Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

"I don't always make "copy cat" dishes ... but, this is a really good soup. I have a friend who worked at Olive Garden who gave me some insight as to the ingredients; and, also followed the other 'copy cat' recipes online. I went to an Olive Garden for lunch one day and was surprised to find carrots in the soup; most of the copy cat recipes for that soup, did not include carrots. But, I did find the carrots to add a nice sweetness. So, I guess each restaurant can add their own spin on it. One important note, is that - NEVER expect a commercial recipe to taste exactly like your 'copy cat' recipe. They are using commercial products and getting that same flavor just can't happen, but you can get pretty close. I really enjoy this recipe."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Sausage and Bacon Base ... Add the bacon to a large stock pot on medium - medium low heat and render, or cook it slowly. If you render the bacon slowly, you will not need to add any additional oil. Once the bacon is crispy and brown (about 7 minutes), remove from the pot to a plate lined with a paper towel. Then add the sausage to that same pan along with the drippings from the bacon and bring to medium heat. Crumble the sausage as you add it, breaking it up as it cooks. Once the sausage is golden brown, remove to the plate with the bacon (7-10 minutes).

Step 2

Soup ... You shouldn't end up with a lot of drippings (oil) in the pan from the bacon and sausage(about 1 tablespoon), if you have more than that, discard any extra and only keep 1 tablespoon to cook the vegetables in.

Step 3

Then, add the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper flakes; sauté (again on medium heat) until tender, about 5 minutes. Next, add the wine to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

Step 4

Add the potatoes and kale to the pot, stir to combine, and cook, another minute or two. Then, add 5 1/2 cups of the chicken broth and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cook 10 minutes, add the cream, and cook 10 more minutes until the potatoes are tender. If you like the broth a bit thinner, a remaining 1/2 of broth.

Step 5

Finish ... Add the sausage and bacon back in, and re-season with salt and pepper if necessary; cook another minute until everything is heated through.