Zuppa Toscana Inspired Cream of Mushroom Soup
This is what happens when you're craving Olive Garden but trying not to eat out (and it's Monday, and you don't have any Italian sausage in the house to try a more traditional Zuppa Toscana recipe, and you start playing around in the kitchen... ;) )
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 16 oz mushrooms, sliced
- 1 red or orange bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo
- 1 lb russet potatoes, thinly sliced (slice in half lengthwise, then slice into thin pieces)
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon flour (see note)
- 4 cups chopped fresh kale leaves (about half a bunch; remove and discard ribs)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, then add onion and saute for three minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, bell pepper, adobo sauce, sea salt, and smoked paprika and continue sauteing over medium-high heat for another eight minutes or until mushrooms have softened. Stir in broth, water, black pepper, crushed red pepper, parsley, and potatoes and cook over medium heat for another 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in cream, then ladle a little of the broth into a separate bowl and whisk it with flour until no longer clumpy. Stir flour/broth mixture back into soup to thicken it slightly, stir in kale, and simmer on medium low for another couple of minutes until kale is bright green. Serve immediately, topping with shredded Parmesan if desired.
Notes
Note: If you're gluten free, just use a gluten free flour to thicken and the rest of the soup is naturally gluten free.