Chris and I love to eat at Olive Garden restaurant, but the only thing we ever order is soup, salad, and breadsticks. We only order their Zuppa Toscana. A few years ago I tried my hand at recreating the recipe. I just made it again tonight, and this time it tasted virtually the same. Enjoy!
Sausage Kale Soup
1 lb ground hot Italian pork sausage
4 strips bacon, chopped finely
1 med white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 dried sage
Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste (I used about 1/4" each)
1/4 dried red pepper flakes
2 lg Russet potatoes, scrubbed well, sliced into 1/4" rounds
4 cups good quality chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup cream
1-2 cups kale, tough stems removed, leaves torn into small pieces
1. Brown sausage in a medium frying pan. Drain fat; set pork aside.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon a large stock pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook until softened (approx 7 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic, sage, salt & peppers; cook another 2 minutes, stirring.
3. Stir in potatoes. Cover, cook over med heat until potatoes start to soften, approx 5 minutes. Uncover, add stock and water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through, approximately 8 minutes.
4. Uncover, stir in sausage and cream. Cook another 3 minutes, or until heated through (do not boil).
5. Stir in kale, cook approx 2 minutes or until softened.
Serve soup immediately, with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese as a garnish.
I like to serve this with a tiny loaf of sourdough bread - brush with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt; wrap in foil and heat in a warm over for approximately 10 minutes.
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