MAIN DISH RECIPES

Lighter Zuppa Toscana

Updated

A lighter take on Zuppa Toscana, the Italian-style sausage, potato and kale soup, finished with Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream and made with lean sausage and no bacon.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Yield
4 to 6 servings
Illustration of Lighter Zuppa Toscana
AI-generated illustration, not a photo of this recipe.

Zuppa Toscana is a brothy soup of crumbled Italian sausage, thinly sliced potatoes and kale, usually enriched with cream and bacon. This version from the KitchenSimplicity archive keeps the same comforting base but uses lean Italian sausage, leaves out the bacon, and stirs in Greek yogurt at the end for a creamy, slightly tangy finish.

It all comes together in one Dutch oven in under an hour, which makes it a practical weeknight dinner once the weather turns cool. The ingredient list is short, the potatoes cook quickly because they are sliced thin, and the soup tastes even better reheated for lunch the next day.

Tips

  • Do not let the soup boil after adding the yogurt, or it may separate. Warming the yogurt with a little broth first helps keep it smooth.
  • For a gluten-free soup, check that the sausage and broth are labeled gluten-free.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days and reheat over low heat. Because of the yogurt and potatoes, this soup does not freeze well.
  • Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the garlic if you like a little heat, or use lower-sodium broth and season at the end.

Lighter Zuppa Toscana

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Yield
4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil, if needed
  • 1 pound (450 g) lean Italian sausage (pork or turkey), casings removed
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds / 680 g), cut into 1-inch-wide sticks, then thinly sliced
  • 4 cups (1 quart / 950 ml) chicken broth
  • 2 cups (475 ml) water
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 bunch kale (about 8 ounces / 225 g), stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature

Steps

  1. Set a Dutch oven or large heavy pot over medium heat. If the sausage is very lean, add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Spoon off any excess fat.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
  3. Add the potatoes, chicken broth and water, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potato slices are tender all the way through, about 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the kale and cook just until it wilts and turns bright green, 2 to 3 minutes.
  6. Turn the heat down to the lowest setting. Put the yogurt in a small bowl and whisk in a ladleful of the hot broth to warm it, then stir the mixture into the pot.
  7. Heat gently, without letting the soup boil, just until it is hot. Taste, adjust the salt and pepper, and serve.

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