Thursday, December 20, 2012

Zuppa Toscana. You Wanna?

Sorry. I couldn't help myself.

I kept on trying to come up with a catchy title and this kept ringing in my brain. So I stuck with it.

Moving on...

As soon as I see the leaves change with the coming of Fall and when Winter is just around the corner, there is one thing that comes to my mind. Comfort food. And by comfort food, I mean soup.

I first made Zuppa Toscana a few years ago and fell in love with it's rich flavor and simplicity. You can't go wrong making this and everyone will love it. My kids can't get enough! A win in my book.

If you like this soup at Olive Garden, then you must try your hand at making this yourself. It is so much better homemade and very easy too.  If you are a traditional foodie (or a newbie like myself) this recipe is most welcome.

Here's what you'll need:


2 lbs. Ground Italian Sausage
1/2 teaspoon Ground Crushed Red Pepper
1 Large Chopped Onion
3 Cloves of Garlic
1 Package Bacon
10 cups Chicken Broth
6 Large Red Potatoes - Chopped in 1 inch sections
1-2 Bunches Chopped Kale
1 1/4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream (I didn't have any cream on hand so I put the half & half in it's place for the sake of the picture)

Cook your sausage and red pepper then drain and set aside. (If you use spicy sausage like I do, omit the red pepper. Unless you like really spice soup.)
Cook your bacon, drain and set aside. (I like mine crispy so when I add it to the soup, it gives the soup some texture, mainly a nice crunch.)
In your stock pot, add a few tablespoons of olive oil and sauté your onions and garlic until softened. Add the chicken broth and potatoes and bring it to a boil. When the potatoes are almost fully cooked add your sausage and chopped kale.  As soon as the potatoes are fully cooked (I like mine a little under cooked so they don't fall apart in the broth), add the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When serving the soup, add some of your crispy bacon on the top as a nice and appetizing garnish. Maybe add some Parmesan if your wanting some cheesey goodness.

And viola, you have some of the best soup ever. I'm serious. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

I do have to apologize for this picture. It was taken rushed and I had hungry family members waiting to eat. I'll do better next time...promise.   :)
I hope you come back and tell me of your Zuppa Toscana soup making and eating pleasure. I'm waiting...

This post was shared on Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday. Hope you love it!


This post was shared on The Polivka Family's Family Table Tuesday Carnival. Enjoy!

2 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Me too! It's one of my favorites. Everyone that I've given the recipe to are so surprised that it's so easy to make. :)

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