Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copy Cat Recipe)

Copy Cat Recipe: Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

I am getting closer.

I keep trying to make Zuppa Toscana like you get at The Olive Garden Restaurant:  spicy sausage, fresh kale and russet potatoes in a creamy broth.  

This is my closest effort yet!  I regret I cooked the kale at the end just a tad too long. I could have cut the kale more finely and I also used a little too much kale. But aside from these few things, I am on the right track.  I used Lacinato kale (also called Tuscan or dinosaur kale). 

Slow Cooker Recipe for Zuppa Toscana

1/2 pound Johnsville brand Hot Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled, drained on paper towels

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

3 to 4 small cloves garlic, finely diced

32 ounce carton chicken broth

1 large russet potato, skin on, finely sliced (see photo below)

2 tablespoons Hormel brand fully cooked bacon crumbles

1 cup kale (measure loosely), chopped in to small bite sized pieces

1 cup whole milk

crushed red pepper flakes

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook, crumble and drain the sausage in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the sausage to the slow cooker (Crock Pot) along with the onion, garlic, chicken broth, potato, and bacon.  Cook on low for 3 1/2 to 4 hours (until potatoes are desired tenderness).  Add kale to top of soup and cover the Crock Pot with the lid; no need to stir it in as the steam will turn the kale a beautiful green). After kale turns bright green (it will just take a few minutes), add in 1 cup whole milk, a few pinches of crushed red pepper flakes, about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and some freshly ground black pepper.  Taste to see if there is enough salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Above:  Here is a photo from The Olive Garden website. When I saw this photo, I knew I overcooked my kale and added a bit too much kale.   

I am also adding a photo of the sliced potatoes to show you how I sliced them up.  I like that Olive Garden keeps the skins on and slices the potatoes like this. Don't worry if your potatoes are varying thickness; some will break up in the soup and others will be a bit more firm.  It's all good!