Description
This Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe is a hearty and comforting Italian-inspired soup featuring spicy Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, kale, and a creamy broth. Perfect for a cozy dinner, it combines rich flavors and textures into a delicious one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Proteins
- 1 lb Italian sausage casing removed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 strips of thick cut bacon
Vegetables
- 2 large russet baking potatoes sliced in half, and then in 1/4 inch slices
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 cups kale veins removed and cut into thin ribbons
Liquids and Others
- 32 oz can chicken broth
- 2.5 cups water
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Brown the sausage: Slice uncooked Italian sausage into small bite-size pieces and brown them thoroughly in your soup pot over medium heat until fully cooked and slightly crispy. Remove and set aside.
- Sauté onions and garlic: In the same pot, add chopped onion and minced garlic, cooking until browned and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add liquids: Pour in the chicken broth and water, stirring to combine with the sautéed onions and garlic.
- Simmer potatoes and sausage: Return the browned sausage to the pot and add the sliced potatoes. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes until the potatoes are soft and cooked through.
- Cook bacon: While soup simmers, brown the bacon strips in a separate skillet until crispy. Drain excess fat and cut into small pieces.
- Finish the soup: Once potatoes are tender, add the cooked bacon pieces, kale ribbons, and heavy cream to the pot. Stir well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm through: Allow the soup to simmer for another 10 minutes until all ingredients are heated through and the kale is tender but still vibrant.
- Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread or crackers for a delicious meal.
Notes
- You can substitute heavy cream with half-and-half for a lighter version, but it will be less creamy.
- For a spicier kick, use hot Italian sausage instead of mild.
- Make sure to remove sausage casing for best texture.
- Kale can be swapped with spinach if preferred; add near the end to avoid overcooking.
- Leftover soup stores well and tastes even better the next day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
