Name: Home Kitchen Kitchen-made Zuppa Toscana
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 6 slices center cut bacon (diced); 16 ounces hot italian sausage; 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); kosher salt (to taste); 1 teaspoon thyme leaves (chopped); 4 medium potatoes (diced); 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 cup water; 15 ounces cannelini beans (drained and rinsed); 4 handfuls chopped kale; 2 cups heavy whipping cream; black pepper (freshly ground, to taste); parmesan cheese (shaved, for serving); italian bread (sliced, for serving)

Hello, go-to soup.

Love for kitchen-made Zuppa Toscana runs deep in our home. It’s one of those hearty soups that we crave when the colder months arrive – or all year, if you’re me.

This dish is my go-to. It’s rustic and filled with all things flavor-packed in life; like bacon, sausage and potatoes for example. From my experience and depending where you go or who makes it, Zuppa Toscana can be either on the creamy side or more broth-y. I personally like mine to be on the thinner side, however if you want it more creamy and luscious, feel free to make a short slurry towards the end of the recipe. Don’t worry I’ll leave instructions in the recipe printable.

No matter how you serve it, this soup has the dependable balance of spicy goodness (thank you, hot italian sausage) and earthiness (love you, potatoes and kale!) and BONUS it’s made in one pot.

For this Zuppa Toscana Gather:

center cut bacon
hot italian pork sausage
yellow onion
peeled garlic
kosher salt
fresh thyme
russet potatoes
low-sodium chicken broth
water
cannelini beans (not pictured because I forgot 🤦🏻‍♀️)
kale
heavy whipping cream
freshly ground black pepper
parmesan cheese, for serving
crusty bread, for serving

In your dutch oven, add 6 slices of center cut bacon that has been diced. Heat on medium-low, stirring occasionally until crispy.

Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, leaving any fat in the pot. If using another form of bacon, you may have more grease and will need to drain most of it from the pan.

Next add in 1 pound hot italian pork sausage to the same pot.

With a wooden spoon, break up the meat up into small crumbles and cook until browned. About 12 to 15 minutes.

You guessed it, transfer the browned pork to the plate with the bacon. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot.

Then add in 1 diced medium onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic with a pinch of kosher salt.

Stir and cook until lightly golden and tender. Add in the thyme and cook 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer the onion mixture to the plate with the bacon and sausage.

To the pot, add the 4 unpeeled diced potatoes (about 1/4 to 1/2 inches), 1 quart low-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup water.

Scrape all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot before covering and bringing to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, simmering for 10 to 12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Once the potatoes are cooked, add 1 can (rinsed and drained) cannelini beans and add the cooked bacon, sausage and onions back into the soup.

(👆🏻psssst…you’ll need to do this in advance!)

Add in 4 handfuls chopped kale.