Tuscan Sausage and Kale Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

Tuscan Sausage and Kale  Soup (Zuppa Toscana) is a really straightforward and simple soup to make. It always reminds me of Winter and early Spring trips to Fiorentina or Siena when waiting at the airport, it’s the only dish worth eating to provide lagging against the cold. The soup is a classic Tuscan soup made with fat pork sausages, kale, potato and flavoured with bacon pieces. It is more a broth and supposed to be creamy in texture which is why heavy cream is a must.

When it comes to ingredients then sausages ideally should be big fat Italian ones but in the UK and USA there are plenty of strong industrial pork varieties about. I’ve mixed them up too with herby sausages just to introduce differences in texture and flavour. Any onion and garlic of course is white/yellow and the potatoes are red-skinned and more on the waxy side than floury for maximum flavour too. I’ve gone with Edwards but some Yukon Gold and Russet will also suffice. Using a mixture of potato is no issue given this is a hearty peasant dish. If kale isn’t available then a coarse cabbage, well chopped up does just the job. To complete the rural, only a chicken or other meat stock does. You can use vegetable stock at a push but this has to be a dish of big, shirt-busting flavour. 

Serves: 5 to 6; Preparation time: 9-10 minutes; Cooking time: 40 minutes.

Ingredients (Zuppa Toscana):

•  6 rashers best back bacon with any thick rinds removed although this is a matter of taste in my view. Cut the bacon into largish chunks – about 1-2 cm in width and don’t worry about being precise. It’s meant to look hearty!
• 4 Italian sausages – medium size – remove the skin and squeeze out into rough balls.
• 1 medium white onion – chopped roughly
• 4-5 garlic cloves- finely chopped but minced up is better
• 2-3 cups chicken or beef stock or broth
• 3-4 cups water depending on volume of stock.
• 5 medium or 4 large red potatoes unpeeled and chopped into 1-2cm blocks
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning or pinches of oregano, thyme and rosemary
• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 1 small bunch of kale leaves which are shredded. Only the smaller stems should be left – coarse, thick ones have never worked!
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat up a casserole dish or skillet and add the bacon to brown. It should take 5 minutes with a medium-high heat.
2. Add the sausage meat to the pot and brown with the bacon so that all is sizzling and turning slightly crusty. Keep any fat because this is where most of the flavour will be derived from. You can chop up the onions and garlic whilst the sausages and bacon begin to fry.
3. After 12 to 15 minutes of frying, add the garlic and onions to sauté for 3 minutes max.
4. Add stock, any water, herbs and seasonings, and potatoes. Turn the heat up to high and bring to the boil. As soon as it starts boiling, reduce back to a low-medium heat to simmer. Keep cooking to make sure the potatoes soften and become tender for about 15 minutes max.
5. Add the kale and then cream. Keep simmering for another 5 minutes or until the kale is soft and wilted.
6. Season with salt & white pepper as required. The zuppa Toscana should be served as hot as possible.