Zuppa Toscana [Olive Garden Copycat]
- Author: Annie Chesson
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 russet potatoes (no need to peel), cut in half, those halves cut in half long-ways, and sliced into thin pieces
- 2 pinches red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups 2% milk
- 1 bunch kale (about 2 1/2 packed cups), fibrous stems removed, leaves cut into bite sized pieces
- Heat a large pot over high heat
- Remove sausage from its casings and add to the pot with a little olive oil. Season with salt and pepper
- Break up with a spoon and brown in the pot
- Meanwhile, dice your onion and garlic
- When the meat is partially browned, add the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper
- Stir together and let cook until the onions are translucent
- Add your potatoes and red pepper flakes – stir to combine
- Add your chicken stock and milk
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer
- Simmer for 10 minutes, or until your potato slices are tender when pierced with a knife
- In the last few minutes, skim the fat off the top of the soup with a spoon (some fat will release from the sausage – but it doesn’t take long at all to skim it off!)
- When your ten minutes are up, add your kale to the soup, stir to combine, and bring back to a simmer
- Simmer for a few more minutes so the kale can cook and soften a bit
- Season to taste with salt and pepper
- Serve and top each bowl with Parmesan cheese!
