s sure to become a family favorite from the start! Perfect for your football game day foods menu, this dish is a crowd-pleaser. Spice it up with a chili seasoning mix that’s leagues ahead of store-bought options.
- You’ll find yourself returning to this white chicken chili recipe time and again—creamy, delicious, and a breeze to make!
- Looking for easy healthy dinner ideas? This popular cabbage soup recipe is not only delicious but also satisfyingly filling!
- Add some zest to your healthy dinner lineup with our homemade veggie soup, a staple on our list.
- Boost your dinner recipes with our beef and vegetable soup. Just add ground beef, and its enticing aroma and flavor will have this dish on repeat!
- For a balanced meal that the whole family will love, try our easy cabbage and hamburger soup, the perfect way to enjoy a hearty cabbage soup.
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Zuppa Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground Italian sausage (mild or hot)
- 6 strips bacon
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 medium white onion (diced)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped)
- 2 small or medium zucchini (chopped)
- 1 1/2 lbs potatoes (see notes; cubed into 1” pieces)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 cups kale (chopped or torn into bite-sized pieces)
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, saute Italian sausage until cooked through. Remove the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a large bowl.
- In the remaining sausage grease, cook the bacon. When done, set the bacon aside on a plate.
- Drain the remaining fat out of the pot, then add butter and onions. Saute until the onions are translucent.
- Add minced garlic, chopped red pepper, and chopped zucchini and saute for 4 minutes. Remove the cooked vegetables and place them in the bowl with the sausage.
- Add cubed potatoes, chicken broth and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, heavy whipping cream, cooked Italian sausage, cooked vegetables, and kale. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
- Allow the mixture to simmer until the kale has softened and the potatoes are fork-tender (about 4-6 additional minutes).
- Remove from heat. Crumble the bacon and either add it to the soup pot or use it to garnish individual servings.
Notes
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition Estimates are per serving and included as a courtesy only. They are accurate to the best of our knowledge based on the ingredients and brands used, but their accuracy is not guaranteed.
