Zuppa Toscana

Serve this soup with buttery garlic bread sticks! It tastes pretty close to the one served at Olive Garden.

Leftovers of this soup reheat well. I just add more kale when I reheat it if we have eaten most of the kale out of  it from the first serving. Don't add any salt to this soup. It does not need it.

Zuppa Toscana



1 pound Italian sausage


crushed red pepper flakes to taste


6 slices bacon, torn or cut into bite size pieces


1 onion, diced


1 clove of garlic, minced or garlic powder to taste


1 (32 oz.) carton chicken broth or stock plus 1 can of chicken broth (I like Kitchen Basics stock)


6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced with skin on or off (russet or Yukon gold are nice)


1 cup half n half


3 cups of kale, in bite size pieces

black pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese

In a skillet, brown Italian sausage.  If sausage is in casings, remove from casings first before browning. Drain and set aside.

Cook the bacon in large pot or Dutch oven until crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. Drain the bacon drippings reserving about 2 tablespoons in the pot. Stir in the onions and cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes, add the garlic the last minute.


Add chicken broth, potatoes and red pepper flakes and cook until tender, about 20 minutes on medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the half n half, cooked sausage, black pepper and bacon- heat through but don't boil. Add the kale and let cook on low heat until desired tenderness, about 10-15 minutes. If more liquid is desired, add some milk or more half n half.

Grate parmesan cheese on top of servings.