Recipe: Veggie Tuscan Soup

It’s not a filter, it’s steam!

This is my vegetarian version of the Zuppa Tuscana Recipe found here. This recipe is vegetarian, but not vegan.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 T. Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 10 ounces)
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups water
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 potatoes, cleaned, peeled, and chopped
• 4 cups kale, cleaned and chopped
• 1 cup whole milk
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil.
2. Add onions, carrots, and celery, cook on medium/low until onions are soft and clear.
3. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add water, broth, bay leaves, and potatoes.
5. Cook on medium low for 45 minutes to an hour, or until potatoes are soft.
6. Add Milk, Kale and salt and pepper to taste. Cook on low for about 10 minutes, until Kale is cooked, but not soggy.

Serve with breadsticks or cheese toast. This soup makes great leftovers and tastes even better the next day!

 

Zuppa Tuscana Soup CopyCat Recipe

This is one of my favorite recipes to make and freeze. It makes a great meal to take to someone who is sick, bereaved, or just had a baby.

I discovered the recipe while I was pregnant with Lil’ Man and craved soup. I’ve tweaked it a bit from the original that I discovered online to fit more of our families tastes and sensibilities (the original recipe called for a lot of butter, half and half, and pork Italian sausage).

It’s gluten free naturally, and can be easily made vegetarian. I’ll include substitutions under the recipe.

 

Creamy Tuscan Soup

(Zuppa Toscana Copy Cat from Olive Garden)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb turkey Italian sausage, crumbled (not in the casing)
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers (that’s 1/2 packet of the pepper flakes that come with take out pizza)
• 1 large diced white onion (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup bacon crumbles (I like the ones from Costco)
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 4 large cartons of chicken broth (your favorite brand/variety)- it’s about 12-ish cups of liquid. You could also do boullion cubes and water if you prefer.
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 3 large potatoes sliced (skin left on)
• 1/2 bunch Kale or spinach, roughly chopped

Directions:

1. Cook sausage in a large stockpot, crumble it up as you cook it.
2. Once sausage is cooked, add bacon, onions, and garlic, and cook until onions are soft and clear (about 10 minutes).
3. Add the broth, and cook on medium until the soup boils.
4. Lower stove to low add sliced potatoes and cook over low heat until potatoes are tender, about 30-45 minutes.
5. Stir in the milk, red pepper, and the kale/spinach and cook on low for 10-15 minutes, until kale/spinach is tender.

Makes about 10-12 servings.

To make this dish vegetarian, use soy italian crumbles and vegetable stock.

To make this dish vegan, use the variation above, and also substitute the evaporated milk for your choice of non-dairy milk.

As you store this soup in the fridge, it will become spicier, so I recommend no more than 2 days in the fridge before freezing it.