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Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

A warm and creamy soup featuring sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale. This comforting dish can also be made lighter for a healthier option.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Soup Base
  • 12 oz bacon, fried and chopped up Cook until crisp for best flavor.
  • 16 oz Italian sausage, mild Can use turkey sausage for a lighter option.
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced finely
  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 4 medium potatoes, sliced thinly Slice lengthwise first, then thinly.
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 6 cups water
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream Can substitute with half-and-half for a lighter version.
  • 3 cups kale leaves, rinsed well and chopped
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes Optional, adjust to taste.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Cook the bacon nice and crisp, drain and cool on paper towels, then chop into small pieces. Set aside.
  2. In a large 6qt stock pot, brown the Italian sausage.
  3. Remove sausage from stock pot and set aside with the bacon, leaving a bit of sausage fat in the pan.
  4. Sauté chopped onion, garlic, and sliced potatoes in the sausage fat over medium-high heat, tossing frequently until the onions are soft and translucent, and the potatoes are starting to cook through.
Cooking
  1. Add the bacon pieces, Italian sausage, chicken broth and water back to the pan.
  2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat slightly, and let simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are almost cooked through.
  3. Add the cream, kale, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes.
  4. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes or until kale reaches your desired consistency.
Serving
  1. Serve hot in medium bowls with desired portion size, and accompany with bread or a salad.

Notes

This soup stores well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. If using cream, texture may change after freezing; fresh cream can be added when reheating.