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Zuppa Toscana (Copycat Olive Garden Recipe)

This Zuppa Toscana copycat recipe is actually better than the original! It has a creamy both base and is loaded with sausage and potatoes.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
4 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 463 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Johnsonville mild Italian ground sausage
  • 5 ¼ cups (42 ounces) chicken broth
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • red pepper flakes, to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • ½ pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 4 cups kale, chopped
  • 3 medium potatoes, scrubbed, halved, and thinly sliced

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Form the sausage into little balls. Brown the sausage in the frying pan, stirring frequently. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain off some of the grease.
  2. Put everything except for the potatoes together in a large slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. If you prefer your kale more crisp-tender, wait to add the kale with the potatoes.
  3. Add potatoes during the last 40-60 minutes of cooking.
  4. Stir well and serve with breadsticks and salad.

Notes

  • Instead of breaking off small pieces of sausage and rolling them in your hands, simply cut the sausage using a knife in a crisscross pattern. The sausage will roll up into balls as you cook and stir it in the skillet. Break it up into more bite-size pieces with your spatula or spoon if needed. 
  • You can really use any kind of potato you want in this recipe. Russet potatoes work great, but you can also use a waxy potato like Yukon gold or red potato. You can leave the skins on, or you can peel them. Totally up to you. 
  • Prepackaged, pre-rinsed kale will make your life easier. You can also get kale from the produce department. Just make sure you rinse it really well.

Nutrition Information

Calories 463kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 37g (57%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 84mg (28%) Sodium 1192mg (50%) Potassium 892mg (25%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 3571IU (71%) Vitamin C 61mg (68%) Calcium 158mg (16%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 463

% Daily Value*

Calories 463kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 17g 6%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 37g 57%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 84mg 28%
Sodium 1192mg 50%
Potassium 892mg 19%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 3571IU 71%
Vitamin C 61mg 68%
Calcium 158mg 16%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.