A cozy, creamy copycat of Olive Garden’s famous Zuppa Toscana—but with cauliflower instead of potatoes! 🌿🥓🌶️ It’s rich, hearty, comforting, and perfect for a chilly day.
🛒 Ingredients
Serves about 6–8
- 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage
- 8 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ large onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz (about 830 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups kale, chopped and tough stems removed
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- Chopped green onions, for topping
👩🍳 Instructions
- Cook the sausage
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned and fully cooked, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Remove excess grease if needed, leaving a little for flavor. - Cook the bacon and onion
Add the chopped bacon to the same pot and cook until it begins to crisp. Add the diced onion and sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes. - Add the garlic
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant. - Build the soup
Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the cauliflower florets and red pepper flakes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 10–15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender but not falling apart.
- Add the kale
When the cauliflower is almost completely cooked, stir in the chopped kale. Simmer for another 3–5 minutes, until the kale is tender. - Add the cream LAST 🥛
Reduce the heat to low. Slowly pour in the heavy whipping cream while stirring.
Important: Don’t boil the soup after adding the cream. Gently heat it for 2–3 minutes until warmed through.
- Finish and serve
Taste and adjust the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped green onions.
🌶️ Optional Additions
- Extra red pepper flakes for more heat
- A little extra Parmesan stirred into the soup
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- A splash more cream for an even richer soup
