For as long as I can remember, one of my favorite Italian restaurants has been the Olive Garden. I love that the soup and salad have tasted the same for years (and by "the same," I mean - amazing!) I love the bright and warm atmosphere and the last few years, I have also come to love the Chianti =)
At work, I sit next to a very fun co-worker and sometimes we chat about what we've been cooking lately. A few weeks ago, she said she was making Zuppa Toscana. She said it like a true Italian (!) and I had absolutely no idea what it was! She said, "you know, the potato and sausage soup at Olive Garden." My reply? "NO WAY!" Immediately followed by, "I need that recipe!" I added it to the next week's menu list and wow, what a treat!
Brett likes to complain when I make soups, saying they don't fill him up, but he didn't complain about this one. It has 3 huge potatoes, a full pound of sausage, several strips of bacon....how can that not be a filling meal?!
Pour this into a big bowl, sit down for a good movie, and you've got yourself one good night!
Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden
1 lb ground italian sausage
crushed red pepper, salt, pepper
1 large diced white onion
3-4 strips of bacon
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 C water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 C heavy cream
3 large potatoes, sliced or diced
small bunch of kale
1. Sautee sausage and crushed red pepper in large pot. Season with salt and pepper. In same pan, sautee bacon.
2. You should have a fair amount of fat left in the pan to now sautee your onion. Sautee onion about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and sautee another minute or two. If the onion/garlic begin to burn at any point, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan.
3. Add chicken bouillon cubes and water. Heat to boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 20-25 minutes.
5. Add heavy cream and heat through.
6. Place a small amount of kale in the bottom of your serving bowls, and add soup.
Enjoy!
At work, I sit next to a very fun co-worker and sometimes we chat about what we've been cooking lately. A few weeks ago, she said she was making Zuppa Toscana. She said it like a true Italian (!) and I had absolutely no idea what it was! She said, "you know, the potato and sausage soup at Olive Garden." My reply? "NO WAY!" Immediately followed by, "I need that recipe!" I added it to the next week's menu list and wow, what a treat!
Brett likes to complain when I make soups, saying they don't fill him up, but he didn't complain about this one. It has 3 huge potatoes, a full pound of sausage, several strips of bacon....how can that not be a filling meal?!
Pour this into a big bowl, sit down for a good movie, and you've got yourself one good night!
Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden
1 lb ground italian sausage
crushed red pepper, salt, pepper
1 large diced white onion
3-4 strips of bacon
3 garlic cloves, minced
10 C water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
1 C heavy cream
3 large potatoes, sliced or diced
small bunch of kale
1. Sautee sausage and crushed red pepper in large pot. Season with salt and pepper. In same pan, sautee bacon.
2. You should have a fair amount of fat left in the pan to now sautee your onion. Sautee onion about 10 minutes. Add garlic, and sautee another minute or two. If the onion/garlic begin to burn at any point, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan.
3. Add chicken bouillon cubes and water. Heat to boiling.
4. Add potatoes and cook until soft, about 20-25 minutes.
5. Add heavy cream and heat through.
6. Place a small amount of kale in the bottom of your serving bowls, and add soup.
Enjoy!
No comments:
Post a Comment