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Italian Zuppa Toscana Casserole

Zuppa Toscana casserole is a creamy, golden baked casserole with thin-sliced potatoes, Italian sausage crumbles, and wilted kale. It’s layered for even texture and finished with a parmesan crust for a hearty Italian-American comfort food bake.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Italian-American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage casserole base
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Casings removed.
  • 4 russet potatoes Peeled and sliced thin.
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
  • 1 onion Diced.
  • 2 cup kale Chopped.
  • 2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 0.25 salt To taste.
  • 0.25 black pepper To taste.
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese Grated.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 dish with a thin, even coating so the casserole releases easily.
Brown sausage
  1. Brown Italian sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart, until cooked through, then drain excess fat and remove.
Build the cream sauce
  1. Sauté onion in the same pan for 3 minutes, until softened, then add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Pour in heavy cream, then add chicken broth and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Layer the casserole
  1. Layer half the potato slices in the greased dish and spread into an even layer.
  2. Scatter half the sausage and half the kale over the potatoes, distributing them in a thin, even layer.
  3. Repeat the layers with the remaining potato slices, then top with the remaining sausage and kale.
Bake until tender
  1. Pour the cream mixture evenly over everything, pressing down gently so the potatoes make contact with the liquid.
  2. Top with parmesan cheese, cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F so the potatoes start to soften.
  3. Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes at 375°F, until potatoes are tender and the top is golden.

Notes

Pro tip: slice the potatoes thin and evenly so they cook through at the same rate and the cream base thickens properly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat covered at 350°F until hot throughout. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream base can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, use half-and-half in place of heavy cream (the texture will be slightly less rich).