Description
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup blends Italian comfort with hearty ingredients from Tuscany. Creamy potatoes, spicy sausage, and kale create a satisfying meal that welcomes diners to savor rich, comforting flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 4 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced or diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 4 cups (946 ml) chicken broth
- 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Sauté Meats: In a large pot, brown Italian sausage into fine crumbles, fully cooking until golden. Drain excess grease on paper towels, then crisp bacon in the same pot until deeply mahogany-hued, removing pieces while reserving approximately two tablespoons of rendered fat.
- Aromatics Preparation: Sauté onions in reserved bacon fat until translucent and softened, incorporating minced garlic and allowing them to release their fragrant essence without burning.
- Liquid Foundation: Pour chicken broth and water into the pot, bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer. Introduce sliced potatoes and cook until nearly tender, approximately 10-15 minutes.
- Vegetable Integration: Add chopped kale to the simmering liquid, letting it wilt and become tender while infusing the soup with vibrant green color and nutritional depth.
- Final Composition: Reintroduce crispy bacon and browned sausage into the soup. Stir in heavy cream to create a luxurious, velvety texture. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, ensuring a harmonious blend of flavors. Serve hot, garnished with optional fresh parsley.
Notes
- Sausage Texture Tip: Break down the Italian sausage into small, uniform crumbles to ensure even cooking and consistent flavor distribution throughout the soup.
- Fat Management Strategy: Drain excess grease from meats on paper towels to control the soup’s richness without losing the deep, meaty flavor profile.
- Bacon Depth Enhancement: Reserve two tablespoons of bacon fat to amplify the soup’s underlying smoky and rich taste, creating a more authentic Tuscan experience.
- Flavor Layering Technique: Cook meats in sequence to build complex, concentrated flavor foundations, allowing each ingredient to contribute its unique taste characteristics to the final soup.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 425
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 17 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 21 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg