Classic Tuscan Soup
A classic rustic Tuscan soup is rich creamy hearty bean soup comforting packed with vegetables, cannellini beans then seasoned with herbs perfect for a cozy meal at home. Zuppa Toscana is a soup from the region of Tuscany northern Italy where there are many variations of the recipe's most common ingredients which are chicken broth, potatoes, cannellini beans and kale as featured ingredients. Historically Zuppa Toscana ( Tuscan Soup) was a rustic traditional dish also referred to as minestra di pane ( bread soup). It originated as a peasant dish that utilized readily available seasonal ingredients combined with stale bread to prevent food waste. The traditional Tuscan authentic soup version symbolizes the philosophy of cucina povera resourceful, humble cooking transforming simple ingredients into a flavorful delicious dish. Using fundamental techniques often seen in traditional Italian cooking Cucina Povera focuses on stretching resources maximizing flavor using spice blends, slow cooking methods, creating comfort foods from basic ingredients including potatoes, scraps of tough cuts of meats, beans, rice, pasta, vegetables, pantry staples elevating any dish into something spectacular.
Zuppa Toscana was originally created as a way to use up leftover stale bread, it was considered wasteful to throw away bread but instead they made soup out of it. In fact there are legends about Leonardo da Vinci eating the soup himself. The American chain restaurant Olive Garden offers a different soup option under the same name Zuppa Toscana, Rather than being based with beans it is made with Italian sausage onion, bacon, red pepper, cream, potatoes, chicken broth, kale and garlic. It is an Italian American creation popularized in 1990 by Olive Garden, a modern reinterpretation inspired by Tuscan flavors which is now more famous globally. Zuppa Toscana soup has traditional roots dating back centuries in Tuscany Italy but modern types of the soup have evolved around variations of the popular American creamy version varying in spice blends, protein sources, using turkey, chicken, sausage alternatives. Classic types of the soup include the Olive Garden style made with a creamy chicken broth, Italian sausage, potato, kale and a lighter broth based version made with beans or other greens.
Classic creamy versions are the most popular featuring Italian sausage for heat while mild Italian sausage is a less spicy alternative. Healthier or allergy friendly options includes chicken/ turkey Italian sausage options made with chicken broth, white cannellini beans, kale spiced with red pepper flakes developing flavors in the soup blend. Vegetable variations with white bean cannellini adding a hearty creaminess sometimes replacing potatoes as the starch in the dish. Spinach or Swiss Chard is often used as vegetable variations in the soup using popular alternatives adding more nutrition to the soup. Carrots and celery add more depth of flavor to your Zuppa Toscana creating flavors building a rich base sauteing aromatics onion, garlic, celery with a drizzle of olive oil with Italian sausage to season perfectly, then add a light broth with cannellini beans creating a hearty soup perfect for any occasion. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and extra crispy bacon bits adding a smokey depth of flavor.
Zuppa Toscana soup isn't just delicious, it is packed with nutritional benefits thanks to a mix of nutrient dense greens, vegetables, kale, potatoes, beans, aromatic broth and protein creating a healthy meal with simple ingredients rich in vitamins A, C, K. and antioxidants that support immune health.
Cheers!
Patricia Lynn
Images Courtesy of Hi Pictures at AdobeStock
