Zuppa Toscana ~ Italian Seasoning

A fam fave! 30 minute one- pot meal.

Zuppa Toscana

*1/2 - 1 lb. ground Italian sausage. Browned. Our family only uses one cup of meat in this recipe.  

*28-30 oz. Chicken broth. Homemade chicken or veg stock.  I pop 2-3 frozen, 2 cup filled containers into the pot. 

*1 c. chopped onion. 1-3 onions depending on size 

*3-4 large russet potatoes. Chopped or diced

*A few garlic cloves minced

*Bay leaf. Salt and pepper. 

*Thyme, oregano and rosemary all work in this soup. Use what you have. 

*1 c. cream or whole milk

*Chopped kale or spinach. Frozen works as well. I just drop in a frozen package of organic chopped spinach.

*1- 2 c. pre-cooked navy beans. Canned is ok but you should really try the dry version. Soak overnight, bring to a boil and simmer for an hour. I also freeze containers of beans for later meal additions. 

*Pre-cooked bacon chopped into bits. Optional.

Stovetop: In a large stock pot, add browned sausage, broth, garlic, potatoes, frozen spinach, seasonings and onion. Bring to a boil uncovered. Reduce to a simmer and cover until potatoes are tender. 15-20 minutes. Add bacon bits, cream and kale or thawed spinach and cook until warmed. 

Slow Cooker:  Add browned sausage, broth, garlic, potatoes, onion and seasonings to your slow cooker. Cover. Cook on high 3-4 hours. Add bacon bits, cream and thawed spinach before serving. 

Serve with a topping of cheese and a side of crusty Italian bread. 

Ground Italian Sausage Seasoning

Unseasoned ground sausage or ground meat. Pork, turkey and chicken work best. 

Brown meat. During the last stage of cooking, add ground fennel, oregano and a little garlic powder. This is basic but you can add marjoram, basil, rosemary, crushed pepper flakes, thyme, sea salt, black pepper and cayenne.