Inspired by the ever so popular and classic dish from Olive Garden, this Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe is a winner! A thick, rich and creamy broth full of crumbled Italian sausage, tender chunks of potatoes and hearty kale makes for one savory dish. Cozy and comforting this soup is mouthwatering.
Plus this recipe gave us a reason to pull out our Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Which is always fun to use. I mean look at how gorgeous it is! I love using this pot for recipes like our Sweet and Spicy Chili, French Dip Sandwiches, One Pot Stroganoff or Chicken Pot Pie. It makes preparing dinner and cleaning the kitchen so easy!
From the Comfort of Home
Now we all know, not much can beat Olive Garden’s bottomless soup, salad and breadsticks. I mean, bowl after bowl of hot, savory and delicious soup? Yes please! Mhhhhhm. The only thing that might beat it is being able to sit at home and enjoy a bowl of their delicious Zuppa Toscana soup in your pjs! Especially if you have an adorable little face like this keeping you company.
Plus, it will fill your entire home with the most incredible smells. You are sure to fall in love with this lighter, healthier version of this soup. Don’t worry you won’t miss any of the flavor. It is all there! And because it is lighter you can feel free to follow dinner up with a slice of our yummiest Banana Cake or Layered Strawberry Cake.
Leftovers
And as if those weren’t reasons enough, this soup makes for great leftovers. Kept in an airtight container it can be stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. As you can see in the video we doubled the recipe so we could enjoy this soup all week long.
You can also freeze this soup as it does not contain any dairy but we do suggest pulling out the amount you want to freeze before adding the kale. Then when ready to use pull from freezer, reheat and add kale like normal once heated through. Potatoes and beans may get a bit mushy and break down as it reheats but it will still taste great. Just be careful not to stir too much and it will do great.
Make It Your Own
Let’s start with a mini Pro Chef – Mom Hack, shall we? To make sure you get that incredible velvety texture avoid using the stems of the kale when you can. When chopping, cut out and remove any large stem pieces. Now let’s talk other ways to make this pot of soup tailored to you!
Go Even Healthier
- Swap out all or half of the potatoes for cauliflower florets.
- Switch the Italian sausage for turkey sausage or ground chicken.
Jazz it Up
- Add a can of corn for extra texture.
- Crumbled bacon enhances Zuppa Toscana Soup giving it a smokey flavoring.
- Desiring a creamier balance? Add two cups of heavy cream to broth with the kale. (Be sure if cream is added DO NOT try freezing soup.)
Soup is Served
- Pair this delicious soup with a crusty bread for dipping.
- Enjoy with oyster crackers.
- Serve it paired alongside a fresh garden salad.
- Top with grated parmesean.
Zuppa Toscana Soup
A thick, rich and creamy broth full of crumbled Italian sausage, tender chunks of potatoes and hearty kale makes for one savory dish.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- ½ a large onion, diced
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 large potato, sliced thinly
- 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups kale, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot. Once hot add onion and garlic. Saute for 2-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add sausage to pot. Using a spatula brown the meat for 5-8 minutes until no longer pink, breaking sausage into bite size pieces as you go.
- Add broth, thinly sliced potatoes, beans, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to pot.
- Cook soup on medium to high heat for 10-15 minutes. Once potatoes are tender to the bite add chopped kale to the soup.
- Stir soup and allow to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Taste soup and add salt or pepper as needed, to taste. Serve while hot.
Notes
- Feel free to add a can of corn for extra texture. Crumbled bacon for smokey flavoring.
- To make this even healthier swap out all or half of the potatoes for cauliflower florets. You can also switch the sausage for turkey sausage or ground chicken.
- To give the soup an extra velvety texture remove the stems of the kale while chopping.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 380Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 1618mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 7gSugar: 4gProtein: 21g