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–+ servings

Zuppa Toscana

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A cozy, creamy soup featuring spicy Italian sausage, smoky bacon, tender potatoes, and bright kale, perfect for a hands-off weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 8 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Base Ingredients
  • 32 oz low-sodium chicken stock or broth Use low-sodium to control the final salt content.
  • 3 cups water
  • 24 oz spicy Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled Mild or sweet sausage works if you prefer less heat.
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled Pancetta is a fine substitute.
  • 5 medium russet potatoes, sliced 1/8–1/4 inch Thin, even slices cook uniformly in the slow cooker.
  • 1/2 large onion, diced
  • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp red pepper flakes Optional — start with 1 tsp if unsure.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups kale, chopped Sturdy curly kale or lacinato/tuscan kale both work.
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream Half-and-half can be used for a lighter finish.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Cook the sausage in a skillet until browned; crumble and drain any excess fat.
  2. Cook the bacon until crisp, then crumble.
  3. Add the broth, water, sliced potatoes, diced onion, minced garlic, red pepper flakes (if using), cooked sausage, crumbled bacon, and a few grinds of black pepper to a large slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cooking
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Stir in the chopped kale and replace the lid. Cook an additional 30 minutes on LOW so the kale wilts but stays bright.
  3. Stir in the heavy cream and heat through for about 5 minutes — do not boil hard after adding cream to avoid curdling.
Serving
  1. Serve hot with grated Parmesan on top and warm crusty bread on the side.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 800mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3g

Notes

For a lighter version, replace half the cream with whole milk or use evaporated milk, but add it at the end and don’t boil vigorously after adding. To skip the bacon, add a teaspoon smoked paprika for depth. Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers for 3–4 days or frozen for 3 months.
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