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Italian Zuppa Toscana Casserole

Italian Zuppa Toscana casserole with creamy potato, sausage, and kale, topped with a golden mozzarella-parmesan crust. Brown the sausage, simmer until the potatoes are just tender, then bake until bubbly and browned.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
Bacon or pancetta
  • 6 strips bacon or pancetta, diced
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
Kale
  • 4 cups kale, chopped
Onion
  • 1 onion, diced
Garlic
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
Chicken broth
  • 4 cups chicken broth
Heavy cream
  • 2 cups heavy cream
Whole milk
  • 1 cup whole milk
Red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes
Mozzarella
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan, grated
Salt
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown and crisp
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Brown the Italian sausage in a large oven-safe skillet until cooked through, then drain the fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. Cook the bacon or pancetta until crispy. Remove and set it aside with any rendered bits reserved if you have any.
Simmer the creamy base
  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the reserved sausage fat for 4 minutes. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, whole milk, and red pepper flakes and bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Add the thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes and simmer for 12-15 minutes until just tender. Stir occasionally so the potatoes cook evenly without breaking.
Combine and bake
  1. Fold in the chopped kale and the cooked sausage, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1-2 minutes just until the kale begins to wilt.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish if needed, then scatter the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top. Leave the top uncovered for browning.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375F until golden and bubbling. Top with the crispy bacon or pancetta right before serving.

Notes

For best texture, slice the potatoes thinly and keep the simmer gentle so the potatoes turn tender without turning mushy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 325F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the dairy can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream (still finish with the mozzarella and parmesan).