Soup's On: Zuppa Toscana

My friend, April, gave me this recipe last year and it has quickly become one of our favorites. The recipe is supposedly from Olive Garden restaurant. It's definitely a keeper!

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

1 lb ground Italian sausage

1.5 tsp crushed red pepper (I use less)

1 large white onion

4 Tbsp bacon pieces

2 tsp garlic puree

10 cups water

5 cubes chicken bouillion

1 cup heavy cream

1 lb sliced Russet potatoes (or about 3 large potatoes)

1/4 of a bunch of kale

Preparation:

Brown the sausage and crushed red pepper in large stockpot. Drain excess fat and set aside. Refrigerate while preparing the other ingredients.

In the same pan, sauté onion, bacon, and garlic for about 15 minutes or until the onions are soft. Mix together the water and bouillon and add to the bacon, onion, and garlic mixture. Bring to a boil. 

Add sliced potatoes and cook until tender, around thirty minutes.

Add heavy cream and cook until heated through. 

Stir in the sausage and add the kale just before serving. 

My notes:

Go easy on the red pepper. I start with 1/2 tsp and adjust from there. 

I am allergic to something in the peeling of potatoes that triggers a full-blown asthma attack whenever I peel them. Which means I haven't peeled a potato in years. My favorite substitute is a bag of frozen, diced, hash brown potatoes. It's a great time-saver! No peeling and half the cooking time. I probably use 3-4 cups of the diced potatoes in this soup. And I like kale so I use the entire bunch.