This recipe for sausage, potato, and kale soup, also known as Zuppa Toscana, is a comforting and hearty dish. With its combination of Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, and a flavorful creamy broth, it’s the perfect dinner for those cold nights. If you’re in the mood for more Italian-inspired soups, you can also try my Italian wedding soup or lentil minestrone soup.
Why you’ll love it
Hearty soup
This soup is a satisfying and substantial meal that will keep you full for hours. The combination of Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, and creamy broth ensures that you won’t be hungry again in no time.
Gluten-free
If you follow a gluten-free diet, you’ll be happy to know that this soup is a great option for you. Just make sure to choose gluten-free sausage for this recipe.
One pot dinner
Not only is this soup delicious, but it’s also incredibly easy to make. Everything cooks in one pot, saving you time on cleaning up afterward.
Inspired by the restaurant favorite soup
If you’ve ever had the Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden, this sausage, potato, and kale soup will remind you of it. It captures the flavors and essence of the popular restaurant dish.
What is Zuppa Toscana?
Zuppa Toscana is a traditional Tuscan soup. In its original form, it includes kale, cannellini beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, toasted bread, and bacon. However, the North American version, popularized by Olive Garden, omits the bread, beans, celery, and carrots, and instead adds sausage and cream. This variation results in a richer and creamier soup compared to the traditional Italian version.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Kale – red or green curly kale.
- Potatoes – I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes for their creamy texture, and the skins can be left on since they’re thin.
- Bacon – You can also use pancetta.
- Italian sausage – I used spicy Italian sausage, but you can use sweet sausage if you prefer.
- White onion
- Garlic
- Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Cream
How to make sausage potato and kale soup
Brown the sausage and bacon
Start by browning and crumbling the Italian sausage in a pot. Then, transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess grease. Next, add the cut-up bacon to the pot and cook until it becomes brown and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside on the same plate as the sausage, leaving about a tablespoon of the grease in the pot.
Sauté the onion and potatoes
Add the onion, garlic, and potatoes to the pot with the remaining grease from the bacon. Season with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Sauté the ingredients for approximately 6 minutes.
Add in the broth
Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and let it simmer until the potatoes are tender, which should take about 12-15 minutes.
Add in the kale and cream
Once the potatoes are tender, add the chopped kale to the pot and pour in the cream. Stir everything together and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes until the kale becomes tender. Taste the soup for seasoning and serve it topped with shredded parmesan cheese.
Storage and reheating
You can store the sausage, potato, and kale soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. However, I don’t recommend freezing this soup as it contains dairy.
To reheat the soup, you have two options. You can either microwave individual servings or reheat the entire pot on the stove. If you choose to reheat on the stove, bring the soup to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and serve it topped with parmesan cheese.
Variations and substitutions
If you’re looking to switch things up, here are some variations and substitutions you can try:
- Instead of kale, you can use spinach or Swiss chard.
- Feel free to use different types of potatoes, such as russet or red potatoes.
- If you prefer, you can use turkey sausage or chicken sausage instead of Italian sausage.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and add more vegetables like zucchini or carrots.
More Hearty Soup Recipes
If you’re a fan of hearty soups, here are some more recipes you might enjoy:
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Vegetarian Lasagna Soup
- Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Ground Turkey and Vegetable Soup
