Zuppa Tuscana Soup

When I first went to Olive Garden, my husband recommended that I try the Zuppa Tuscana soup because he thought it was delicious. I tried the soup and was ADDICTED to it! I was like "I got to have that recipe!" I went through a lot of research online trying to find the perfect soup that imitate just like Olive Garden's soup. I derived some ingredients from several recipes online for this soup and it turned out fantastic!

Recipe  serves: 8 people

1 lb. hot italian sausage (or use regular and use crushed pepper seasoning to adjust the spiciness)
3 med. to lg. potatoes, unpeeled & cubed
1 sm. onion, diced
32 oz chicken broth
1 1/4 c. half & half
3 strips of thick bacon, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 c. kale, vein removed, sliced in ribbon
2 1/2 c. water

1. Brown sausage, chopped bacon, and onion in a skillet.  Drained and set aside. (Please DO NOT drain in your sink because it will contribute to clogging your plumbing system.)

2. Add cubed potatoes, chicken broth, garlic, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer until potatoes are tender.

3. Add the meat mixture, kale, and half & half  into the pot and let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until kale is tender.

The soup is served hot.

This soup is so delicious and very easy to make! It actually tastes quite identical to the Olive Garden's Zuppa Tuscana soup. However, this soup is a little bit chunky and I like it.  When you look at these ingredients, you find that it is a little bit expensive.  No worry there! You can replace the half & half with regular milk, kale with frozen/fresh spinach, and a can of minced garlic.  The result will still taste good and similar. I personally like to add crushed red pepper to the soup to make it a bit spicier if I cannot find the hot italian sausage type. Enjoy this recipe!!!