Skinny Zuppa Toscana-Olive Garden Copycat

This Skinny Zuppa Toscana-Olive Garden Copycat is a skinny version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana! It has all the great flavors of the Olive Garden soup, but lower in points!

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PREP TIME10 minutes

COOK TIME35 minutes

ADDITIONAL TIME5 hours

TOTAL TIME5 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

Soup Ingredients

• 16 oz. or 1 lb. Jennie-O breakfast mild sausage or 16 oz. Jimmy Deans turkey sausage crumbles
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic or about 3-4 cloves
• 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 4 medium or 20 oz. Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
• 48 oz. or 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup fat-free half and half
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup kale or baby spinach

Optional garnish

• 5 slices center-cut bacon or Hormel Black Label precooked bacon, cooked & chopped ( I like to use Sam’s club pre-cooked Hormel Black Label bacon)
• 1 oz. Freshly shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Stove Top Directions:

   Spray a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium heat and add sausage. Cook until browned, crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside.
   Spray a large pot or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray.
   Add garlic and onion, and cook over medium heat. Continue stirring and cook until onions have become translucent about 2-3 minutes.
   Stir in chicken broth, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
   Bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.
   In a small mixing bowl whisk together the fat free half and half and cornstarch.
   Stir in half and half & cornstarch mixture.
   Stir in cooked sausage and kale or spinach until spinach begins to wilt.
   Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until soup thickens.
   Serve hot and garnish with bacon crumbles and fresh Parmesan cheese, if desired.

   Slow Cooker Directions:

   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add sausage. Cook until browned, if needed crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
   Place cooked sausage, garlic, diced potatoes, and onion in slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
   Cover and cook on high 3-4 hours or low 5-6 hours, or until potatoes are soft.
   Then 30 minutes before serving: In a small mixing bowl whisk together the fat-free half and half and cornstarch.
   Stir in half and half & cornstarch mixture, and kale to the crock pot until well combined.
   Cook on high 30 minutes or until soup thickens.
   Serve hot and garnish with bacon crumbles and fresh Parmesan cheese, if desired.

2. Instant Pot Directions:

   Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Spray the bottom of the Instant Pot with non stick cooking spray. Cook until brown, or for 3-5 minutes, crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat, if needed.
   Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
   Add the diced potatoes and chicken broth. Stir in red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper
   Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL setting and set the timer to 5 minutes.
   Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, this can take up to 10 minutes.
   Gently, unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
   In a small mixing bowl whisk together the fat-free half and half and cornstarch.
   Stir in half and half & cornstarch mixture and kale/spinach, stir until well combined.
   Set the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Cook for a few more minutes uncovered, until the kale or spinach wilts and the soup thickens.
   Turn off the Instant Pot or push the cancel button.
   Serve hot and garnish with bacon crumbles and fresh Parmesan cheese, if desired

   Makes 8 ( 1 and 1/3 cup) servings

3. 5 Points® per serving