Easy Creamy Sausage Soup
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana inspired sausage soup, perfect for a cold winter's night or to feed a crowd.
Equipment
- dutch oven or heavy pot with lid
- mandolin
- strainer
- cutting board
- sharp knife
Ingredients
- 12 oz bulk Italian sausage
- 6 slices bacon (we use uncured)
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (more or less as desired)
- 32 oz unsalted, chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)
- 4 russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 6 oz fresh spinach
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the sausage in dutch oven or heavy pot until browned and crumbly, then drain and set aside.
- While sausage cooks, dice the bacon and the onion.
- Add bacon to the pot and cook until crisp, then add onion, crushed garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper.
- Continue cooking until onion is clear, then drain off excess fat.
- Return sausage to the pot and add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes and water, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.
- While the soup is heating, thinly slice the potatoes with the mandolin and then add to the soup.
- Allow soup to simmer until the potatoes are tender. They will break up a bit and make the soup creamy.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the spinach and cook just until wilted.
- Taste and add salt if needed, a pinch or two at a time.
- Add the cream, stir and heat through (about 2 minutes).
- Stir in 1/2 cup of parmesan just before serving.
- ENJOY! This soup stores well, just reheat slowly so the cream doesn't break.