This Zuppa Toscana Soup is creamy and flavorful, bursting with sausage, bacon, potatoes, kale, bone broth and cream. Made from scratch, it has all your favorite flavors like that classic restaurant soup. This family favorite is satisfying, nutritious, and it’s popular with the kids!

overhead photo of a white bowl of creamy zuppa toscana soup with a slice a sourdough bread resting on the bowl of the rim with the corner of the soup pot to the left

This is such a cozy meal, and I just love how easy it comes together. 

Everyone in my family absolutely loves this super comforting soup, from my pickiest eater to Luke and I (who arenโ€™t picky at all). No one complains and everyone asks for seconds.

Serve this up with some crusty homemade no-knead sourdough bread and, I assure you, everyone will leave happy.

I love this recipe so much, and it is a great way to use our Jersey cow’s cream. If youโ€™ve never had fresh skimmed cream straight from the morning’s milking, you are missing out. It’s luxurious.

Added to the soup, it adds richness like nothing else. Yum. If you love creamy soup, you would also love thisย chicken and gnocchi soupย or this deliciousย chicken and wild rice.

two bowls of zuppa toscana soup with potatoes, sausage, bacon, kale in white bowls with a pot of soup to the left.

Zuppa Toscana Soup Tips:

  • If you are on a budget, you can easily use half the amount of sausage and save the other half for another meal, likeย sourdough breakfast strata.
  • Substitute spinach for kale if you donโ€™t have any on hand. Just wait until right before serving to add the spinach, so it doesnโ€™t completely dissolve.
  • To make this recipe dairy-free, you can either skip adding cream (which is a little sad) or substitute a dairy-free option. Choose one that has a milder flavor and tends to be creamier, like cashew milk or oat milk. It wonโ€™t have the same exact texture, but it will still be delicious.
  • I like to use yellow or red potato varieties, so I donโ€™t have to peel them, like you would a russet.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosureย here.

FAQ

overhead photo of two bowls of zuppa toscana soup with a slice of homemade sourdough bread sitting on the rim of the white bowl and a pot of soup to the right
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Does Zuppa Toscana freeze well?

While this is best enjoyed within a few days, you can in fact freeze it for up to 2-3 months. Milk-based soups tend to be more challenging to freeze since they have a tendency to separate. To reheat this soup after it has been in the freezer, I would suggest reheating it directly from the freezer in a pot, not letting it thaw first.

Another issue with freezing this recipe is that the potatoes can turn a little mushy after being frozen. It will still taste delicious, but the texture is a little different than the original.

overhead photo of a dutch oven full of creamy soup with potatoes, bacon, kale, sausage

What is difference between chicken broth and chicken stock?

Broth is usually made with more of the meaty parts, whereas stock is made with bones. To add another layer, bone broth is when bones are cooked in water (and other vegetables and aromatics) for a long period of time to break down the nutrients and collagen in the bones.

Is this Zuppa Toscana soup healthy?

I always feel like this is a loaded question. What one person finds healthy, another does not. This recipe is made from whole food ingredients that are super nutrient dense without any questionable preservatives or additives. To me, that’s a hearty, nutritious meal.

I start this soup with pastured bacon and sausage, cooked with onions, garlic, potatoes and kale, simmered with homemade bone broth made from organic, pastured chickens, and cream from our own dairy cow is added at the end. Obviously, you donโ€™t have to make this recipe with the exact same quality of ingredients, but I always suggest buying the best quality you can afford. Check the ingredient list to make sure there arenโ€™t any weird ingredients lurking in your products (i.e. nitrates in the bacon).

There are so many vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients packed into this meal. Might it be a little high in fat for some? Sure, but fat from pasture-raised animals is healthy and can help you feel fuller longer. This leads to less cravings for sugar and other not-so-healthy foods.

bowl of zuppa toscana soup with a spoon on a cream and brown plain napkin with a white dutch oven in the background

Tools you may need:

Large dutch oven or pot

Knife

Cutting board

Liquid measuring cup

Spatula

white bowl of easy zuppa Toscana soup with potatoes, sausage, bacon, and kale with a large white dutch oven in the background

How To Make Zuppa Toscana Soup

If you are usingย homemade chicken broth, make sure to start it the morning of or even a few days in advance.

Heat a large dutch oven, or large stock pot, over medium heat.

wooden cutting board with slices of bacon on it. Potatoes, kale, chicken broth in a mason jar, and a measuring cup of cream on a white quartz counter

Chop up bacon and add to the pot. Stir occasionally, until crispy.

While the bacon is cooking, dice up an onion, potatoes, and mince the garlic.

Strain extra bacon grease off. I like to use a fine mesh strainer and strain it into a jar to use for cooking at a later time.

Place the pot back on the stove and add onions. Sautรฉ for a few minutes until soft.

Add garlic and sausage. Break it up using a spatula, then allow to brown.

Once that is nicely cooked through, add diced potatoes.

Pour broth into the pot and bring to a simmer. 

Allow to simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10-15 minutes.

de-stemed and chopped kale being added to a white dutch oven full of soup on a white stove

Remove the stems and chop the kale. Add to the pot along with some cream.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Enjoy.

Find More Soups Straight From The Farmhouse Kitchen

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Thank you!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

4.66 from 40 votes
The best Zuppa Toscana Soup is creamy and flavorful – filled to the brim with sausage, bacon, potatoes, kale, bone broth, and cream. It has all your favorite flavors like that classic restaurant soup, made from scratch.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 8
bowl of zuppa toscana soup with a spoon on a cream and brown plain napkin with a white dutch oven in the background
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Ingredients 

  • 8 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 lb Italian sausage, the “Hot” variety
  • 1 head garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 8 cups broth, 64 ounces
  • 10 small potatoes, yellow or red; I like these varieties, so I donโ€™t have to peel them, like you would a russet
  • 6 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
  • 1 cup cream
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • If you are using homemade chicken broth, be sure to start making it the morning of or even a few days in advance (store in the fridge).
  • Heat a large Dutch oven, or large stock pot, over medium heat.
  • Chop up bacon and add to the pot. Stir occasionally, until crispy.
  • While the bacon is cooking, dice up an onion, potatoes, and mince the garlic.
  • Strain extra bacon grease off. I like to use a fine mesh strainer and strain it into a jar to use for cooking at a later time.
  • Place the pot back on the stove and add onions. Sautรฉ for a few minutes until soft.
  • Add garlic and sausage. Break it up using a spatula, then allow to brown.
  • Once that is nicely cooked through, add diced potatoes.
  • Pour broth into the pot and bring to a simmer.
  • Allow to simmer until potatoes are soft.
  • Remove the stems and chop the kale. Add to the pot along with some cream.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve and enjoy.

Notes

  • If you are on a budget, you can easily use half the amount of sausage and save the other half for another meal, like sourdough breakfast strata.
  • Substitute spinach for kale if you donโ€™t have any on hand. Just wait until right before serving to add the spinach, so it doesnโ€™t completely dissolve.
  • To make this recipe dairy-free, you can either skip adding cream (which is a little sad) or substitute a dairy-free option. Choose one that has a milder flavor and tends to be creamier, like cashew milk or oat milk. It wonโ€™t have the same exact texture, but it will still be delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 593kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 1549mg | Potassium: 1319mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5971IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 194mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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4.66 from 40 votes (39 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




5 Comments

  1. Lauren M says:

    5 stars
    Another favorite of your recipes! This one was so simple to put together – the timing was amazing and it made it super simple to clean as I went. Even swept the kitchen while it was simmering! Gotta multitask with work and kids!! The flavor was delicious! I did use 1/4 of the cream just bc of the calories and we donโ€™t have high quality milk/cream available (just store bought). Served with some fresh bread. Not sourdough (yet ๐Ÿ˜‰)โ€ฆ. My starter is on day 2! Thanks for all the simple inspiration! ๐Ÿซถ

  2. Anonymous says:

    This soup is easy to make, budget friendly and DELICIOUS!

  3. Carolee says:

    A whole head of garlic? Just wondering ๐Ÿ™‚

  4. DB says:

    Your recipe calls for 1 head of garlic. If you truly mean a whole head and not just one clove, I think we could be friends. I will be trying this for sure.

  5. Katja says:

    This soup is super easy to make and super delicious. Also a great way to use up kale, which is in season in my area right now. Thank you for sharing.