Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Published November 7, 2019. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Make this amazing Zuppa Toscana recipe loaded with Italian sausage, kale, cannellini beans, and potatoes!
Zuppa Toscana is really easy to make soup and perfect for the cool fall and winter months and comes together in just over an hour. Just like its OG counterpart Pasta e Fagioli soup, you can also make this soup recipe in a crockpot for further convenience.
What Is Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana literally translates from Italian to English as soup from Tuscany. Tuscany is a region in the Northwest side of Italy, much like a province is in Canada.
I actually have no clue if this is the official soup or it’s just some made-up thing that the OG started, but it’s nothing short of delicious
Ingredients for This Soup
The flavor combinations in this soup are a wonderful blend of savory and spicy. This soup is jam-packed with ingredients, just like a Mulligan Stew, making it super hearty and absolutely wonderful for grazing on all day every day.
Zuppa Toscana soup is also pretty unique because in its simplest form it’s only a few ingredients
- Italian Sausage
- Russet Potatoes
- Kale
- Yellow Onions
- Cannelini Beans
- Chicken Stock
- Cream
I, of course, love chunky soups and tons of flavor, so I stepped it up a notch with mirepoix, bacon, and parmesan cheese.
How to Soak Dried Beans
A super classic Italian bean is the cannellini bean, which is what we will use in this Zuppa Toscana soup recipe.
- The traditional way to soak beans would be to submerge them in water in a container and let them sit overnight.
- A quicker way would be to bring water to a boil and pour them over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour. The overnight way is better, but I understand if you are strapped for time.
- Once they are done soaking, simply drain off the water and add them into the soup at the appropriate time.
Really what you are trying to do is soften up the beans and the outer shell so that they cook quicker and are less starchy.
How to Make It
You know that I am a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to classic cuisine, but I also like to put my stamp on it, and enhancing this Zuppa Toscana is no different.
The original recipe is incredibly simple, but I added a few more goodies to help bring out some more flavor.
1. You first start by cooking off the Italian sausage in a large soup pot until it’s cooked throughout. Some other recipes call to render the bacon fat first, but if you did that and then cooked the sausage you would have a pot of grease and as much as I love the flavor, I’m not down with that.
2. Once the sausage is cooked, set it to the side and then sweet your onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in the rendered sausage fat for several minutes or just until they are translucent! This Zuppa Toscana recipe is more about Italian sausage than it is about bacon. While the sausage is cooking, cook the bacon separately in the oven on parchment paper or in a pan, then chop it up and set it to the side.
3. Add a bit of flour and mix it in as this will help thicken up the soup. I’m not looking for this thing to resemble alfredo sauce, but I do want somebody to this Zuppa Toscana soup recipe.
4. Place in the cooked sausage, the beans, the chicken stock, the parmesan rinds, and then simmer it over low heat until the beans are softened up, which takes about 30 minutes.
5. Once everything looks good in this Zuppa Toscana you add in the potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes over medium heat or until tender.
6. Next, add in the chopped bacon, cream, and then season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve the kale with each individual soup so that it does not wilt in the pot, but you can simply add it to the pot if you plan on eating it right away.
How Long Is It Good For
Zuppa Toscana will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator either covered in plastic wrap or kept in a sealed glass or plastic container.
Can You Freeze It
You can absolutely freeze Zuppa Toscana covered in plastic wrap or kept in a sealed glass or plastic container for up to 2 months. Be sure to adjust the seasonings and thickness once you have thawed it and are reheating it.
How Many Calories Are in It
Here is the nutritional information including calories for an 8-ounce portion of this Zuppa Toscana soup.
Reheat and Storage
How to Reheat: To reheat the Zuppa Toscana soup simply add your desired portion to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot. You can also simply add your desired portion to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2:30 stirring after 1:15.
How to Store: This soup recipe will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 5 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Simply pull it out as you need it and reheat following the directions above.
My Favorite Soup Recipes
In addition to this Zuppa Toscana soup recipe, below are some of my favorites:
- Ham and Lentil
- Cream Chicken Dumpling Soup
- French Onion Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Pork Confit and Split Pea
- Mulligatawny Soup
Be sure to follow me on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!
Video
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 bag of cannellini beans
- 2 pounds of loose mild Italian sausage
- 1 peeled and small diced yellow onion
- 3 small diced stalks of celery
- 2 peeled small diced carrots
- 5 cloves of finely minced garlic
- ¼ cup of flour
- 96 ounces of chicken stock
- 2-3 Parmesan cheese rinds
- 3 sliced russet potatoes
- 8 strips of chopped crisp cooked bacon
- 1 head of roughly chopped kale
- sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
- grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- chopped fresh oregano and basil for garnish - optional
Instructions
- Add the beans to a large container and cover them completely in water. Let sit overnight and then drain. Set aside.
- Next, add the sausage to a large pot over medium-high heat and cook until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Add the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic to the pot and sweat the vegetables for 6 to 8 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Stir in the flour until combined and then add back in the sausage, the beans, chicken stock, and cheese rinds, and cook over low heat until the beans are tender.
- Next, add in the potatoes and cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender.
- Finish by adding in the bacon, kale, heavy cream, salt, and pepper and then serve!
Notes
- The overnight way to soak beans is better, but I understand if you are strapped for time so bring water to a boil and pour them over the beans and let them sit for 1 hour before using.
- Some other recipes call to render the bacon fat first and you can do that, but if you did that and then cooked the sausage you would have a pot of grease.
- When thickening the soup you’re not looking for this thing to resemble alfredo sauce, but you do want somebody to this Zuppa Toscana soup recipe.
- How to Reheat: To reheat the Zuppa Toscana soup simply add your desired portion to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot. You can also simply add your desired portion to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 2:30 stirring after 1:15.
- How to Store: The Zuppa Toscana soup recipe will hold well in the refrigerator covered up for up to 5 days. It will also freeze well covered for up to 3 months. Simply pull it out as you need it and reheat following the directions above.
My new favorite soup…so full of flavor and so hearty. Served with a crusty loaf of bread it’s perfect for a cold winter night. Love love love it!
so good!!
This recipe is delicious! I left out the beans and it was still great. Thanks Chef Billy!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
This is Best version of this recipe I’ve ever made. I adjusted to 1/2 recipe, 8 servings. Love that you can toggle recipe/serving size. I used frozen chopped kale cause I had it already, rinsed canned beans, and found Parmesan rind at Whole Foods (cheap). Followed his techniques/steps exactly. I baked whole package of bacon the night before and told husband “I better see 5 strips left tomorrow for my recipe!” 😉😋 will definitely make again
thanks for giving it a shot!!
This quickly became a family favorite!
Love it!
Amazing!!! I substituted spinach instead of kale only because I have a problem digesting kale. Definitely will keep this as a go to.
Today was rainy, cold and blustery…a perfect day for a bowl of homemade soup. And, Billy, this soup did not disappoint. In fact I think it was the best soup I have ever made (and I am an old lady).
Hearty, with robust flavors, thickened just enough and perfect with warm artisan rolls.
So easy to make…not everyone in my house likes kale, so I substituted baby spinach… absolutely love it! It truly is so much better made fresh at home.
This is one of the best soups I have ever made, and I have tried several zuppa toscana recipes. My husband took some with him to work and he called to tell me it was the best soup he’s ever tasted (he might have even thrown some expletives in there for emphasis). Absolutely amazing – going in the big keeper binder. Thank you!
I can’t eat potatoes so I use cauliflower instead. Great recipe
Making this soup right now and can’t wait to eat it for lunch. Made it before and it is awesome.
kale comes in a bunch.
Awesome recipe!!! I did use italian sausages, which we baked along with the bacon (just happen to enjoy nice large sliced pieces in my soup)… note that did change the flavor profile just a tiny amount, as all the fat from that baking process didn’t end up in the soup. Other than that, it was delicious!!! Thank you, a keeper!!!
Love the soup but dislike kale! Can I use spinach?
sure
I have made the Cream of Potato Soup, the Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and today its the Ham and Bean Soup. Love them all cause I can share with family and also enjoy all week. I do have one question, what exactly is Parmesan Rind? Is it just the rind of the cheese? And if that is correct, how do I know how much to put into the soup? Thanks for sharing your recipies.
Mary W
any size rind will do. Usually they have them pre-packaged in the specialty cheese section of your grocery store.
I made this soup for my family and it was so good and easy! I found it on Facebook and I really find your personality to be very warm and friendly and I love that you offer prayer to your followers. Thanks for sharing prayers and good soup!
So delicious and super easy perfect for chilly Sunday evening!
What size is the “bag” of cannellini
Beans?
1 lb
Making this soup now. I’m at step #4 cooking over low until beans are tender. Do I put on the pot lid or leave uncovered? This smells so good!!! Thank you.
either!
If you didn’t plan ahead can you used canned beans?
yup
So goood!!!❤❤❤
Thank you for sharing!
Looks delicious. Don’t see any cream in the ingredients. Would 1 cup of light cream do the job?
This is my new favorite soup
This couldn’t look any more perfect! This is so picture-perfect!
One of our family’s favorite soup recipes!
Love this copycat recipe!!
This soup is one of my favorites! So comforting and delicious!
The October chill has set in, so this soup looks like a perfect dinner for the season! Thanks!