Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

Yay! It’s soup weather! This is a make-at-home version of Olive Garden’s “Zuppa Toscana.” If you have an Olive Garden nearby, you may choose not to make this. You may choose instead to drive to Olive Garden, get out of your car, go inside, order Zuppa Toscana, and then eat Zuppa Toscana. But if you’re like me and don’t leave your house, making it at home is the next best thing.

Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup
Serves 12

Ingredients
2 bunches kale, picked over, cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces
12 whole red potatoes, sliced thin
1 whole onion, chopped
1 ½ pound Italian sausage
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more to taste)
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
4 cups half-and-half
Splash of heavy cream
Fresh or dried oregano
Black pepper to taste

Directions
Prepare the kale and set it aside.

In a medium pot, boil sliced potatoes until tender. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot, crumble and brown the Italian sausage. Drain as much as the fat as you can. Stir in the red pepper flakes, oregano, chicken broth, milk, and half-and-half. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Give it a taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add the potatoes, a splash of heavy cream for richness, then stir in the kale. Simmer an additional 10-15 minutes, and then serve.