Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Soup) is one of the best recipes for soup that I've ever eaten. Ever. The ingredients are simple enough~ and there's nothing fancy about the way you cook them. But when they come together magic happens in your mouth. Even thinking about it now causes some cravings; I'm probably going to have to make up another batch after I write this post!

This recipe originated from 'The Olive Garden' restaurant. It was so popular people started to experiment at home to see if they could come close to cooking up a batch that tasted like the original. In doing research for this recipe, I came across a few variations. This one I'm sharing with you in my opinion, is the most accurate.

The ingredients for this soup are simple, yet lovely together. Italian sausage, bacon and minced onion are sauteed and combined with chicken stock, potato slices, coarsely chopped kale and cream (half and half). I will admit: I don't eat kale very often, but this is one recipe that it is perfect for. Don't leave it out! All these flavors combine to create a savory and flavorful soup that you just can't get enough of. Seriously.

A few tips: I have written the recipe instructions so that you slice the potato while the meat is cooking on the stove top. I noticed that if I did it before I started cooking, during recipe prep, that the potatoes had started to turn brown before I got them in the pot. Just remember while slicing the potato, to take some time to stir your sauteing meet around frequently, so it cooks evenly.

Also a word about olive oil: In this recipe the olive oil called for is not Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or EVOO). It is the less refined plain old 'olive oil' as stated below. There is a difference. When a recipe calls for olive oil and you're not sure which one to use, check to see if it's going to be cooked. You don't want to heat EVOO. Yep Rachel Ray, I said it. EVOO is extra extra refined (hence the name) and is made to be served at room temperature. Because it's so refined, it burns at a much lower temperature that regular olive oil.  If you'd like to use olive oil to saute your meets or veggies~ that's great. Just make sure you have a bottle of 'olive oil' on hand to use. The smoking point is higher (the point at which it's the correct temperature to add your ingredients to saute) and it's made for cooking. EVOO is best in vinaigrette, salad, bread dipping, or drizzled over your Italian entree just before serving for an extra dimension of flavor.
Whew. I'll get of my soap box now :0) 

If I could jump out of the screen and tell you to try this soup today, I would! I love it and it's my new favorite. I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Give it a try!

Zuppa Toscana Soup

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Keywords: saute soup/stew Italian

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Ingredients (6 to 8 servings)

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 pound Italian sausage, hot or mild
• 4 oz bacon, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 small onion, minced
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 2 medium russet potatoes, skins washed
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 cup packed kale chopped into bite size pieces
• 1 cup finely shredded Romano cheese for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Crumble sausage (remove casings) and cook, breaking large clumps apart, until sausage is fully cooked and browned. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate or bowl. Remove all but 1 teaspoon fat from the pan. Add diced bacon and saute for about 5 minutes. Add onion and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute until the bacon is cooked through (not crunchy) and onions are soft, about 5 minutes more.

2. While the sausage and bacon cook, slice the potatoes lengthwise, and slice each half lengthwise again. Slice each portion crosswise into thin slices approximately 1/8 inch thick.

3. Add the chicken broth, water, sliced potatoes, sausage, kale, sugar, salt and pepper to the bacon/onion mixture. Bring soup just to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender. Remove excess fat from the surface with a large spoon or ladle. Stir in the half and half. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of cheese over individual servings. Garnish with seasoned croutons if desired. Serve.

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Quick Italian Sausage Dinner

A plate of Quick Italian Sausage Dinner. Look at that color!

I love the intense color and flavor of this recipe. You'll love that it's done in less that 30 minutes. It's a win win combination for any weeknight meal.

No these are not beats. They are purple potatoes :0)

One of the perks of living in Idaho is that we can enjoy an amazing diversity of potatoes.Yes, those really are purple potatoes! Were you as surprised to see purple potatoes as I was? I was very skeptical at first, until I cut into one. I was shocked as deep purple juice dripped onto my cutting board and even more delighted when I opened the potato to reveal an intensely colored flesh. Let me be the first to say they taste great, just like any other potato. I was told to avoid making them into mashed potatoes (the color was unappealing because adding milk, butter, etc. just makes them look grey). Once I knew what to avoid, I decided exactly which dish I would prepare them in.  Quick Italian Sausage Dinner!

Quick Italian Sausage Dinner is one of our new favorite weeknight meals.
It's a savory meat and potatoes dish that is very

quick and easy to prepare. I choose one red bell pepper and an orange or yellow one for a mix of bright colors. The recipe calls for red potatoes, but I wanted to try the purple ones we brought home from the farmer's market. This recipe makes a lot of delicious sauce too, and I love dipping a thick slice of crusty bread in to sop it up from my dish.

When preparing this recipe, I personally prefer to remove the sausage casings before I cut the meat into chunks. I just take my knife and gently run it down the full length of each sausage and pull it off. If you don't have an extra minute to do this that's totally fine. The casing shrinks a bit when cooked and makes the sausages have a bit of an hour glass shape :0)

This is definitely a recipe in which you should prepare all ingredients (chopping, measuring out etc.) before you begin cooking! It goes very fast; but that's the point right? And of course if you don't happen to find purple potatoes at your local supermarket, red potatoes will do just fine :0)

Equipment needed: 12-inch frying or saute pan with a well fitting lid, and a microwave safe mixing bowl.

Quick Italian Sausage Dinner

by The Goldilocks Kitchen

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

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Ingredients (4 servings)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch wedges
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 2 bell peppers, cored and sliced thin (any combination of red, orange or yellow)
• 1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 cup chicken broth or stock
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1 tablespoon of sherry or balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat until it's just smoking. Add the sausage pieces and brown lightly on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

2. While the sausage is browning, place the potatoes in a microwave safe bowl and add a tablespoon of oil and a pinch of salt and ground pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon each). Toss to coat, cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high until potatoes begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes, shaking the bowl (without removing the plastic wrap) half way through to help the potatoes mix and cook evenly.

3. Once the sausages have been removed from the skillet, drain off all but one tablespoon of the fat from the skillet. Add the bell peppers and onions and saute over medium high heat until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the broth, and oregano, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom. (If you are using a nonstick pan there won't be any.) Bring to a simmer. Nestle sausages and potatoes into the vegetables and cover, reducing the heat to medium low. Cook until the sausages are no longer pink in the middle and the potatoes are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the vinegar and season the entire dish with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with slices of baguette or other crusty bread to soak up the savory sauce.

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