🍲 Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)
My favorite Olive Garden soup made right at home! 🥣 Cozy, creamy, and so simple — save this for your next comfort night in 🍞💛 #cozyrecipes #soupseason #olivegardencopycat
🕓 Serves 6 | Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 35 min
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🥔 Ingredients
• 1 lb Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
• 4–6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 4–5 russet potatoes, thinly sliced or diced (about ½-inch thick)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups kale, chopped and stems removed (or spinach if you prefer)
• 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter version)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
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👩🍳 Instructions
1. Brown the sausage
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage until browned. Remove and set aside, leaving about 1 tbsp of drippings in the pot.
2. Cook the bacon
Add chopped bacon to the same pot. Cook until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside with sausage.
3. Sauté onion and garlic
Add diced onion to the pot with the remaining grease. Sauté 3–4 minutes until soft. Stir in minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
4. Simmer with potatoes
Pour in chicken broth and water. Add potatoes and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10–15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
5. Add meat back in
Return cooked sausage and bacon to the pot. Simmer 5 more minutes.
6. Finish with cream and kale
Stir in heavy cream and kale. Simmer 3–5 minutes, just until kale is wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve warm
Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and extra bacon bits if desired.
Save this for your next rainy night in 🍲
Zuppa Toscana is a beloved soup known for its rich, creamy broth and hearty ingredients, making it a perfect dish for cold or rainy days when you're craving comfort food. This recipe captures all the savory flavors found in the Olive Garden original. One key to its delicious taste is starting by browning the Italian sausage and crispy bacon, which create a flavorful base with their rendered drippings. Using russet potatoes adds a nice texture and soaking up the broth's flavors while kale provides a healthy, slightly bitter balance to the rich creaminess. If you prefer a lighter option, swapping heavy cream for half-and-half helps reduce calories without greatly sacrificing taste. The crushed red pepper flakes bring optional heat that complements the sausage’s spice and enhances the soup's depth. To add even more flavor, consider adding freshly grated Parmesan cheese not just as a garnish but also stirring some into the soup before serving. For a twist, baby spinach can replace kale if you prefer a milder green. The stepwise cooking method ensures each ingredient is cooked perfectly – from soft sautéed onions and garlic to tender potatoes and wilted greens. Additionally, Zuppa Toscana pairs wonderfully with crusty bread or garlic breadsticks to soak up the creamy broth, making it ideal for family dinners or meal prepping for the week. Leftovers keep well and often taste even better the next day as flavors further meld. This recipe is easy to customize according to taste or dietary preferences. For example, you can use turkey sausage or veggie sausage for a leaner or vegetarian option, although the flavor profile will differ slightly. Bringing this restaurant favorite to your own kitchen guarantees a warm, satisfying meal that brings the joy of dining out into the comfort of your home.