Tuscan Potato Soup (Zuppa Toscana)

budget-friendly Canadian farmers carbohydrates Gluten-Free healthy ingredients Instructions kale local meal prep nutrition one-pot meal Potatoes Recipe sausages Tuscan Potato Soup versatility whole food Zuppa Toscana

Posted October 13, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

Crafted from a blend of potatoes, zesty sausages, and an abundance of verdant greens, this Tuscan potato soup, an ode to zuppa Toscana, emerges as a sumptuous, one-pot repast that serves as an ideal choice for meal prepping or a straightforward weeknight dinner.

Potatoes have long been a misunderstood food item. I, too, once shunned them for fear of weight gain or health concerns, only to realize how mistaken I was. In hindsight, it seems amusing that I harbored apprehensions about potatoes. After all, they are a natural, earthy whole food that has been a dietary staple for millennia. Despite enduring years of carbohydrate phobia, it’s crucial to recognize that not all carbohydrates are created equal, and the quality of food consistently outshines quantity.

Potatoes, in and of themselves, are an excellent source of both energy and nutrients. They are rich in fiber, contain 45% of your daily vitamin C requirement, and even boast more potassium than a banana! Moreover, they are naturally gluten-free and an incredibly versatile ingredient suitable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Baking, roasting, or mashing them yields great results, but incorporating them into a soup or stew lends a hearty quality and, when blended or puréed, creates a smooth, velvety texture. The icing on the cake? Potatoes are incredibly budget-friendly. A modest bag of potatoes can conveniently yield over a dozen meals while offering a significant nutritional return on investment.

When it comes to selecting potatoes, various varieties abound, but my preference is always to support local Canadian farmers by choosing homegrown PEI potatoes whenever possible. These diminutive tubers play a substantial role, constituting a quarter of Canada’s potato production, and are instrumental in elevating any dish from good to exceptional. Bursting with carbohydrates, protein, healthy fats, and an abundance of greens, this Tuscan potato soup, or Zuppa Toscana, strikes a harmonious balance, making it an ideal lunch or dinner choice for any day of the week.

Tuscan Potato Soup

This Tuscan potato soup, also known as Zuppa Toscana, epitomizes a well-rounded meal, equally suited for lunch or dinner, and is naturally gluten-free, rendering it accessible to all. While this recipe specifies russet potatoes, any white potato will perform admirably.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 finely diced onion
4 cloves of minced garlic
1 pound of Italian sausage, mild or spicy
5 PEI russet or white potatoes, peeled and cubed
6 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups of washed, chopped kale
1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes
1/2 cup of heavy cream
Sea salt
Black pepper

Instructions

In a sizable pot or Dutch oven, heat half of the olive oil over medium-high heat.
Extract the sausage from its casing, add it to the pot, and cook for 5-7 minutes until it turns brown and fully cooked. After cooking, set the sausage aside.
Add the remaining olive oil, along with the onions and garlic, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until they become tender. Introduce the chili flakes, a pinch of salt, and cook for an additional 30 seconds until a fragrant aroma emerges.
Pour in the broth and, using a wooden spoon, deglaze the pot by scraping any stuck bits from the bottom. Add the potatoes and mix well. Simmer over low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes until the potatoes become tender and can be pierced with a fork.
Once the potatoes are cooked, remove approximately one-third of the potato-broth mixture from the pot, place it in a blender, and purée until smooth. Reincorporate this back into the pot. This step contributes to the soup’s velvety texture while retaining some hearty potato chunks. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender and pulse for 10-15 seconds to break up some, but not all, of the potatoes.
Return the cooked sausage to the pot and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Once the soup has simmered, introduce the kale and heavy cream, stirring to combine. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the kale wilts and exhibits a vibrant green hue. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the soup immediately, or store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.