Zuppa Toscana

I know.  I know.  It's getting warmer outside, turning into Spring even, but I still {HEART} soups.  I'm a year-round soup eater.  This soup.  It has to be one of my all-time favorites, too.  I first fell in love with it at Olive Garden.  Then a couple of years ago my Sister-in-Law introduced me to kale.  It's been love ever since.  I {HEART} kale!  What's so awesome about this soup is how incredibly easy it is and how amazing the flavors are!  It tastes EXACTLY the same as Olive Garden's version.  Normally it wouldn't be purple, either.  I substituted Salad Savoy I got one week from my Bountiful Baskets Co-op Produce basket since they're basically in the same family...and it just brightened my soup up, too!


{zuppa toscana}
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1½ tsp crushed red peppers
1 large diced white onion
4 Tbsp bacon pieces
2 tsp garlic puree
10 cups water
5 cubes of chicken bouillon
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb sliced Russet potatoes, or about 3 large potatoes
¼ of a bunch of kale

1. Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
2. In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic over low-medium heat for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
3. Add chicken bouillon and water to the pot and heat until it starts to boil.
4. Add the sliced potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
5. Add the heavy cream and just cook until thoroughly heated.
6. Stir in the sausage and the kale, let all heat through and serve. Delicious!

Serves 6-8.

{Photos of step-by-step directions}