Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan Soup) My Way

Submitted by Knitting Granny

"I love the Zupa Toscana at Olive Garden and this is my version. We love it! Add crusty bread and you've got dinner."

 

• Ready In: 50mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Yields: 13 cups

ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) package jimmy dean low-fat sausage or (12 ounce) package sausage, of your choice
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled pressed and chopped
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 1 quart half-and-half cream (you can use part milk if you want)
• 6 medium red potatoes, scrubbed, sliced in half and then sliced crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 teaspoon chicken soup base (it's a paste, comes in a jar near the soup at the market)
• 1 small bok choy, washed and sliced cross-wise (stems and leaves)
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Break apart and cook sausage over low-medium heat in a stock pot until no longer pink.
2. Drain fat, if any.
3. Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds. (You want the garlic to get nice and not, but not to burn.).
4. Add chicken stock, sliced potatoes and chicken base and bring soup to a boil.
5. Lower heat to a brisk simmer and cook just until potatoes are starting to get tender.
6. Add the sliced bok choy (the pieces that are mostly stems) and continue cooking for about five minutes.
7. Add the rest of the bok choy (the pieces that are mostly leafy) and cook for another two to three minutes.
8. Add the half and half, stir and continue cooking until the soup begins to steam, but don't let it boil.
9. Taste for seasoning and add freshly ground black pepper to taste. (It usually doesn't need salt.).

Reviews

[Margie99]

I liked this a lot. I wasn't going for an exact replica of the Olive Garden soup so I'm not sure how close it is. I just wanted some good soup and I got that. I made a couple of changes. I used kale instead of bok choy, evaporated milk and regular milk for the half and half. I added an onion with the garlic and used breakfast sausage. Lots of changes but really good soup. We will make agaig, yum.

 

[Chabear01]

Made this for Fall 09 My 3 Chefs using Mild Italian Sausage and Jimmy Deans Sausage combined, didn't have any red potatoes so peeled and sliced small Idahos. Even with these changes this turned out to be pretty darned delicious and well worth the making. A great soup for cold winter days, thank you for posting this wonderful recipe.