In my quest to find easy to make recipes suitable for a beginner cook, this hearty Italian soup has quickly become one of my favorites. Zuppa Toscana is a creamy soup that contains Italian sausage, kale and potatoes. It has a wonderful flavor and is very filling. The recipe I have been using was adapted from the website Budget Bytes; she has lots of great recipes on her site and I encourage you to look around.
The basic ingredients are 32 oz of chicken broth, 2 cups (1 pint) half & half, 1 cup water, 1 can of navy beans, 1 lb red skin potatoes, 1 bunch of kale, 1 yellow onion, 1lb mild Italian sausage and minced garlic. I cooked this soup in a 6 quart pot, which was plenty of room. I also seasoned with some smoked paprika.
Start by breaking up your pound of Italian sausage and browning it in the bottom of the pot. You do not need any additional oil as the sausage has plenty of fat. I cut the sausage into smaller pieces as it is browning with my wooden spoon. It is best to buy uncased sausage for this, however you can just cut open cased sausage if that is what you have. The sausage is what gives the soup much of its flavor.
Once the sausage is lightly browned, add in the diced onion and about a tablespoon of minced garlic. I use pre-minced garlic for ease, but you could also use 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic. Saute this mixture until the onions are translucent, or about another 10 minutes or so. Once the onions are cooked, it is time to add the 32 oz of chicken broth. This is the equivalent of one box of broth from the grocery store. I also add a 15 oz can of navy beans that have been drained and rinsed. I add about a cup of water, and then heat this mixture over medium heat until it is at a simmer.
While the broth is heating up, I cut up the red potatoes by slicing them and then cutting the slices in half. I also prepare the kale by tearing the leaves off the stems and into slightly smaller pieces. Once the soup is simmering, I add the pint of half & half as well as about a tablespoon of smoked paprika. Then I add the sliced potatoes and the kale to the pot. The leafy kale will initially fill the pot, but it will wilt down as it heats up. The soup will cook for another 15 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender. It requires lots of stirring to get the kale incorporated and keep the cream from frothing up.
This soup is great on its own or eaten with some fresh garlic bread. If you like it a little spicier, try adding some crushed red pepper flakes. It is rich and hearty and I really enjoyed it this winter. But I love it so much that I will likely continue to make it year round!
Leave a Reply