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Zuppa Toscana in a cast iron pot with a soup ladle
5 from 16 votes

Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana is a creamy soup your family will love! This Olive Garden copycat recipe is just as good with Italian sausage kale, potatoes, and bacon.
Author Diana
Servings 6 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb spicy Italian sausage or mild if you prefer
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 6 slices bacon cut into ½ inch pieces, divided
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups (32 oz) chicken stock
  • 4 medium russet potatoes peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
  • 6 cups chopped kale
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the Italian sausage with red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown it and crumble it as you go, then drain excess fat and remove onto a plate.
  • Cook the bacon in the Dutch oven until crispy. Remove onto a plate with the sausage, drain the fat leaving about 1 tablespoon of grease in the Dutch oven.
  • Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
  • Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes (if you feel like you need more liquid, add a cup of water – I usually do!), and cook until they’re fork tender (about 12-15 minutes).
  • Add chopped kale, the browned sausage and half of the bacon to the pot and bring to a gentle boil (5 minutes until the kale has wilted). Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove from heat, and top with the remaining crispy bacon.

Notes

  • Kale can be substituted with baby spinach leaves.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, you can thicken it with cornstarch slurry (1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon of water). Stir it in the soup, and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally until it thickens up.
  • If you prefer not to cook the onions in the bacon grease, you can substitute with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 837mg | Potassium: 1347mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 7382IU | Vitamin C: 92mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 4mg