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Italian Zuppa Toscana Casserole

Italian Zuppa Toscana casserole layers a creamy potato and sausage base with kale, then bakes to a golden, bubbling mozzarella–parmesan crust. This oven-braised style keeps the potatoes just tender while the cheese sets over crispy pancetta bits.
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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: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
Bacon or pancetta
  • 6 bacon or pancetta Use diced strips.
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 lb Yukon gold potatoes Thinly sliced.
Kale
  • 4 cups kale Chopped.
Onion
  • 1 onion Diced.
Garlic
  • 4 garlic Cloves, 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
Shredded mozzarella
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella
Parmesan
  • 0.5 cup parmesan Grated.
Salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown sausage and crisp pancetta
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat a large oven-safe skillet and brown the Italian sausage until cooked through, then drain excess fat and set the sausage aside.
  2. In the same skillet, cook the bacon or pancetta diced pieces until crispy. Remove and set aside the crispy bits.
Build the creamy potato base
  1. Sauté the onion and garlic in the reserved fat for 4 minutes, stirring until softened. Add the chicken broth, heavy cream, whole milk, and red pepper flakes, and bring to a simmer.
  2. Add the sliced Yukon gold potatoes and simmer for 12-15 minutes until just tender. You should see the potatoes beginning to soften while the liquid stays creamy.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold in the chopped kale and cooked Italian sausage, then season with salt and pepper. Stir until the kale wilts and the mixture looks evenly coated.
  2. Transfer the mixture to a 9x13 baking dish if needed, then scatter the shredded mozzarella and grated parmesan over the top. Make sure the cheese covers the surface for a golden crust.
  3. Bake at 375F for 20-25 minutes until golden and bubbling. Top with the crispy bacon or pancetta bits right before serving.

Notes

For cleaner slicing and even cooking, slice the Yukon gold potatoes thin and similar in thickness. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 325F until hot and bubbling. Freezing is not recommended because the potatoes and dairy can break after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream for a slightly less rich texture while keeping the creamy base.