Description
Olive garden’s homemade zuppa toscana soup blends creamy potatoes, spicy Italian sausage, and kale into a hearty Tuscan-inspired dish. Rich flavors and comforting warmth bring Mediterranean charm to your kitchen table.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- ½ cup bacon (cooked, crumbled)
- 4 cups russet potatoes (sliced thin or cubed)
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 3 cups kale (stems removed, chopped)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for spice)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Sausage Preparation: Brown sausage meat in a Dutch oven, breaking into rustic chunks over medium heat until golden, creating a rich flavor foundation.
- Aromatic Base: Utilize sausage renderings to sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and allow its essence to bloom briefly, developing deep underlying flavors.
- Liquid Foundation: Pour chicken broth and water into the pot, introducing cubed potatoes. Bring to a robust boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, allowing vegetables to become tender and absorb the broth’s nuances.
- Protein and Greens Integration: Reincorporate caramelized sausage and kale into the simmering liquid, allowing greens to soften and meld with the developing flavor profile, creating a harmonious texture.
- Creamy Transformation: Gently stream cream into the soup, stirring methodically to create a luxurious, velvety consistency without disrupting the delicate balance of ingredients.
- Seasoning Refinement: Adjust flavor with strategic pinches of salt, cracked black pepper, and optional red pepper flakes to elevate the soup’s complexity and depth.
- Elegant Presentation: Ladle the steaming soup into serving bowls, crowning with crisp bacon fragments and delicate Parmesan cheese shavings to add textural contrast and visual appeal.
Notes
- Sausage Selection Strategy: Choose spicy Italian sausage for authentic flavor depth, or opt for mild version if preferring less heat. Remove casing before cooking for smoother meat texture.
- Potato Perfection Technique: Cut potatoes into uniform, bite-sized cubes to ensure even cooking and consistent texture throughout the soup. Waxy potato varieties like Yukon Gold maintain shape better during simmering.
- Kale Preparation Pro-Tip: Remove tough stems before chopping kale into ribbons, preventing stringy texture. Add kale later in cooking process to retain vibrant green color and prevent overcooking.
- Cream Incorporation Caution: Add cream at the final stage and avoid boiling to prevent separation and curdling. Lower heat allows smooth integration without compromising soup’s silky consistency.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg