We’re knee-deep in soup season and this Homemade Zuppa Toscana is a top contender for my favorite soup! Both because it’s tasty and because it’s easy to throw together. It could also be considered a good or bad thing that my whole family loves it. The last time I made it, the leftovers were barely a bowlful.

Homemade Zuppa Toscana 

Homemade Zuppa Toscana

When I was pregnant with my son, I used to pick up Olive Garden takeout fairly often. And since I was living in Indianapolis at the time and it was cold, I often went for their soups. But takeout can get expensive! And I have found, as I have with many recipes, that when you make it homemade, it just tastes better anyway. It’s a win-win. The first time I made this Homemade Zuppa Toscana soup, I sliced the potatoes thin like they do at Olive Garden. It was fine that way, but then I tried cutting the potatoes into cubes and I like it much better. Much more spoon-able. (Is spoon-able even a word? Well, it is now!) Another way I changed things up was by adding bacon. I don’t think Olive Garden adds bacon to theirs. If they do, it’s a very small amount. I love the saltiness it adds.

Homemade Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients for Homemade Zuppa Toscana

• Italian sausage
• Bacon
• Yellow onion
• Garlic
• Chicken broth
• Russet potatoes
• Kale
• Heaving whipping cream
• Pepper
• Parmesan

Kitchen Tools Needed for Homemade Zuppa Toscana

• • Large pot or dutch oven

• Mixing spoon
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

Homemade Zuppa Toscana

This Homemade Zuppa Toscana soup is one of the few ways I can get my family to eat kale. I don’t even have to plead with them by saying, “But it’s a superfood!” They just eat it up. (Maybe it has something to do with the bacon?) This Homemade Zuppa Toscana is creamy, warm, and can be made in one pot. And at the end of the day, who doesn’t like less dirty dishes in the sink?

Homemade Zuppa Toscana

Homemade Zuppa Toscana

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Savory, creamy with sausage and kale with an addition of bacon - check out this delicious soup inspired by Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana.

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Ingredients

• 16 oz. Italian sausage
• 1/2 lb. bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 large russet potatoes, washed and cut into large cubes
• 8 oz. kale, washed
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

1. Brown the Italian sausage in a large pot or dutch oven. Remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, add the bacon, onion, and garlic. Sauteé until the bacon is to the desired crispiness.
3. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, and cooked sausage. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
4. Add the kale, whipping cream, and black pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Serve with Parmesan if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 612

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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Heather Buentello

Contributer at Dredge and Drizzle

After working as a technical writer for the pharmacetical industry for over 15 years, Heather finally found a way to combine her love of creative writing with her love of food and launched her blog, Dredge and Drizzle. While the photography aspect of food blogging was a huge learning curve, she embraced the challenge and looks for ways to improve her craft a little bit each day. She also thinks food should always taste as good as it looks and loves to have "Test Kitchen Saturdays" to experiment with flavors. Heather lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her Chief Taste-Tester and husband Rudy and their youngest son Sullivan (Sully). Three young adult children (Cassidy, Zach, and Ethan) pop in once in awhile to see what's cookin'.

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