Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Zuppa Toscana soup is one of my favorite cozy meals to make on a chilly evening. If you've ever ordered Olive Garden's famous soup and wished you could enjoy a big bowl at home, this easy recipe is for you! Crispy bacon, spicy Italian sausage, tender gold potatoes, and wilted kale come together in a creamy, savory broth that tastes like it simmered all day. It's a family favorite during the fall and winter months.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, or mild
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about a cup)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 and ½ pounds gold potatoes, diced (no need to peel)
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3 cups kale
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot cook the bacon until crispy. Drain off the excess fat and place the bacon aside.
- Add the Italian sausage to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, using a spatula to break up the meat as it browns. If your sausage is in links you can remove it from the casings.
- Once the sausage has browned, add the diced onion to the pot and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
- Add the chicken broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring the broth up to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Reduce the heat to low and add in the heavy cream and kale.
- Mix the cornstarch in a small bowl with a tablespoon of cold water. Stir this into the broth. This will thicken the broth and make it very creamy. DO NOT add cornstarch to the hot liquid without dissolving it first!!
- Once the kale has wilted (about 5 minutes) garnish with crumbled bacon, grated parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.