This delicious Italian sausage soup recipe is a take off on a well loved classic Zuppa Toscana. Instead of using potatoes in the recipe, I have substituted baby portabello mushrooms. I have also found that if you would like to enjoy leftovers it is best to serve the soup over fresh baby spinach (or kale if you prefer a crispier texture) as you serve it rather than adding the spinach to the entire pot of soup near the end of cooking. I make my zuppa in a crock pot but you can also cook this on the stove top if you prefer.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound of Sweet Italian sausage
- 4 slices of bacon – chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic – minced
- 1 medium onion – diced
- 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of celery seeds
- Chicken Broth 2 quarts fresh stock -OR- 5 cans (13.75 ounces)
- 8 ounces of baby portabello mushrooms – sliced
- 1 cup of evaporated milk (or heavy cream if you prefer)
- Fresh Spinach or Kale – stems removed cut in chiffonade (shredded)
Place the chicken broth into a large crock pot, cover and turn to high.
In a large skillet brown the Italian sausage and chopped bacon. Add the minced garlic, diced onion, pepper flakes and celery seasoning. Cook until all meat is brown. Drain and rinse the meat and then put entire contents of skillet into the crock pot with the broth.
Cook on high for about an hour and then turn the crock pot down to low and cook for 3 hours. Taste the soup add salt if needed.
After 3 hours add the sliced mushrooms and evaporated milk into the soup. Cook for about 1 more hour on high.
Serve soup over some fresh spinach or kale. This soup is also delicious with shredded Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
