Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

          Whenever I go to Olive Garden for dinner, I always get their Zuppa Toscana soup. It's delicious! They are currently in the process of building an Olive Garden in the town I live in, but for years we would have to drive an hour to find one. Since the drive has always been so long, I decided I really needed the recipe so I can make it at home. I found a recipe that was very similar and tried it out. It was AMAZING!  Tasted just like the Olive Garden soup. It was so good, my husband asked me if I could make it again before finishing his first bowl! I wanted to share that recipe with y'all.

Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Recipe

• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage – crumbled
• 1 cup of bacon bits
• 1 qt. water
• (2) 14.5 oz. cans (about 3 2/3 cups) chicken broth
• 2 lg. russet potatoes – scrubbed clean, cubed
• 2 garlic cloves – peeled, crushed
• 1 med. onion – peeled, chopped
• 2 cups chopped kale OR Swiss chard
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• salt and pepper – to taste

Directions

1. Brown sausage in a pan over medium to medium-high heat, breaking up into small pieces as it cooks.
2. Drain sausage and set to the side.
3. Place broth, water, garlic, potatoes, and onion in a pot.
4. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender.
5. Add sausage and bacon to the soup.
6. Simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Add kale and cream to pot.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Heat thoroughly.