Skip to content

Get 5 Secrets to Make Homemade Taste Food Better + New Recipes Weekly!

    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.

    zuppa toscana soup with potatoes and kale in a bowl next to parmesan cheese

    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.

    step by step process for making a zuppa toscana soup recipe

    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.

    step by step process for serving a zuppa toscana recipe

    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.

    calorie and nutritional information for a bowl of zuppa toscaa

    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.

    zuppa toscana with beans, kale, potatoes and parmesan cheese in a bowl

    My Favorite Soup Recipes

    In addition to this Zuppa Toscana soup recipe, below are some of my favorites:

    Be sure to follow me on FacebookYoutube, Instagram, and Pinterest, and if you’ve had a chance to make this then definitely drop me a comment and a rating below!

    Share this Post

    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Video

    Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

    5 from 19 votes
    Try this amazing Zuppa Toscana recipe loaded with Italian sausage, kale, cannellini beans, potatoes, Parmesan cheese and herbs!
    Servings: 16
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 1 hour
    Soaking TIme: 12 hours
    Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

    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

    Chef 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 352kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 15gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 746mgPotassium: 586mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1673IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 2mg
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: Italian