Zuppa Toscana

This is my Zuppa Toscana Recipe loosely based on that place with unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks.  I think they have pasta too…

For years, I frequented Olive Garden almost religiously on a weekly basis. Of the hundreds of times I’ve been, I think I only ever ordered from their lunch and dinner menu two times. The other 151 times, I would order the unlimited soup, salad, and breadsticks. I am a sucker for those breadsticks.  I love their salads too. But the star of the show for me was their super simple and delicious soups. My two favorites being the Zuppa Toscana and Pasta E Fagioli – both of which I have replicated in my kitchen using healthier ingredients but tasting just as good!

5 from 1 vote

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Zuppa Toscana

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time

1 hr 30 mins

 

This Zuppa Toscana recipe is a healthy adaptation of the Olive Garden soup. It has spicy Italian sausage, kale, and potatoes in a creamy broth.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: italian, lentil soup, olive garden, soup

Servings: 4

Calories: 280 kcal

Author: David Kim

Ingredients

• 1 lb spicy Italian chicken or turkey sausage packaged or homemade
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 onion chopped
• 4 slices bacon cooked crisp
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 large russet potatoes cleaned and chopped
• 6 cups water or broth, vegetable or chicken
• 3 cups kale chopped and packed
• 1 cup milk coconut or almond, unsweetened
• 1 tbsp potato starch or corn starch mixed into 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. In a large pot, cook sausage over medium heat. Break into chunks and crumbles while browning. Drain and move to a plate.

2. Cook garlic, onion, and bacon over medium heat until onion starts getting soft, about 5 minutes.

3. Add sausage back to pan with the potatoes and cover with water or broth. 

4. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.
   

5. Bring to a boil then simmer over medium-low heat for one hour.

6. Add kale, milk, and potato starch and stir, bringing back to a simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed.

Recipe Notes

I like to use homemade turkey or chicken sausage but any good spicy Italian sausage works well.