As the cold winter weather sets in and even our cool weather crops are calling it quits for the year, I felt inspired to make a warm comforting soup with the last of the kale we were harvesting. Several friends and CSA members mentioned making Zuppa Toscana with our kale this year and I decided to finally experiment with making my own version. We had all the basic ingredients, so I got started right away.
Not all of our kids love soup, but we decided if we called it “bacon soup”, we might get a better reception. And conveniently we had just finished curing and smoking bacon from our first pasture-raised pig. We also had plenty of plain ground pork, but you could easily use an Italian sausage instead. All of the veggies came from our garden, although most are good storage crops (potatoes, onions, garlic), so we’ll be able to make it just as fresh later in the winter. We used our homemade bone broth, which is easy to make and so much more flavorful than the stock you find in a can. Check out our tutorial here. As always, using the freshest, high-quality ingredients will elevate your recipe even more.
If you want to make a double batch and freeze some for later, pull half the soup out before you add the kale and cream. Later when reheating you can simply add those last two ingredients for a better final texture.
Zuppa Toscana
This delicious zuppa toscana soup is comforting and easy to customize to your family's preferences.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground pork
- 8 slices Bacon
- 1 Onion peeled and diced
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 quart Chicken stock or bone broth
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning (basil, sage, oregano, marjoram, thyme, rosemary, parsley)
- 4 large Potatoes diced
- 1 cup Cream
- 1 bunch Kale
- 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Begin by browning the ground pork. If you'd prefer to use mild or spicy Italian sausage you can use that instead, just omit or reduce the Italian herbs added to the soup later. Once the meat is cooked, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon.
-
Cook the bacon in the residual grease from the pork to get extra flavor. Remove it to the plate with the sausage after it is cooked to your desired doneness.
-
Add the onions to the bacon grease and cook until translucent. Typically I add a generous pinch of kosher salt to the onions to help them release moisture and cook up a bit faster. Add garlic and cook for one additional minute. Garlic can burn easily, so it's best to wait until the last minute of cooking.
-
Once you can smell the garlic, it's time to add in the chicken stock or bone broth along with the potatoes. If you used plain ground pork, add in the herbs at this stage. I didn't have all of the herbs you'd find in a traditional Italian seasoning mix, but use what you have and customize the flavor to your family's preference. If you like it spicier, add red pepper flakes. Want a sweeter spice? Try paprika. The possibilities are endless!
-
Cook until the potatoes are fork tender. The exact length of time will depend on how large you diced the potatoes, so check periodically as it cooks. It will likely be around 15-20 minutes.
-
Add the cooked bacon and pork sausage back into the soup along with the kale and cream.
-
After the kale wilts, the soup is ready to serve and enjoy!
