ZUPPA TOSCANA RECIPE

Zuppa Toscana with Italian sausage, potatoes, bacon & kale. Delightfully creamy soup with great flavor & easy to make at home. Time saving tips included!

Zuppa Toscana is an incredible soup recipe made famous by Olive Garden restaurant, where it’s served. It’s one of my favorite soups! The flavor of the sausage, bacon and potatoes with the creamy broth is just wonderful. Plus, it’s super easy to make at home!

School has started and it seems overnight our schedules are packed once again. It’s easy to get stuck in that dinnertime rut! Need a recipe? Or have a question about how to use Johnsonville sausage? The Johnsonville Sausage Support Center is here to help! Dial 844-9-SAUSAGE or TEXT 97406  and you’ll be greeted by a Johnsonville employee who will share recipe ideas, time saving tips and even step-by-step instructions.

I called in and spoke with a friendly Johnsonville employee who texted me links to a couple of fantastic recipes. Don’t worry, your cell number isn’t added to any lists, they simply want to help you out in any way they can. It was quick, fun and I have both recipes they sent me bookmarked to try soon!

With the fall weather approaching, I wanted to share one of my favorite soup recipes of all time, Zuppa Toscana. I first tried it at Olive Garden restaurant and rejoiced when I learned how easy it was to make! Using Johnsonville ground sausage makes it even more simple. Scroll down for a printable version of the recipe, plus a few time-saving tips I’ve learned over the years.

Zuppa Toscana

• 1 package (19 ounce) JOHNSONVILLE® Ground Mild Italian Sausage*
• 6 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
• 1 medium diced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed, quartered & sliced thin
• 4 cups broth
• 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 cups of chopped kale, stems removed
• salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for topping

How do you make Zuppa Toscana soup from Olive Garden?

1. Cook bacon by cutting into small pieces and frying. Remove from pan, leaving the bacon grease. Saute sausage in a the same pan over medium heat until browned. Transfer sausage to a separate bowl, reserving any grease in the pan. 
2. Add in the onion, garlic and potatoes and cook over medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent  Add in broth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often. After soup comes to a boil, cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. 
3. Once the potatoes are tender, add in the mashed potatoes and milk. Stir until well incorporated. Add in sausage, kale and bacon crumbles, reserving 3 TBSP bacon for topping. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until kale has softened.
4. Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon crumbles.

*If you can’t find the ground sausage in your area, you can use a 16-oz package of JOHNSONVILLE® Mild Italian Sausage Links, with the casing removed. (Cut sausage link end to end, about three-quarters of the way through. Flip sausage link over, grasp casing and pull off.)

Remember, the Johnsonville Sausage Support Center is here to help! Dial 844-9-SAUSAGE or TEXT 97406  and you’ll be greeted by a Johnsonville employee who will share recipe ideas, time saving tips and even step-by-step instructions.

Pressed for time? Here are some ideas on how to make dinner faster: 

• You can pre-cook the bacon & sausage, then just refrigerate them until you’re ready to use.
• I like to cut the bacon into small pieces using my kitchen shears so that it cooks faster.
• Potatoes can be cut ahead of time too, as long as you store them covered in water.
• Even faster- use 3-4 cups of pre-made frozen diced hash browns in place of russet potatoes!
• Buy a package of kale from the store already pre-washed and cut. Then just tear pieces away from the stems to use in the recipe.
• Use a package of mashed potato mix instead of making your own. Simply add hot water and you’re done!
• Buy minced garlic instead of mincing it yourself.
• You can purchase frozen diced onions alongside the vegetables in the freezer section of your grocery store.

ZUPPA TOSCANA

Zuppa Toscana with Italian sausage, potatoes, bacon & kale. Delightfully creamy soup with great flavor & easy to make at home. Time saving tips included!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Author: Jessica & Nellie

Ingredients

• 1  package  19 ounce JOHNSONVILLE® Ground Mild Italian Sausage*
• 6 slices cooked bacon crumbled
• 1 medium diced onion
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 2 medium russet potatoes scrubbed, quartered & sliced thin
• 4 cups broth
• 1 1/2 cups mashed potatoes
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 cups of chopped kale stems removed
• salt & pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

• Cook bacon by cutting into small pieces and frying. Remove from pan, leaving the bacon grease. Saute sausage in a the same pan over medium heat until browned. Transfer sausage to a separate bowl, reserving any grease in the pan. 
• Add in the onion, garlic and potatoes and cook over medium-high heat for about 5-8 minutes, until onions are soft and translucent  Add in broth. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring often. After soup comes to a boil, cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. 
• Once the potatoes are tender, add in the mashed potatoes and milk. Stir until well incorporated. Add in sausage, kale and bacon crumbles, reserving 3 TBSP bacon for topping. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until kale has softened.
• Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon crumbles.
• *If you can't find the ground sausage in your area, you can use a 16-oz package of JOHNSONVILLE® Mild Italian Sausage Links, with the casing removed. (Cut sausage link end to end, about three-quarters of the way through. Flip sausage link over, grasp casing and pull off.)

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Easy Zuppa Toscana with Italian sausage, potatoes, bacon & kale. Delightfully creamy soup with great flavor & easy to make at home. Time saving tips included!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Johnsonville. The opinions and text are all mine.