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Italian Zuppa Toscana Casserole

Italian zuppa toscana casserole is a creamy golden bake with thin-sliced potatoes, crumbled Italian sausage, and wilted kale in a rich cream base. Baked until the potatoes are tender and finished with a parmesan crust on top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian sausage casserole base
  • 1 lb Italian sausage Use 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
  • 1 Salt To taste.
  • 1 black pepper To taste.
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese Grated for topping.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 dish.
  2. Peel and slice the russet potatoes thin, then chop the kale and dice the onion.
Brown sausage and build cream base
  1. Brown Italian sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat, breaking apart until browned, then drain fat and remove.
  2. Sauté onion for 3 minutes in the same pan, then add garlic and cook 1 minute.
  3. Add heavy cream, chicken broth, and red pepper flakes and stir to combine.
Layer and bake
  1. Layer half the potato slices in the prepared dish.
  2. Scatter half the sausage and half the kale over the potatoes.
  3. Repeat the layers with remaining potatoes, sausage, and kale.
  4. Pour the cream mixture evenly over everything, pressing down gently to help potatoes settle.
  5. Top with parmesan cheese, cover with foil, and bake for 25 minutes at 375°F.
  6. Remove the foil and bake 15 more minutes at 375°F until potatoes are tender and the top is golden.

Notes

For clean, even layers, keep potato slices roughly the same thickness so they finish tender together. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat covered at 350°F until warmed through. Freezing isn’t recommended because the cream base can split when thawed. For a lighter option, swap half-and-half for heavy cream and expect a slightly thinner, less rich texture.