Italian Sausage and Potato Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
Creamy Italian sausage and potato soup with kale, pancetta, and heavy cream. An Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana copycat ready in 55 minutes.
Equipment
- Large stockpot or Dutch oven (6-quart minimum)
- 10-inch skillet or frying pan
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board and chef's knife
- Ladle
- Instant-read thermometer (to check sausage reaches 160°F / 71°C)
Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 oz pancetta or 2 slices thick-cut bacon, diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced (or 1½ teaspoons jarred minced garlic)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 medium russet potatoes washed, cubed, skins left on
- 3 cups kale rinsed, stem removed, chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream double cream in the UK
- 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning such as Tony Chachere's, adjust to taste
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning or ¼ teaspoon each dried thyme, dried basil, garlic salt, and black pepper
- to taste Parmesan cheese freshly grated, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cubed potatoes, Cajun seasoning, and herb seasoning. Simmer for 15–20 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- While potatoes are cooking in broth, brown Italian sausage in a medium frying pan.
- Once the sausage is browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C), transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.
- In the same skillet with the rendered sausage fat, add the diced pancetta and chopped onion. Sauté over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is crispy.
- Add garlic to the pan with pancetta and onion and cook for an additional minute.
- Add sausage, kale, pancetta, onion, garlic, and heavy cream to broth and potatoes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and tender and the flavours have melded together. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately with crusty garlic bread.
Notes
(Note: If you do not have access to the last two ingredients, don’t worry!!! You can add ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic salt, ¼ teaspoon thyme, ¼ teaspoon basil, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.)
If you are not a fan of spicy, you can omit the Cajun/Creole seasoning (red pepper flakes).
If you are a fan of spicy, you can omit the Cajun/Creole seasoning and use hot ground Italian sausage.
I have also done this recipe without pancetta, and you don’t miss it.
Storage
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soup thickens as it sits — thin with a splash of chicken broth when reheating.
- Freeze without the cream for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat on the stovetop, and stir in the heavy cream just before serving.
- Brown the sausage, pancetta, and onion up to 2 days ahead. Refrigerate and add to the simmering broth and potatoes when ready to finish.
- Swap kale for baby spinach. Add it in the last 2 minutes so it wilts without turning mushy.
- Break the sausage into small, irregular pieces while browning rather than large chunks. More surface area means more caramelisation and deeper flavour in every spoonful.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 824kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 26gFat: 64gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 24gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 2265mgPotassium: 1223mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2717IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 155mgIron: 4mg
We'd love to know if you enjoyed this recipeRate this Recipe !
