This soup is one you’ll have to try; it’s my Updated-Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana) with Homemade Parmesan Croutons.
Filled with chicken sausage, potatoes, and kale, and topped with homemade croutons. I decided to make a lighter version; instead of pork sausage, I’m using chicken sausage here, but turkey sausage would be just as delicious. The heavy cream added just at the end gives a touch of silkiness.
Below is a picture of Tuscan Soup with Homemade Croutons by my daughter, Melissa. She made it her own by using an Italian-style vegan sausage and substituting spinach for the kale.
Let’s start with the potatoes.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Yields: 6 servings
Equipment: 1 (6-quart) Dutch oven, large mixing bowl, 1 (6-quart) stockpot, serrated knife, chef’s knife, cutting board
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken sausage (substitute pork or turkey), casings removed
6 large red potatoes, sliced thin, then cut into half-moons (as seen above)
10 cups of organic kale, chopped (2 bunches)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10-ounce) package of frozen yellow corn, drained and thawed
1 yellow onion, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly-ground
2 quarts of chicken broth, unsalted
1 cup heavy cream
Instructions:
In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the sliced potatoes. Par-boil sliced potatoes for 3-5 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a large mixing bowl, and set them aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, prep all the veggies.
In a 6-quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, add olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and fresh rosemary, and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Add diced onions and diced red bell peppers, along with kosher salt and black pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Next, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the chicken sausage to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage. Next, add the dried thyme. Cook sausage until brown, about 15 minutes. Chicken sausage is lean, so there is no fat to drain.
Still, on medium heat, add the pre-washed chopped Kale in batches. Once the first batch is added to the pot, stir and combine until the ingredients are well incorporated and have a soft texture. Add the second batch and repeat the process. Add the sliced potatoes, chicken broth, and corn. Stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes.
Turn the heat down to low, add the heavy cream, and stir. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Cover to keep hot.
There you have it, my Updated-Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana) with Homemade Parmesan Croutons.
Click the link below for my recipe for Homemade Ciabatta Croutons.
Note:
1) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.
2) Kcal count is for the soup only. You can find the Kcal for the Homemade Ciabatta Croutons is available on the linked page.
Updated-Tuscan Soup With Homemade Parmesan Croutons
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven 6-quart
- 1 mixing bowl Large
- 1 stock pot 6-quart
- 1 serrated knife
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken sausage (substitute pork or turkey), casings removed
- 6 large red potatoes Sliced thin, then cut into half-moons
- 10 cup organic kale Chopped (2 bunches)
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 1 10-ounce package frozen yellow corn Drained and thawed
- 1 yellow onion Small dice
- 1 red bell pepper Small dice
- 4 cloves garlic Minced
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp fresh rosemary Chopped
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper Freshly -ground
- 2 quarts chicken broth Unsalted
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the sliced potatoes. Par-boil sliced potatoes for 3-5 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a large mixing bowl, and set them aside.While the potatoes are cooking, prep all the veggies.In a 6-quart Dutch oven, over medium heat, add olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and fresh rosemary, and cook for one minute, until fragrant. Add diced onions and diced red bell peppers, along with kosher salt and black pepper. Continue cooking and stirring for an additional 2-3 minutes. Next, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.Add the chicken sausage to the pot. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage. Next, add the dried thyme. Cook sausage until brown, about 15 minutes. Chicken sausage is lean, so there is no fat to drain.Still, on medium heat, add the pre-washed chopped Kale in batches. Once the first batch is added to the pot, stir and combine until the ingredients are well incorporated and have a soft texture. Add the second batch and repeat the process. Add the sliced potatoes, chicken broth, and corn. Stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes.Turn the heat down to low, add the heavy cream, and stir. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Cover to keep hot.There you have it, my Updated-Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana) with Homemade Parmesan Croutons.
Notes
https://lindalouhamel.com/2015/11/02/homemade-ciabatta-croutons/
https://lindalouhamel.com/2014/06/19/my-version-of-zuppa-toscana/
