Toscana Soup

This is the sausage & potato soup we had at the WOC planning retreat. It's supposed to be the real recipe from Olive Garden. I don't know if it is, but it tastes very much like it. Enjoy!!!

1 1/2 c. mild Italian sausage links, precooked and cut into small pieces*
1 Tbsp. bacon, precooked
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 c. diced onions
1 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
32 oz. box of chicken broth
2 medium potatoes, diced
2 c. kale leaves, ribs removed, slice thin
1/3 c. heavy cream

Saute onions and bacon in olive oil over medium heat until onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer about 15 minutes. Add cooked sausage, kale and cream. Simmer 4 minutes and serve.

* I have cooked the sausage several ways but the easiest is to bake it on a sheet pan at 300 for about 25 minutes or until done - longer for thicker sausages. Cut in half lenthwise (or in quarters) and then slice into bite sized pieces. You can also use bulk sausage and just saute it in the pan while you do the onions and that way you can omit the olive oil.


For the other soup we ate, check out the older posts for Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Bisque. It's there but today's soup was made using the old recipe with the can of tomato soup. Also the peppers I used this time had tougher skins than usual so I wasn't as happy with it. I like that one with really big cheesy croutons on top of it - sorry ladies but I was out of them today.