Zuppa Toscana with Basil Pesto (Printable)

Comforting Italian soup with sausage, potatoes, and kale in zesty lemon-basil pesto broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 14 oz Italian sausage (mild or spicy), casings removed

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
05 - 5 oz kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
06 - 1 large carrot, diced
07 - 14 oz canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
08 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Broth

09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
10 - 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Basil Pesto

11 - 1 cup fresh basil leaves
12 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
13 - 1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
14 - 1 clove garlic
15 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Other

17 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)
18 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
19 - Crushed red pepper flakes, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a food processor, blend basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
02 - Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned. Remove excess fat if necessary.
03 - Add onion and carrot. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in garlic, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add diced potatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
06 - Pour in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
07 - Add kale, cannellini beans, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes until kale is wilted and tender.
08 - Stir in half the basil pesto, reserving the rest for serving. Season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
09 - Ladle soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of remaining pesto.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The basil pesto lemon broth transforms a hearty sausage soup into something light and surprisingly fresh
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like it simmered all afternoon
  • The pesto stirred in at the end creates these gorgeous green ribbons that make every bowl feel special
02 -
  • The pesto should be stirred in at the very end because cooking it destroys the fresh basil flavor and turns the soup an unappetizing brownish green
  • Reserving half the pesto for serving is essential, it creates those beautiful green swirls and gives each person control over how much basil flavor they want
  • Lemon zest added during simmering infuses the broth while the juice goes in near the end to maintain its bright acidic punch
03 -
  • Toasting the pine nuts in a dry pan for 3 minutes before making the pesto brings out their natural oils and deepens their flavor
  • Add a splash of heavy cream or coconut milk in the last 2 minutes if you want an ultra luxurious version
  • Wash your kale thoroughly and dry it well, otherwise the water clinging to the leaves will dilute your beautiful broth

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