Easy One Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
This warm and cozy Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat) is made in one pot! This hearty soup is loaded with tender potatoes, savory sausage and bacon, and fresh kale, all simmered together in a rich and creamy broth. It's the perfect comfort food that tastes just like it came from the restaurant, but it's even better because you can make it in the comfort of your own home!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 777kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 5 slices bacon
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 ½ quarts chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 5 yellow potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream
- ½ bunch kale chopped
Instructions
- Fry the sausage in a large pot over medium high heat. Break up the sausage with a spatula as you cook it. Drain and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook the bacon in the same pot over medium heat until crispy. Transfer cooked bacon to the plate. Remove most of the grease from the pot.
- Add olive oil to the pot. Sauté onions over medium high heat and cook until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant.
- Increase heat to high and add the chicken stock. Allow soup to come to a boil. Season with salt and pepper, fennel and red pepper flakes.
- Add potatoes to the pot and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add heavy cream, sausage, bacon and kale to the pot. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until kale is softened, about 2 minutes. Serve warm.
Notes
- Storage info: Soups that contain dairy usually don't do well when frozen. They tend to get a grainy texture and they separate when rewarmed. If you do wish to freeze it, I would recommend doing so before you add the cream or kale (kale tastes best when fresh.)
- Pre-cut bacon: I like to use kitchen scissors to cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces before cooking it. It makes it easier to cook this way, and takes out the extra step of crumbling it!
- Spinach: Spinach can be used instead of kale. I'd recommend adding it during the last minute or so of cooking, and cooking it just until it starts to wilt.
- Thicken the soup: To create a thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock. Add it in while the soup is boiling and then continue with the rest of the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 777kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 59g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 1429mg | Potassium: 1173mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1034IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3mg
