Zuppa Toscana with Basil Pesto (Printer-friendly)

Hearty Italian-style soup with sausage, potatoes, kale, and beans in a bright lemon-basil pesto broth. Comforting with a fresh zesty twist.

# 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

# How To Make It:

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. Stir in garlic, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Add diced potatoes and cook for 2 minutes.
05 - Pour in broth, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
06 - Add kale, cannellini beans, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes until kale is wilted and tender.
07 - Stir in half the basil pesto, reserving the rest for serving. Season with salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Ladle soup into bowls and top each with a spoonful of remaining pesto.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The lemon basil pesto broth turns familiar Italian comfort food into something that wakes up your palate
  • Its substantial enough for dinner but the bright flavors keep it from feeling heavy
  • The make ahead friendly nature means you can enjoy that pesto infused broth for days
02 -
  • The pesto will lose its bright color if you add it too early or boil it vigorously, so stir it in at the very end
  • Lemon zest packs way more flavor than juice alone, so do not skip grating that lemon before you squeeze it
03 -
  • Make double the pesto and use the extra on pasta, sandwiches, or roasted vegetables throughout the week
  • If the soup seems too thick, add more broth rather than water to maintain depth of flavor

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