Zuppa Toscana aka Olive Garden Potato Soup

About five years ago I tried to recreate my favorite soup at the Olive Garden, Zuppa Toscana.  A few years later I have something that in my mind is pretty similar.  Little did I know knocking off this recipe is now an art form in the food blog world!  So there are plenty of versions out there, and this is mine.  I of course tried to make it quick and easy, because dinner time normally means a two year old is hanging on my leg.  I have found the steps in cooking it is where the flavor is at, and little fingerling potatoes add a buttery flavor over the good ‘ol russet.  Ladies, it so good, you have to try it!

You can adjust the amounts of all the ingredients to your taste or what you have on hand, this is a very forgiving recipe.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 pound golden fingerling potatoes

3 links Italian sausage, casings removed

1 medium onion chopped finely

2 Tbsp butter

About 4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup cream

2 handfuls (about 2 cups) chopped kale

1 teaspoon of McCormick’s Grinders in  garlic pepper and Italian seasoning, on the medium grind

Have you tried these yet?  You guys, they are my new favorite thing, and such a time savor!  They are less than $2.00 and I put the garlic pepper seasoning in just about everything.  If you don’t have these you can just throw in a couple chopped cloves of garlic, or garlic powder and Italian seasoning.  But I’m tellin’ ya, I love my little grinders .

Directions:

Put a large pot of water on and bring to a boil.  Wash and slice the taters bite size, about 1/2 an inch thick.  Add to the boiling water and let boil for just a few minutes.  You don’t want them quite fork tender, just softened.  Drain and return to pot and set aside (not on a hot burner, I’ve done that, not fun).

In a large skillet over medium heat, preferably not non-stick, brown the sausage and onion with the butter.

Once browned, you should have a bunch of the good stuff sticking to the bottom of the pan, that’s where the flavor is! Dump the onion and sausage into the pot with the potatoes.

Now add 1 cup of the chicken broth, it should bubble up, take a wooden spoon and scrape off all the little bits in the bottom of the pan.  Pour over the potatoes and sausage.

Add one more cup of the broth, the seasonings, and return the pot to burner over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat  to simmer and cover.  Let cook for a few minutes.  This is why you didn’t want the potatoes cooked all the way, now they still can soak up some of the juices…mmmmm!

Pour the rest of the broth into the pot, and let cook until the potatoes are fork tender.  Add the cream and salt and pepper to taste.

Just before serving stir in the kale, all done!

Are you cooking up some soup for our soup swap later this week?  I can’t wait!  I just got Kate’s recipe, and it’s a good one!

~Destri

Tagged as: soup