On chilly days when you just don’t want to think, you pull out the cookbooks. 🍲 You flip through those well-loved pages, hoping someone else’s magic will warm your kitchen—and this one did not disappoint.
🥣 Cauliflower Zuppa Toscana Creamy, hearty, and full of comfort, yet completely dairy-free (you’d never guess!). A little Parm in the broth gives it richness, and the kale and sausage bring it home. Perfect for those evenings when you just want a bowl of something that hugs back.
✨ Comfort in a bowl. Cozy in every spoonful.
Ingredients • 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (plus more for drizzling) • 8 oz sweet Italian turkey or pork sausage (about 2 links), casings removed • 1 small leek (white part only), halved lengthwise and sliced ¼-inch thick • 1 large Yukon Gold potato, cut into ½-inch cubes • ½ head cauliflower (about ½ lb), chopped into small pieces • 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste • 1 bay leaf • 4 cups Parmesan chicken broth (or low-sodium chicken broth + a 2-inch piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind) • 2 cups chopped curly or lacinato (Tuscan) kale (about 2 oz) • 2 slices salami or prosciutto (optional), cut into thin strips
Instructions 1. Cook the sausage: Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook 4–5 minutes, until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate. 2. Sauté the vegetables: Add the leek to the same pan and cook until softened, about 3–4 minutes. 3. Simmer: Add the potato, cauliflower, salt, bay leaf, and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender and the cauliflower is falling apart, about 10 minutes. 4. Blend: Use an immersion blender (or potato masher) to puree some of the soup for a creamy texture. 5. Add the kale: Stir in the kale and simmer another 3–4 minutes until softened. Adjust salt to taste. 6. Optional garnish: Crisp the salami or prosciutto in a small skillet over medium heat for 1–2 minutes until crispy. 7. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with olive oil, and top with crispy salami if desired. Serve hot.
