Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

zuppa toscana hillbilly style

(1 rating)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Barbara Miller
Mountain City, TN

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. This soup comes together quickly and easily. It is satisfying and delicious. You can use beans you have canned or cooked (canellini, pinto, navy, garbanzo) your own broth or stock (instead of the water and bouillon) and tomatoes that are fresh or frozen. You can use 1 pound of ground turkey or chicken and 2 tbsp of dried Italian herbs instead of the Jennie-O, I just had this in the freezer and used it. I used canned milk but you can use any milk you have but the canned gives a rich flavor. Serving depend on bowl size and appetites.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Once you chop your vegetables, everything is just thrown in the pot so don't be intimidated by the list of ingredients. We love soup in the winter and this version of Zuppa Toscana hits the spot. It's very savory. Tomatoes and beans provide depths of flavor. This reminds us of a cross between Zuppa Toscana and a chili. Serve with cornbread for a comforting winter soup.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(1 rating)
yield 8 to 12
cook time 1 Hr 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For zuppa toscana hillbilly style

  • 2 Tbsp
    olive oil, or whatever oil or fat that you use
  • 1 lb
    Jennie-o ground turkey, Italian
  • 2 lg
    onions, peeled and diced
  • 16 oz
    fresh kale, large stems removed and cut or torn into bite size pieces
  • 4 c
    water
  • 5
    chicken bouillon cubes or powder
  • 5 lg
    red potatoes, washed and diced small
  • 1 c
    celery, sliced into elbows
  • 1 can
    tomato sauce (14.5 oz)
  • 1 can
    diced tomatoes, with juices (14.5 oz)
  • 1 can
    Great Northern beans, with juices (14.5 oz)
  • 2 tsp
    garlic, peeled and diced fine (jarred is ok)
  • 2 Tbsp
    Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 Tbsp
    dried Italian seasoning blend, a heaping tbsp is ok
  • 2 pinch
    crushed pepper flakes
  • 1 can
    evaporated milk (12 oz)
  • 4 oz
    sour cream, full fat
  • 2 tsp
    butter, in each bowl for serving, salted or unsalted

How To Make zuppa toscana hillbilly style

  • Oil added to a stockpot.
    1
    Add the oil to a large, 5-8 qt, steel or enamel stockpot over med-high heat (5 on my electric stove).
  • Ground beef and onions added to the oil.
    2
    Add the ground meat. It can be frozen or fresh. Chop the meat as it browns. There should be no large pieces. just as the meat loses its pink add the chopped onions.
  • Cooking until meat is browned.
    3
    Cook the onions in the meat for a couple of minutes; stirring them occasionally.
  • Kale added to the pot.
    4
    Add the kale to the pot. It should fill it close to the top.
  • Water and bouillon added to the pot.
    5
    Add the water and the bouillon cubes (or powder).
  • Potato added and cooking the kale.
    6
    Toss in one cubed potato (about a cup). Cover with a lid. Let it cook 5 min to wilt the kale (leave the heat on 5).
  • Remaining potatoes added to the pot.
    7
    Remove lid. Add the rest of the potatoes.
  • Celery added to the pot.
    8
    Add the celery.
  • Tomato sauce added to the pot.
    9
    Add the tomato sauce. (If all you have is spaghetti sauce feel free to use it.)
  • Diced tomatoes added to the pot.
    10
    Add the diced tomatoes. (If using fresh, peel seed and dice them.)
  • Beans added to the pot.
    11
    Add the canned beans with can juices.
  • Crushed pepper added to the pot.
    12
    Add the crushed pepper flakes (you can add more if you want it a bit hotter).
  • Italian seasoning added to the pot.
    13
    Add the Italian seasoning. The Jennie-O has Italian seasoning but kale is a strong-tasting vegetable and can overpower the soup.
  • Stirring Worcestershire Sauce into the soup.
    14
    Add the Worcestershire Sauce. Stir the soup and cover. Bring just to a boil (not a full rolling boil) and reduce the heat to med low (2 on my electric stove). Cook covered for one hour. This cooks the kale thru and blends the flavors. Turn off the heat after one hour and remove the pot from the stove eye. Remove the lid and scrape the bottom no food should have stuck. Replace the lid and let the pot sit for 15-20 minutes.
  • Ready to stir in sour cream.
    15
    Remove the pot lid and stir in the sour cream.
  • Pouring evaporated milk into the soup.
    16
    Stir in the milk.
  • A bowl of Zuppa Toscana Hillbilly Style.
    17
    Put the butter in the serving bowl. Ladle in the soup. Serve. Some Cornbread or Hushpuppies are nice served on the side or garlic toast but are not necessary.
  • 18
    *Can be cooked in the 6 Qt or larger Crock Pot. Toss everything (except the milk and sour cream) in the order given into the Crock Pot (break up the meat before adding the other ingredients). Cook in low 6-8 hrs or high 2-3 hours. Turn off the pot and let sit 20 min. Add the sour cream and milk. Serve.
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