Description
Olive Garden’s easy zuppa toscana recipe brings hearty Italian-American comfort to your kitchen. Creamy potato soup with spicy sausage and crisp kale delivers robust flavors that warm souls and satisfy hunger.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 3 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups kale, chopped
- 4 strips bacon, chopped
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (for serving, optional)
Instructions
- Bacon Preparation: Heat a spacious pot over medium flame, render bacon until golden and crisp, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate while preserving the rendered fat.
- Sausage and Aromatics: Crumble Italian sausage directly into the pot, browning thoroughly, then add diced onions and allow them to become translucent, releasing their aromatic essence.
- Flavor Building: Introduce minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes, stirring rapidly to develop a complex flavor profile without burning the delicate ingredients.
- Liquid Integration: Pour chicken broth into the pot, add sliced potatoes, and bring to a gentle simmer, allowing the potatoes to tenderize and absorb the rich flavors.
- Vegetable Incorporation: Fold chopped kale into the simmering liquid, watching it wilt and merge seamlessly with the existing ingredients while maintaining the soup’s vibrant texture.
- Creamy Finish: Reduce heat to low, slowly stream heavy cream into the soup while continuously stirring to create a velvety, luxurious consistency.
- Seasoning and Serving: Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then ladle the steaming soup into bowls, garnishing with crispy bacon fragments and a delicate sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
- Accompaniment: Serve alongside warm, crusty bread to complete this comforting and hearty culinary experience.
Notes
- Control Bacon Rendering: Cook bacon slowly to extract maximum fat without burning, ensuring a rich, smoky base flavor for the soup.
- Manage Sausage Browning: Break sausage into small pieces during cooking to ensure even browning and prevent large clumps that disrupt soup texture.
- Prevent Cream Separation: Add heavy cream at low heat and stir constantly to maintain smooth consistency and prevent curdling or breaking.
- Customize Spice Levels: Adjust red pepper flakes according to personal heat preference, starting with a small amount and gradually increasing for desired warmth.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg