Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

easyhealthyrecipes.com/olive-garden-zuppa-toscana/

Skip the restaurant and make this copycat. Creamy sausage and potato soup with smoky bacon, tender kale, and a little kick of heat. An easy one-pot dinner that makes yummy leftovers!

Prep: 15

Cook: 45

Total: 1

Recipe makes approximately 6

Equipment Needed

large Dutch oven or soup pot
slotted spoon
wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients Needed

1 pound mild Italian sausage (casings removed)
4 bacon slices (chopped)
1 medium yellow onion (diced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
32 fluid ounces chicken broth (4 cups)
2 cups water
1 pound russet potatoes (scrubbed and sliced about ¼ inch thick)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups kale (tough stems removed and leaves chopped)
Salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Add 4 chopped bacon slices to a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Add 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed, to the pot. Cook, breaking it into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the plate with the bacon.
Carefully drain excess grease, leaving about 1-2 tablespoons in the pot. Add 1 diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Pour in 32 fluid ounces chicken broth (4 cups) and 2 cups water. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
Add 1 pound russet potatoes, sliced about ¼ inch thick. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 12-15 minutes.
Return the cooked sausage and bacon to the pot. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
Add 2 cups stemmed, chopped kale and stir to combine. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
Taste the soup and add salt and black pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

Recipe Notes

Make it dairy-free: Use a dairy-free cream that's unsweetened, or cashew cream is another good option.

Make it Whole30: Use coconut milk or coconut cream but note the flavor will be different.

Potato quantity: Use 1 pound by weight; the number of potatoes can vary with their size.

More heat: Substitute 1 pound spicy Italian sausage and reduce or omit ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes since the sausage adds more spice.

Lighter option: Use 1 cup half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Cooking time: Is approximate and includes bringing the broth to a boil. Be sure to watch the thickness.

Nutrition Info (Approximate)