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All of the wonderful flavors of the Olive Garden staple, Zuppa Toscana, reworked into saucy baked meatballs. Spicy Italian chicken sausage mixed with ground chicken, Italian seasoning, and panko rolled meatballs baked in a creamy basil pesto sauce with kale, lemon, and mozzarella cheese. All made in one skillet and served simply with crusty bread, and I always recommend a big salad, too. Great for just about any night of the week and perfect for Game Day entertaining. This is a dish that all will enjoy!
When I shared my Zuppa Toscana a few years ago, it was one of those dishes that I was scared about. I worried no one would be interested in the soup because, in my mind, Zuppa Toscana seemed like a lesser-known soup.
Well, little did I know that Zuppa Toscana is actually loved by so many. I was shocked by its popularity, and to this day, it remains one of my more popular soup recipes. I think it beats out a classic bowl of broccoli cheddar, which is a personal favorite (read, I need a bowl of broccoli cheddar soup soon!).
Anyway, I was happy with how well the soup was received, and I make it often for my family. Because of the spiciness, it’s one of the only soups my dad will actually eat. He’s not someone who enjoys soup!
I’m always thinking of ways to bring those yummy flavors into other dishes and meatballs seemed like the perfect option.
The only things missing are the potatoes and bacon, which really aren’t needed here. They’re perfect just as is. I think even the Olive Garden might approve!
These are the details
Ingredients
- spicy Italian chicken sausage (I pick this up from the meat counter at Whole Foods; they make it in-store)
- ground chicken, turkey, pork, or you can use all sausage, but I like to mix
- panko
- parmesan
- an egg
- Italian seasoning
- yellow onions
- garlic
- fresh thyme
- shredded kale
- basil pest
- heavy cream, whole milk, or use canned coconut milk if you’re dairy-free
- broth, I use bone broth
- lemon juice
- mozzarella cheese
Special Tools
Just a great oven-safe skillet. I recommend your go-to cast iron skillet. This is my favorite.
Steps
Step 1: mix the meatballs
I use ground spicy Italian chicken sausage and ground chicken for these meatballs. The spicy Italian sausage is the key to a really great Zuppa Toscana, so of course, it’s the star of these meatballs.
Then, for texture and to help bind the meat together, I add panko breadcrumbs and an egg. For flavor, I use parmesan and Italian seasoning. Roll the mix into balls, and as you work, place each ball into a dry skillet, then add the onions.
Step 2: cook the meatballs
Set the skillet over medium heat and get them crispy all around. I find the sausage has enough fat as is that I didn’t need to use any oil in the pan. If your skillet looks dry, use some oil to help the browning process.
Step 3: add everything else
When ready, mix in the garlic, thyme, kale, and pesto. Now add the cream, broth, and lemon juice. Then gently stir to combine it all and simmer for a few minutes to help bring the sauce together.
Step 4: bake
Add some cheese, the recipe calls for mozzarella, but provolone is really great too!
Bake until melted and the sauce has thickened a smidge.
Step 5: time to eat
Serve these meatballs simply. I always add a big salad for a nice balance.
Looking for other meatball recipes?? Here are my favorites:
30 Minute Coq au Vin Chicken Meatballs
Simple Baked Cheesy Italian Chicken Meatballs
Weeknight 30 Minute Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs
Lastly, if you make these Pesto Zuppa Toscana Meatballs, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pesto Zuppa Toscana Meatballs
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 484 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 1/2 pound ground chicken, turkey, or pork
- 1/2 cup panko
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- 1 egg
- 3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 yellow onion, chopped or sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 2 cups finely shredded kale
- 1/3 cup basil pesto
- 3/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 1 cup broth
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.2. Add the sausage, chicken, panko, parmesan, egg, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning to a bowl. Mix until just combined. Roll into 15 to 20 meatballs and place each in a skillet. Add the onions to the skillet.3. Set the skillet over medium heat, then cook for the meatballs for 5 minutes, turning them 2-3 times, until crisp. Add the garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, kale, and pesto. Pour over the cream, broth, and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 minutes.4. Remove from heat. Add the mozzarella, then bake until the cheese is melted, 10 minutes. 5. Serve the meatballs topped with fresh thyme. We love this served with crusty bread, or over pasta, and with a big salad!
This post was originally published on October 24, 2024
This was soo good! I skipped the kale as I didn’t have any and added rice on the side. It was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. It will become a staple in our house.
Hey Erin,
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making this dish and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xT
Loved this dish, served it Halloween eve before the neighborhood festivities began – my mother in law, husband and daughter all finished their plates. I had to keep it dairy free for my daughter – Trader Joe’s has a fantastic vegan cashew/ kale pesto and I used coconut milk instead of cream – added a bit more lemon juice than the recipe called for to balance the coconut and vegan cheese to top it off. I’ll definitely make this again!
Hey Meg,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you! xxx
I made this the other night, it was quite good, though it didn’t taste very Italian, more like Swedish meatballs. I went to Whole Foods and got the sausage you recommended and the gravy was a gray color not pink. I’d make it again, the flavors were good, but not what I expected
Hi Dennis,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for trying this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad it was enjoyed! xxx
Can I make this partially ahead for company? Where can I pause and pick it back up at the end? It sounds amazing!
Hey Shannon,
Totally! I would make through step 3 and then finish the dish when you want to serve. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Great, thank you. I am making it this weekend! How about a nondairy substitute for the cream/milk?
Coconut milk or another non-dairy milk that you enjoy will work:)
Made it with canned coconut cream and it tasted amazing! Thank you
Awesome!! Thanks again, Shannon!
Very delicious recipe, thank you! I did cook my meatballs starting in a cold pan with no oil and immediately regretted it. I would definitely recommend heating the pan, as some olive oil when the oil shimmers, then adding the onions and the meatballs. This way they won’t stock as badly, and burn like mine did. Otherwise, great flavor. I doubled the recipe and put half in the freezer, with the recipe, for another day. Thank you!
Thanks so much, Latia! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you! I appreciate you giving it a try! 🎃 xXT
These were delicious, everyone loved em!
Hey Deborah,
Happy Monday! Thank you so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well! Happy Halloween week! 🎃
Hi Tieghan! When you brown the meatballs do you recommend adding olive oil to the skillet so the meatballs don’t stick ?
Hi Nicole,
Yes, you can go ahead and add some oil:) I hope this recipe turns out nicely for you! Let me know if you give it a try! xT
I’m making these right now! They look and smell amazing! Can’t wait to dig in with our homemade sourdough rolls and Caesar salad. Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, Melissa! I hope it is delish! Have a great weekend:) xT
I hope these are not the meatballs your Dad called “ dry and crunchy” in your Instagram stories today! No meatball should ever be dry! Make that man a moist tender meatball.
These look amazing for a chilly fall evening! I’m nursing a baby who has to be off of dairy right now, so I definitely want to make some substitutions, but I think these will still be delightful! We really like Zuppa Toscana at our house, so it will be fun to do the meatball version. I’m definitely looking forward to making these.
Also, I know you’re really busy, but I would love to see your take on a few dairy free recipes if you get the chance. Thank you!
Hey Katie,
These will be great with your favorite dairy free substitutes! Here are some other recipes you might enjoy that are dairy free or can easily be made dairy free:
https://fett-weg.today/red-wine-braised-pot-roast/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/chicken-dumpling-soup/#wprm-recipe-container-153927%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> https://fett-weg.today/peanut-chicken-ramen/#wprm-recipe-container-169964%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> I hope this helps! xT
Thanks! These look like some good recipes. 🙂
Could coconut milk be substituted?
Hey Donna,
Yes, that will work nicely for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
From reading the recipe, it looks like the meatballs are added to a cold skillet? What is the benefit of cold vs hot? I think it would take much longer to brown that way?
Hi Kelli,
You can totally pre-heat your skillet as well, either way is just fine:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
That didn’t answer my question. As an experienced home cook, I know to pre heat it, but what do you see as a benefit of starting with it cold? You always seem to not pre heat skillets, so maybe I’m missing out on something?
Why so rude? lol
Yes, I am reading thru comments with the same question, and I see that somebody else tried it cold with no oil, and their meatballs stuck and burned. Unless you were using a very well-seasoned cast iron skillet, ground chicken is going to stick unless the pan has hot oil in it (and I would heat a cast iron first too). I’d suggest clarifying this in the recipe because I can’t see this working out for anyone using a cold skillet with no fat in it.
It is very unclear in the recipe when the skillet goes in the oven
Hi Caroline,
The skillet is going into the oven in step 4. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Can I substitute spinach for kale
Hey Suzanne,
Totally, that will work nicely for you! Let me know if you give this dish a try! Happy Thursday! XxT
These look absolutely divine 😍 Quick question, what is added to make the sauce orange? I couldnt see anything in the ingreds that would make it that colour but maybe you subbed in tomato pesto, or orange cheese? MT!
I suspect it’s professional food styling with some sort of lighting effect, maybe photo editing. Home results may differ but the dish overall won’t be affected taste-wise.
Hey Leah,
Thanks so much!! The orange coloring is coming from the paprika. Please let me know if you give this dish a try. I hope you love it! xT
I don’t see paprika in the recipe? Were we supposed to add it somewhere?
Hi Ellen,
The paprika was in my sausage:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
I made this tonight. Excellent! I used 1# turkey Italian sausage and 1# ground turkey and spinach instead of kale. I will make this again.
Hey Lori,
Amazing!! Love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for trying it! xT
Weird because there is no paprika listed in this recipe? All her food lately looks orange and yellow. I think it is either a filter or bad lighting.
Hi Ashley,
The paprika is in my meatballs from the sausage. Please let me know if you have any other questions! x
Regarding the orange color of this recipe: there’s no paprika involved. Try again Tieghan.
Literally, Alice: What is wrong with you?
Hi Alice,
The paprika is in the Italian chicken sausage that I used:)