Zuppa Toscana -- The Soup River Stirred at Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2024 was the third year at the land and the barn had by now the specific feeling of a place that knows what it's for—the hook where the aprons hang, the fire tools in their order by the pit, the prep tables worn smooth in the places where you work. The twenty-five or so people who came this year mostly knew where things were. Nobody needed to be shown the warmth corner or the serving setup or where the extra chairs lived.

River is three and a half, and this was the Thanksgiving where he began to participate rather than just be present. He helped carry napkins to the table—two at a time, very carefully—and he handed bread to people who asked for it with a seriousness that made everyone around him try not to smile too visibly. He asked me twice if he could stir the soup. I let him twice. Both times he stirred with considerable force and some of the soup went over the side of the pot. He found this acceptable.

Caleb and I had been talking about what the two adjacent parcels could eventually look like together—whether there was a way to think about them as a connected system. His garden was established, his fire circle was built and used, and he was starting to see the land as a project rather than just a purchase. He said he thought he might put in some fruit trees in the spring. I said I'd help him choose the varieties. He said he thought persimmon. I said of course he did.

After the meal I sat by the last fire while others helped Hannah with the dishes inside the barn, and I did what I always do at the end of a Thanksgiving on this land: I stayed there until it was fully dark and let the fire burn down to coals and thought about Danny and how he would have been right here in this spot doing exactly the same thing.

The soup was on the whole afternoon, and River stirred it twice with a wooden spoon nearly as tall as he was — both times with the kind of full-body commitment that sends a little over the side of the pot. That felt right to me. Zuppa Toscana has always been my answer to feeding a crowd in a cold barn: sausage and potatoes and kale and cream, one big pot that gets better the longer it sits near the fire, and enough of it that nobody has to be careful about how much they take. It’s the dish that made twenty-five people feel like they were eating in a kitchen, not a field — and this year, more than any other, that mattered.

Zuppa Toscana

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 55 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb mild or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 4 medium russet potatoes (about 2 lbs), halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups fresh kale, stems removed, leaves roughly torn
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Brown the sausage. In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, crumble in the Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned through, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving drippings in the pot.
2. Cook the bacon. Add the chopped bacon to the same pot and cook over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the sausage. Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of fat.
3. Sauté aromatics. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
4. Build the broth. Pour in the chicken broth and water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the sausage and bacon to the pot and bring to a boil.
5. Add the potatoes. Add the sliced potatoes, reduce heat to a steady simmer, and cook uncovered until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork, about 15–18 minutes.
6. Finish with cream and kale. Stir in the heavy cream and the torn kale leaves. Simmer for another 3–5 minutes until the kale is wilted and the soup is heated through. Do not boil after adding the cream.
7. Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 390 | Protein: 17g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 890mg