Description
A comforting and hearty soup with seasoned beef, crispy bacon, and fresh kale in a creamy broth, perfect for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound mild or hot beef sausage, casings removed
- 6 slices thick-cut beef bacon, diced
- 4–5 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4–5 cups fresh kale (1 large bunch), tough stems removed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup non-alcoholic white wine or white grape juice (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the beef bacon and remove casings from the beef sausage. Slice the potatoes and cover them with cold water to prevent browning. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the kale.
- In a large pot, cook the diced beef bacon over medium heat until crispy, about 8-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add the beef sausage to the pot, brown it while crumbling it, about 5-7 minutes, and remove, leaving 1-2 tablespoons of fat in the pot.
- Reduce the heat to medium and sauté the diced onion until soft, around 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth and white wine or grape juice. Add the drained potatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to its lowest setting, stir in the heavy cream, ensuring it doesn’t boil.
- Return the cooked beef sausage and bacon to the pot, add the chopped kale, stir, cover, and let sit until the kale wilts, about 3-5 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This soup freezes well for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
Keywords: soup, hearty, creamy, beef zuppa toscana, comfort food, Italian soup