Zuppa Toscana

There is something about soup in the fall that really warms my belly. The air has turned cold & crisp & so I am in a soup making mood. I love Olive Garden! Unfortunately we rarely eat there, but when we do I never get the salad, I always stick with the Zuppa Toscana.

My husband has his salad all to himself & I enjoy my bowl of delicious soup. I am so glad I made this at-home version because it shares a lot of characteristics of the real deal: creamy broth, tender potatoes, Italian sausage, & hearty kale. My husband has never tried this soup from Olive Garden, but he said, “If it tastes like what you just made, then it must be good!” This makes a lot for our little family of four so great leftovers for the lunch the next day!

Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients

  • 1 lb mild Italian sausage
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6-7 medium red potatoes (scrubbed, halved, & sliced)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups skim milk
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 tsp thyme (If you use mild Italian sausage, you won't need this.)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups kale (de-veined & chopped)
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a stock-pot, over medium-high heat, brown sausage, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Drain fat and set aside.
  2. In the same stock-pot add onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until translucent, adding the garlic the last 30-60 seconds of cooking. (It should cook just fine in the little bit of grease left in the pot from the sausage, but if you need to, add a splash of olive oil.)
  3. Return sausage back to pot and add potatoes, chicken broth, skim milk, water, red pepper flakes, and thyme. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Nuke heavy cream in microwave for 30 seconds, then add to soup with the kale. Heat through about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Recipe altered from Studio5