This post is brought to you in collaboration with Honeysuckle White®. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Taste of Koko!
Fall weather isn’t officially here in Austin yet but I’m so ready for it! Zuppa Toscana at Olive Garden used to be my guilty pleasure when I was little. Mmmm… warm breadsticks and creamy, hearty soup. Zuppa Toscana can be really heavy with the pork sausage and thick cream so I’ve created a skinnier/healthier version.
SEE ALSO: Grilled Pineapple Teriyaki Turkey Sliders
Honeysuckle White just launched their new Sweet Italian Sausage. I immediately thought this would be a great substitute for Zuppa Toscana. Taste the sweeter side of Italy with Honeysuckle White’s Sweet Italian Sausage that’s only 10 grams of fat per serving.
Honeysuckle White supports 19 independent turkey farms in Texas and the turkeys are raised by independent family farmers. Honeysuckle White offers a variety of turkey products raised without growth-promoting antibiotics, added hormones or steroids. Their full line of ground turkey, sausages, tenderloins, and cutlets can be easily incorporated into quick, weeknight-meal recipes this fall. I pick up Honeysuckle White turkey products at my local H-E-B grocery stores, and throughout Austin!
Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup
Hearty zuppa toscana soup with sweet Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, bacon, and Parmesan cheese. Try this healthier take on this popular comfort soup!
Ingredients
- 20 oz Honeysuckle White Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage
- 8 slices of bacon
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 16 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 large russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 cup half & half
- 2 tsp flour or cornstarch, mixed with enough water to make a paste
- Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- In a dutch pan, sear Honeysuckle White Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage on each side until browned. Set aside on a plate to cool.
- Slice sausages into 1-inch pieces.
- Chop bacon into small pieces and add to the pot. Fry until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside in a small bowl. (Optional) Remove some of the bacon drippings.
- Chop onion and add to the pot with the bacon drippings and cook until clear.
- Add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken stock and water.
- Thinly slice potatoes and add potatoes to the pot along with the cooked sausage.
- Firmly hold the ends of the kale and strip the leaves. Chop leaves and add the kale to the soup.
- In a small bowl, add water to flour or cornstarch. Stir to combine and add to the soup.
- Stir in the half & half and let heat through.
- Simmer soup for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon pieces and Parmesan cheese.
1. SEAR SAUSAGES
In a dutch oven, sear sausages on each side until browned. Set aside on a plate to cool.
2. SLICE SAUSAGES
Slice sausages into 1-inch pieces.
3. CHOP BACON
Chop bacon into small pieces and add to the pot. Fry until crispy. Remove bacon and set aside in a small bowl.
4. CHOP ONION
Chop onion and add to the pot with the bacon drippings and cook until clear.
5. COOK ONIONS + GARLIC
Add minced garlic and cook for one minute. Stir frequently. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken stock and water.
6. SLICE POTATOES
Thinly slice potatoes and add potatoes to the pot along with the cooked sausage.
7. STRIP KALE AND CHOP
Firmly hold the ends of the kale and strip the leaves. Chop leaves and add the kale to the soup. In a small bowl, add water to flour or cornstarch. Stir to combine and add to the soup. We’re adding flour/cornstarch because Zuppa Toscana is traditionally made with heavy cream so we need to replicate that creaminess. Add the half & half and let heat through. Simmer soup for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. SERVE
Ladle soup into bowls and top with crispy bacon pieces and Parmesan cheese.
This recipe is featured on PureWow!
