Best Healthier Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Clone Recipes

COPYCAT ZUPPA TOSCANA

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon; set aside to drain. Add the Italian sausage to the drippings and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Add the potatoes, garlic and onion to the drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with the crushed red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Add the chicken broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add the kale, heavy cream, bacon and sausage and cook over medium heat until the kale is tender, another 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar just before serving.

HEALTHIER ZUPPA TOSCANA (OLIVE GARDEN CLONE)

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, cook the bacon until somewhat done.
• Add the onion and saute until almost caramelized (golden color).
• Add chicken stock and water, then bring to a light boil and add potatoes.
• Cook Italian sausage (with casings removed) separately in a skillet.
• When nearly done add garlic to the pan and cook until sausage is done and the consistency of ground beef.
• Add mixture to the stock.
• When the potatoes have softened, gently press some of them to the side of the pan to thicken the soup; leaving some whole.
• Add fat free half and half, spinach, salt, aniseed, and peppers.

ZUPPA TOSCANA SOUP (OLIVE GARDEN CLONE)

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock and water to a light boil and add potatoes.
• In a skillet (preferably cast iron or enameled cast iron) cook bacon until somewhat done and remove (but do not add bacon to the soup, save for a BLT or something).
• Sauté the onion in the bacon rendering until almost caramelized (golden color).
• Remove and put in boiling stock.
• In the same skillet add olive oil and cook Italian sausage (with casings removed).
• Add garlic with the sausage and cook until sausage is done and the consistency of ground hamburger meat.
• Add mixture to the stock.
• By this time check to see if potatoes are cooked by trying to squish them on the side of the stock pot.
• When they are done reduce heat and add cream and Swiss chard, salt, anise, red pepper, black pepper.
• Serve with garlic bread or corn bread (or even better an herbed Parmesan corn bread).

OLIVE GARDEN COPYCAT ZUPPA TOSCANA

Steps:

• Chop or slice uncooked sausage into small pieces and cook until browned and meat is ground in bottom of your soup pan over med-high heat.
• Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to Sausage and cook until onions are clear and aromatics of the seasonings blend together.
• Reduce heat back to medium and place, potatoes, in the pot. and slowly add the Chicken Stock and water and stir. (use Chicken Bouillon envelope for extra flavor is Chicken Stock is weak).
• Cook on medium heat until potatoes are done and stir occasionally. Once Potatoes are done, Add flour or cornstarch and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• Reduce heat to lowest setting and sprinkle in your kale and cooked bacon and slowly pour cream while stirring.
• Check for taste and then serve.

BETTER THAN OLIVE GARDEN'S ZUPPA TOSCANA

Steps:

• In a large pot on medium-high heat add the ground sausage and crushed red pepper flakes. Using a spatula, break up the sausage until it is fully cooked through. Pour the cooked sausage into a large bowl and set aside.
• In the same pot add the olive oil, chopped onion, and real bacon pieces until the onions become translucent and begin to brown (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
• Add 2 cups of water to the pot and stir well to get all the sweet onion flavor from the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken concentrate and stir to combine. Add the remaining 8 cups of water.
• Add potatoes and cook until fork tender. You may wish to add more salt, but be careful because the chicken base is very salty. Taste for saltiness after each addition.
• After the potatoes are done, add the cooked sausage back into the soup. Skim off most of the fat from the sausage that floats onto the surface using a large spoon.
• Add the fresh kale and stir in to allow the leaves to soften slightly. It will seem like too much, but it will cook down with time.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Stir.
• Add freshly ground black pepper, if desired.
• Garnish each serving with shredded parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, if desired.