Description
Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana dazzles with creamy potato and spicy sausage flavors, crafted from simple ingredients. Home cooks can easily recreate this comforting Italian-inspired soup, enjoying restaurant-quality warmth in their own kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (1 pound) Italian sausage (mild or spicy)
- 4 cups (32 fl oz) chicken broth
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) water
- 1 cup (8 fl oz) heavy cream
- 4 russet potatoes, medium, sliced thin
- 1 onion, small, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups kale, chopped
- 2 tbsps (tablespoons) butter or olive oil
- ½ tsp (teaspoon) red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Sausage Searing: Heat butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, brown Italian sausage while breaking it into crumbles, then set aside on a separate plate.
- Aromatic Foundation: In the same pot, sauté onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant, creating a robust flavor base for the soup.
- Potato Poaching: Pour chicken broth and water into the pot, add sliced potatoes, and simmer until tender, approximately 15 minutes, allowing the potatoes to absorb the savory liquid.
- Hearty Integration: Return sausage to the pot, fold in kale leaves, and let the ingredients meld together, developing deep, complementary flavors for an additional 5 minutes.
- Creamy Elevation: Stir in heavy cream to create a velvety texture, sprinkle red pepper flakes for a gentle kick, and season with salt and black pepper to enhance the overall taste profile.
- Final Harmonization: Allow the soup to simmer briefly, ensuring all ingredients are thoroughly heated and flavors are perfectly balanced.
- Serving Presentation: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnishing with optional Parmesan cheese or crispy bacon bits to add textural contrast and gourmet flair.
Notes
- Choose Quality Sausage: Select high-grade Italian sausage for robust, authentic flavor that elevates the entire soup’s taste profile.
- Control Meat Browning: Ensure sausage develops deep caramelization without burning by maintaining medium heat and stirring frequently during initial cooking stage.
- Manage Kale Texture: Add kale leaves towards end of cooking to preserve vibrant green color and prevent overcooking, maintaining ideal tender-crisp consistency.
- Cream Integration Technique: Pour heavy cream slowly and stir gently to prevent separation, creating smooth, luxurious soup texture without curdling.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 920 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg