By Koby Parry
I got sick, so this week we’re making soup. What kind of soup? Zuppa Toscana. It’s a creamy, spicy, and filling dish that pairs well with bread. It’s a great choice to make for large groups of people since you can make it in large batches very easily.
This soup is also great to make ahead of time. If I know I have something later in the day, and I won’t have time to cook afterwards, I’ll make this soup. When I come back, all I have to do is heat it up and it’s ready to go.
Zuppa Toscana
- 1 lb of spicy italian sausage (or ground beef with 3 tsp of italian seasoning) ~$3.87 ($3.87/lb)
- 1½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (less if you don’t like spicy food) ~$1.44 ($0.82/oz)
- 1 medium diced onion ~$0.70 ($0.88/lb)
- 4 tbsp of bacon bits (or 4 roughly chopped bacon strips) ~$1.70 ($0.68/oz)
- 4 minced garlic cloves ~$0.72 ($4.78/lb)
- 4 cups of chicken broth (or stock) ~$1.98 ($0.04/fl oz)
- 1 cup of heavy cream ~$2.78 ($0.17/fl oz)
- 1 lb of thinly sliced potato medallions (circles, roughly ⅛ inch thick) ~$3.77 ($0.75/lb)
- 1 bunch of kale ~$1.24
- Salt and pepper to taste
Grand total: ~$18.20
Recipe total: ~$10.67
Note:
Anytime I make this soup, I make it in bulk. It stores well in the fridge for up to a week, and for several months in the freezer. The potatoes will get a little weird, but the flavor will still be the same (when I’m starving in college, I don’t really mind). You can use chicken bouillon as well, just make sure to follow the package instructions.
- In a large pot, add the broth over high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the potatoes ( it will take time for the potatoes to soften). If the broth begins to boil before you are ready to add your potatoes, reduce the heat until you’re ready.
- While the broth is heating up, in a separate pan over medium-high heat, add the italian sausage and crushed red pepper flakes, then salt and pepper to taste. Once browned and cooked through, place the meat onto a plate, drain the excess fat, and set in the fridge for later.
- In the same pan, add bacon bits, minced garlic, and diced onions. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft. Once done, add it to the pot of broth. Don’t forget to add the potatoes once the broth begins to boil.
- Add heavy cream and Italian sausage to the pot and stir. Let everything heat thoroughly, then turn off the heat. Begin to tear the kale to your size preference and add it to the soup. Mix until evenly distributed, salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Note: you can freeze the soup or keep it in the fridge for about a week.
College Cuisine: Zuppa Toscana was originally published in The Herald on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
