Remember that one time, just a few weeks ago, when I rambled on and on about how a particular coffee chain has made the entire world go ga-ga over pumpkin spice everything??
Well today’s ramblings are about another restaurant chain who has coined the phrase “soup, salad and bread sticks” and because of this all I can think about when I eat soup is where is the salad and bread sticks?
Seriously! Every fall/winter I giddily await cooler and/or rainy (we’ve been getting a lot of that lately- the rain not cooler temps) weather for the opportunity to bundle up with a big sweater or fleece blanket, the chance to seldom leave the house and for soup season! We love soup because the flavors are endless, but whenever I put soup on the weekly menu plan, I immediately add a salad and bread for the side. I mean salads and bread (or crackers) ARE the perfect side for soup, and since some of us don’t think soup is hearty enough on it’s own, they ARE a great way to add to the meal; BUT part of me thinks that I do this simply because “never ending soup, salad and bread sticks” has been ingrained in my head by witty advertisers (despite the fact I haven’t eaten at that restaurant in over a decade!).
In fact, today’s recipe is classic Italian and I am sure not only served at THAT restaurant chain as part of their never ending soup, but countless other Italian restaurants worldwide. But the good news is that Zuppa Toscana {Creamy Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup} is super easy to make, like ready in under 30 minutes, and tastes way better than a restaurant version because it’s homemade!
Zuppa Toscana {Creamy Sausage, Kale and Potato Soup}
A creamy Italian soup with spicy sausage, earthy kale and hearty potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 5-6 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 small russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 4 strips crispy bacon, diced
- 2 cups torn kale
- 1 cup half and half or milk
- ½ teaspoon each kosher salt and black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 4-5 minutes or until onions become translucent. Add sausage and cook, breaking the meat up with a spatula, until cooked through and no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the red pepper flakes, oregano, chicken broth, potatoes, and bacon. Bring the broth to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook just until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add kale and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat, stir in the cream, and season with salt and pepper to taste, adding additional red pepper flakes if desired. Ladle into soup bowls and serve.
Notes
Serving Suggestion: Crusty French bread and a side salad, of course!
Recipe adapted from Alaska From Scratch
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Buffalo Chicken Soup
Winter Squash Soup with Gruyère Herb Croutons
Vegetable Barley Soup with Chicken Sausage Meatballs
Spicy Tomato and Turkey Soup
Smoked Turkey Enchilada Soup
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