Description
Hearty olive gardens zuppa toscana brings Tuscan comfort to home kitchens with rich, creamy potato soup packed with spicy sausage and kale. Home cooks savor authentic Italian flavors that transport diners straight to Italian countryside warmth.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (0.45 kg) hot Italian sausage (ground or from links with casings taken off)
- 4 slices bacon (cut into small pieces)
- 3 cups (720 ml) Russet potatoes (cut into cubes)
- 2 cups (480 ml) kale (packed loosely, in bite-sized pieces)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth or stock
- 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or 1 can (14 oz/414 ml) evaporated milk
- sea salt (to taste)
- fresh black pepper (to taste)
- parmesan cheese (grated, for serving)
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Activate a large skillet over medium heat. Crisp bacon until golden, then introduce crumbled Italian sausage. Brown meat thoroughly and drain excess fat, preserving a small amount of drippings.
- Aromatic Foundation: Within the same skillet, create a clearing and sauté diced onions until translucent. Infuse minced garlic and allow fragrant notes to permeate the cooking environment for brief moments.
- Liquid Integration: Pour chicken broth into the skillet, incorporating bite-sized potato cubes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, ensuring potatoes reach optimal tenderness.
- Final Composition: Gently fold kale leaves into the simmering liquid, then stream heavy cream. Allow flavors to harmonize and intensify. Adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer to serving bowls, crown with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and accompany with rustic bread.
Notes
- Select Quality Sausage: Choose authentic Italian sausage with balanced fat content for rich, deep flavor that elevates the soup’s overall taste profile.
- Control Bacon Crispness: Cook bacon until perfectly crisp but not burnt, as it provides crucial textural contrast and smoky underlying notes.
- Potato Precision: Cut potatoes uniformly to ensure consistent cooking and prevent some pieces from becoming mushy while others remain undercooked.
- Cream Temperature Trick: Add cream at the end and avoid boiling to prevent potential separation and maintain silky, smooth soup consistency.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg