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Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)

This Zuppa Toscana is a mouthwatering replica of the one served at Olive Garden, except that homemade is always better! Fresh, hot, and makes a big pot that tastes delicious as leftovers. It will be a sure hit!

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
20 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 510 kcal
Course: Main Course , Soup
Cuisine: Italian-American Fussion

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground Italian sausage casings removed
  • 12 slices Bacon cooked and diced
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 7 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ lbs Russet potatoes cleaned and sliced into thin pieces
  • 1 ½ tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 ½ tsp table salt plus more to taste if needed
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cups half and half
  • 2 cups kale leaves chopped, packed tightly
  • Parmesan Cheese finely shredded, for serving

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook sausage and break up into pieces while cooking.
  2. Transfer sausage to a separate dish, but reserve 1-2 tsp of the grease in the pot.
  3. Add diced onions to pot and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add chicken broth, potatoes, sugar, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Bring soup to a boil, and immediately reduce to medium-low. Stir in half and half, kale, and cooked sausage.
  6. Cover pot and simmer 10-15 minutes or just until potatoes are nicely tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
  7. If desired, skim top to remove excess fat from soup. Ladle soup into bowls, garnished with diced bacon and parmesan.

Notes

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  • Cook the bacon until it's crispy and chop it into small pieces. This will give your Zuppa a delicious crunch and smoky flavor.
  • Chop your onions finely so that they cook evenly and blend well into the soup. This also helps to avoid large chunks of onion in every spoon.
  • Adding sugar may seem unusual, but it helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the bitterness of the kale, giving your soup a more rounded flavor.
  • This recipe is part of our Italian Recipe Collection.
  • You can't go wrong with some Olive Garden Style Bread Sticks on the side. They're the perfect way to round out the meal!

Nutrition Information

Calories 510kcal (26%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 18g (36%) Fat 39g (60%) Saturated Fat 15g (75%) Polyunsaturated Fat 5g Monounsaturated Fat 16g Trans Fat 0.04g Cholesterol 90mg (30%) Sodium 1937mg (81%) Potassium 771mg (22%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 1907IU (38%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 145mg (15%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 510

% Daily Value*

Calories 510kcal 26%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 18g 36%
Fat 39g 60%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g 29%
Monounsaturated Fat 16g 80%
Trans Fat 0.04g 2%
Cholesterol 90mg 30%
Sodium 1937mg 81%
Potassium 771mg 16%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 1907IU 38%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 145mg 15%
Iron 2mg 11%

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