This Creamy Tuscan Pasta with Sausage, bacon, and kale takes everything you love about Zuppa Toscana soup and turns it into a hearty dinner you eat with a fork instead of a spoon.
Ground Italian sausage, crispy bacon, sun-dried tomatoes, and kale simmer right in the pot with beef broth and cream, so the pasta soaks up all that rich, savory flavor. Everything cooks together in about 40 minutes and finishes with plenty of parmesan for that same cozy flavor in every bite.
I started making this when I wanted the flavors of Zuppa Toscana without turning on the slow cooker or heating up the kitchen with a big pot of broth. If you love that same cozy, Tuscan flavor, my Tuscan Chickpea Soup with Kale is another one I make on repeat, especially once the weather cools off.
This is one of my favorite weeknight dinners when I want something hearty without a long ingredient list, and it reheats well enough that I always try to make sure there are leftovers for lunch the next day. My Creamy Chorizo Pasta is another one-pot pasta I turn to for that same reason.
Ingredients for Creamy Tuscan Pasta with Sausage
Ground Italian sausage is the backbone of this creamy Tuscan pasta recipe, and either mild or hot works well depending on how much spice you like.
This recipe calls for pre-cooked microwave bacon to keep the prep quick, but regular bacon works too. Just cook it in the pot first, then use the rendered fat to brown the sausage for even more flavor.
For the pasta, rotini holds the sauce nicely in its ridges, but any short pasta shape will work. I have made this before with penne, cellentani, and fusilli, and they all turned out great!
Heavy cream is what makes the sauce so rich. You can sub in half-and-half if you want it a bit lighter, but the sauce will end up a little thinner.
If you want to add a few more veggies, toss in diced carrots or celery with the onion.
For the Parmesan cheese, I always use freshly grated because it melts much more smoothly than the pre-shredded kind sold in bags.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions for Zuppa Toscana Pasta
Brown the sausage, then the onions
Heat a large pot or deep skillet over medium-to-high heat and cook the Italian sausage until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Transfer it to a plate and drain any excess grease from the pot if there's a lot left behind. Add the onion to the same pot along with a drizzle of the sun-dried tomato liquid from the jar, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Sauté the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes
Stir in the garlic and chopped sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute.
Add remaining ingredients (except for cream, kale, and cheese)
Return the sausage and bacon to the pot. Add the rotini, beef broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning, and stir well. Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the pasta is tender.
Stir in the cream and kale
Stir in the heavy cream, then add the kale and cook for another 3 minutes until it wilts.
Finish, rest, and serve
Add the Parmesan cheese, turn off the heat, and stir. Let the pot sit for 3 to 5 minutes so the sauce can thicken, then taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm with extra Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper flakes, if you like a little heat.
Top Tips
- Pasta: Pasta brands vary quite a bit, so start checking for tenderness closer to the 18-minute mark. It will keep softening slightly as it rests.
- Kale: Strip the tough center rib out of each kale leaf before chopping so it wilts more evenly during the short simmer.
- Sauce: The sauce looks thinner than you'd expect the moment the heat goes off, but don't panic! Give it the full rest time, and it firms up nicely.
- Broth: If the pot looks a little dry before the pasta is fully tender, stir in an extra splash of broth to keep everything cooking evenly.
How to Serve
This pasta is a full meal on its own with the sausage, kale, and cream, but it's also lovely served alongside a Panzanella Salad or a Marinated Tomato Basil Salad if you want something fresh on the side.
Equipment
I use a Dutch oven for this recipe since the rotini needs enough room to cook evenly in the broth without sticking together or scorching on the bottom.
Storage Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, and stir in a splash of extra broth or milk if the sauce has thickened up too much in the fridge.
Freezing isn't recommended for this one. The cream and parmesan in the sauce tend to separate as they thaw, leaving a grainy or oily texture instead of the smooth sauce you started with, so this pasta is best enjoyed fresh or from the fridge within a few days.
FAQ
It's pretty close! It has the same flavors of Italian sausage, red pepper, onion, bacon, garlic, and cream, and that bite of kale that adds so much texture. The main flavor difference comes from swapping the potatoes in the soup for rotini in the pasta recipe.
Sure! You can leave the bacon out entirely if you'd rather keep the sausage as the only meat, or swap in turkey bacon for a lighter option. Either way, cook it before adding it to the pot with the sausage.
Yes, baby spinach works well in place of kale. Since spinach wilts much faster, stir it in right at the end and give it just a minute instead of the full three.
More Pasta Recipes
Looking for other easy pasta recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Tuscan Pasta with Sausage
Ingredients
- 10 oz ground Italian sausage
- 8 oz bacon cooked and chopped
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup sundried tomatoes chopped
- 1 cup chopped kale
- 14 oz rotini pasta
- 4½ cups beef broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese grated, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cook the Italian sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned; transfer to a plate and drain excess grease if needed.
- Add the onion to the pot with a drizzle of sun-dried tomato liquid and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook 1 more minute.
- Return the sausage and bacon to the pot. Add the rotini, beef broth, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning; stir to combine.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 18-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is tender.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then add the kale and cook 3 more minutes until wilted.
- Stir in the Parmesan cheese and turn off the heat.
- Let sit 3-5 minutes to thicken, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve warm with extra Parmesan and crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.
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