Spicy Zuppa Toscana

This is my favorite soup. I could happily eat this soup every day. It’s my ideal balance: mostly broth-based with just enough cream to make it decadent, a lingering warmth from the red pepper, soft melt-in-your-mouth pieces of potato, savory bursts of sausage, and a generous handful of leafy greens so you can squeeze some real nutrients into every bite. I just can’t get enough, ask my husband - if I make one more pot of this glorious soup, he might leave me.

Colder days have officially arrived, so now I spend most of my time bundled in front of a space heater researching political agendas so I can cast as educated a vote as possible this year. It’s not work I find enjoyable, but knowing a bowl of this truly magnificent soup is waiting for me on the stove gives me the strength to carry on.

When you go look at the recipe, you might notice something slightly different about my version of this classic: I don’t add kale to the pot. I feel very strongly about this: I don’t like slimy overcooked greens drowning in my soup. There are still plenty of greens involved, but I don’t add them until I serve and then the hot soup can wilt the greens to perfection in the bowl without any worry for overcooking and you will be spared from green gloopy globs that were once kale.

Trust me, adding the greens at the very end is a game changer - and it’s a strategy you can use with any soup that incorporates a leafy green!

So go forth, and may your stove never be without Spicy Zuppa Toscana again! Ooo and maybe serve it with my Brown Butter Garlic Bread (yes, it’s as mouthwatering as it sounds!)

Zuppa Toscana - maybe the only worthwhile item on Olive Garden's menu. This soup checks every box: brothy, creamy, savory, spicy - it's a hearty balance of sausage, potatoes, and leafy greens. It's a soup you'll crave all year round, and it's sure to never disappoint!

Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 25 M

Ingredients

1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 large yellow onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes (or start with ½ a tablespoon if you’re sensitive to spice)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground white pepper
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon chicken base
2 pounds (approximately 7 large) red potatoes, washed and sliced thin
1 cup heavy cream
4 cups baby kale, arugula, or spinach

Instructions

Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add sausage to pot, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until browned. If sausage releases too much grease, drain half from pot.
Add onion and garlic to sausage, cook for another 3 to 4 minutes or until fragrant and onion is translucent. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste, and the white pepper.
Pour broth on top, stir in chicken base, and then add potatoes to the pot. If the liquid doesn’t fully cover potatoes, add another cup or two of broth until fully submerged (if you don’t have more broth, you can always use water and mix in another teaspoon of Better than Bouillon per cup).
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook for 35 to 40 minutes or until potatoes are soft and cooked through. Stir in heavy cream and reduce heat to low. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Place a handful of baby kale (or whichever leafy green you’re using) on the bottom of each soup bowl. Then ladle hot soup over greens, and stir. The greens will wilt and soup will be ready to serve!