Description
Creamy Tuscan Delight soup blends rich Italian flavors with comforting warmth, inviting memories of Tuscany’s rolling hills. Hearty ingredients dance together, promising a soul-satisfying meal that connects you directly to authentic Mediterranean cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats:
- 1 pound raw spicy Italian sausage, casings removed if using links
Vegetables and Herbs:
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 cups (about 5 ounces) stemmed and chopped kale
- 1 pound new potatoes, diced
Liquids, Thickeners, and Seasonings:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8 cups (2 quarts / 1.89 liters) chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 1 (15-ounce / 425 grams) can cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium flame and crumble spicy Italian sausage into small fragments, browning the meat thoroughly until crisp and fully cooked, approximately 6-7 minutes.
- Transfer browned sausage to a separate plate, reserving the flavorful oil in the pot’s base.
- Introduce finely diced onion, delicate celery, and minced garlic into the aromatic oil, softening the vegetables until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant.
- Dust the vegetable mixture with flour, stirring vigorously to create a light, even coating that will help thicken the soup’s foundation.
- Pour chicken stock into the pot, gently scraping the bottom to release any caramelized bits, creating a rich, layered flavor profile.
- Introduce diced potatoes and rinsed white beans to the simmering liquid, covering the pot and allowing the ingredients to tenderize for approximately 12-15 minutes.
- Fold chopped kale into the soup, letting the verdant greens wilt and integrate with the other ingredients for an additional 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and gracefully swirl in heavy cream, reuniting the cooked sausage with the soup’s velvety base.
- Season with salt and black pepper, tasting and adjusting to achieve a perfectly balanced Tuscan-inspired soup.
Notes
- Prepare ingredients ahead of time to streamline cooking process and ensure smooth soup preparation.
- Browning sausage deeply enhances the soup’s rich, complex flavor profile and develops delicious caramelized notes.
- Rinsing white beans removes excess starch and prevents potential digestive discomfort while maintaining authentic Tuscan texture.
- Low and slow simmering allows potatoes to become perfectly tender and helps ingredients meld together harmoniously.
- Chop kale into bite-sized pieces to distribute evenly and create balanced green leafy texture throughout the soup.
- Use spicy Italian sausage for traditional Tuscan kick, but can substitute with mild version for sensitive palates.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg