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Italian Meatballs with Zoodles

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Italian Meatballs with Zoodles is a delicious low gluten-free, low-carb dinner made with juicy cheese stuffed meatballs simmered in a simple marinara sauce served over zucchini noodles. 

My family has been cutting carbs lately. While we aren’t doing a strict keto diet, we are making carbohydrate replacements often for something healthier. Swapping pasta for zoodles has ended up being one of our favorites ways to do this.

You may also like these Taco Zucchini Boats as another great family dinner night idea for lower carbs and another way to use zucchini. 




 

Italian Meatballs with Zoodles

Italian Meatballs with Zoodles have a crunchy base of zucchini with plump, delicious sausage meatballs over top. The sauce is simple and adds just the right amount of flavor to complete the dish. 

Tips & Tricks

Zoodles

Zucchini noodles are commonly known as “zoodles”. Zoodles are a healthy alternative to pasta and a great to get more vegetables in your diet! The trick to making zoodles is a quick cook time. Just a few flips in a hot pan is all it takes to cook zoodles. Don’t add salt because the salt can pull moisture from the zucchini making the zoodles too wet. 

I use this Spiralizer. You can buy it from Amazon. It is affordable and easy to use. 

Keto

If you are on a keto diet, make sure to read labels for all the tomato products. Tomatoes have carbohydrates so to keep them low for the day, checking labels is important. Also, keep in mind the other carbohydrates you have consumed for the day to stay on track. 

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Italian Meatballs with Zoodles

Italian Meatballs with Zoodles is a delicious low gluten-free, low carb dinner made with juicy cheese stuffed meatballs simmered in a simple marinara sauce served over zucchini noodles. 

Course dinner
Keyword Gluten Free, Keto, Meatballs, Zoodles, Zucchini
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings 5 people
Author Amber

Equipment

  • Spiralizer

Ingredients

Italian Meatballs with Zoodles

  • 5 zucchinis
  • olive oil
  • basil leaves chopped
  • Parmesan cheese shredded

Italian Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella shredded
  • 1/2 cup parmesan shredded
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 2 garlic cloves minced

Sauce

  • 1/2 yellow onion diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 ounces can tomato paste
  • 24 ounces can tomato sauce
  • 14 ounces can diced tomatoes

Instructions

Zoodles

  • Wash zucchinis.
  • Use your spiralizer according to its instructions to create zoodles from the zucchinis.
  • As the sauce finishes cooking in a separate pan, cook your zoodles. Place them into a hot pan for 3 minutes. Toss frequently. I like to do this in two batches to cook them evenly.

Italian Meatballs

  • Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl. Use wet hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
  • Form aprox 20 meatballs. I like to use a meatball press for even meatballs.
  • Drizzle some olive oil into a hot pan on the stove top. Add meatballs. Cook until browned and then flip to brown the other side. I like to do this in two batches and set the meatballs to the side for a moment.

Sauce

  • Add a tiny amount of olive and the diced onion to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until aromatic which is about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  • Add the remainder of the sauce ingredients and stir.
  • Add the meatballs back into pan. Lower temperature, cover pan with a lid and let simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Stir in some chopped fresh basil. 1 -2 Tablespoons should be good.
  • Serve over zoodles with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Notes

Also check food labels to ensure foods fit into a specific diet like keto or gluten-free. Most cheeses and tomato based sauces are gluten free but there are exceptions. 

Meat Lovers Egg Muffins

Meat Lovers Egg Muffins are a keto-friendly breakfast made with eggs, onion, crispy bacon, flavorful pork sausage and shredded cheddar cheese topped with chives. 

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The husband and myself have been transitioning our diet the last couple weeks to have lower carbohydrates. We aren’t completely keto yet but slowly making those changes. A big change has been breakfast time and we have been good about giving up the regular foods like cereal, toast or waffles. Now, we are trying to incorporate lots of eggs and meat to start the morning. 

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Meat Lovers Egg Muffins

Meat Lovers Egg Muffins are meaty and delicious. Dice up some crispy, cooked bacon and brown some pork sausage. Spray a muffin pan well and then fill each portion with a bit of each. Add in some diced onion and then whisk one egg into each muffin. Sprinkle on some cheese and then bake. The egg poofs up in the oven and leaves you with this perfect little egg muffin. 

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Tips & Tricks

Reheat

Meat Lovers Egg Muffins are perfect for meal prep. Make a batch on Sunday night and heat them up in the mornings. To reheat, pop two in the microwave for 1 minute, 10  seconds and enjoy. Consume within 5 days and keep refrigerated. 

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Meat Lovers Egg Muffins, Keto Egg Muffins, bacon and sausage egg muffins, keto breakfast recipe, high protein breakfast, low carb breakfast recipe, workout recipes
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Meat Lovers Egg Muffins

Meat Lovers Egg Muffins are a keto-friendly breakfast made with eggs, onion, crispy bacon, flavorful pork sausage and shredded cheddar cheese topped with chives. 
Course Breakfast
Keyword breakfast, brunch, Eggs, Keto
Servings 12 servings
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 12 eggs large
  • 6 bacon slices cooked and crispy
  • 1/2 pound pork sausage browned
  • 1/2 cup white onion diced
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
  • salt
  • pepper
  • chives garnish
  • non-stick spray

Instructions

  • Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray and heat the oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Cook the bacon on the stove top until crispy or use leftover bacon (thats what we do) and then brown the pork sausage. 
  • Dice the bacon and dice the white onion. 
  • Each muffin gets: a spoonful or pork sausage, some diced bacon, diced onion, a little salt, a little pepper, and a pinch of shredded cheddar cheese. Then, add a whisked egg and stir ingredients together. 
  • Bake for 22-25 minutes or until the egg is cooked completely through. 
  • Add some chives over top to garnish. I also put a little more shredded cheese and a little bacon crumble on top. 

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Are you on a low carb diet? Let me know some of your best tips in the comments below! I don’t plan on getting rid of carbs 100% (I seriously need a some Chocolate Cake every once in awhile) but I feel like these some little changes will make a big difference! 

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Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda are a delicious appetizer perfect for a crowd made with crescent roll dough, cocktail sausages, Gouda cheese and poppy seeds paired with a honey mustard dipping sauce.

The holidays are HERE and that means there are many gatherings with friends, family and coworkers right around the corner. I’m not sure if any gathering is complete without some delicious Pigs in a Blanket as a simple appetizer that everyone loves. These Pigs in a Blanket are just like the original but we added in some Gouda cheese for extra flavor and sprinkled some poppy seeds to the top.

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

I usually don’t get excited over sausage links (there are a few exceptions) but there is just something about Pigs in a Blanket. They are additive and it is that dish you will see me hovering over at parties.

 

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Unroll the the sheets of crescent and cut along the perforated edges. Cut each of those 8 sections in half.
  3. Roll a mini sausage and a small slice of Gouda in each of those triangular sections and place onto a baking sheet. Your slice of Goua should be thin and the same length as the cocktail wiener.
  4. Melt some butter and brush onto the top of each roll.
  5. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes of until golden brown.

 

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

  1. As the Pigs in a Blanket bake, make the dipping sauce using 1/4 cup of both Dijon and mayonnaise, plus 3 tablespoons honey. Mix well.
  2. Serve the Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda as an appetizer warm out of the oven with honey mustard sauce on the side.

Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda
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Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda are a delicious appetizer perfect for a crowd made with crescent roll dough, cocktail sausages, Gouda cheese and poppy seeds paired with a honey mustard dipping sauce. 

Yields: 32

  • Pigs in a Blanket with Gouda
  • 2 crescent rolls containers
  • 12 once package mini sausages (cocktail wieners)
  • 8 ounce block smoked Gouda cheese (you only need about half the block)
  • poppy seeds
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Unroll the the sheets of crescent and cut along the perforated edges. Cut each of those in half to make 32 triangles among the 2 containers.
  3. Roll a mini sausage and a small slice of Gouda in each of those triangles and place onto a baking sheet.
  4. Melt the butter and brush onto each roll.
  5. Sprinkle with poppy seeds.
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes of until golden brown.
  7. As the Pigs in a Blanket bake, make the dipping sauce using 1/4 cup of both Dijon and mayonnaise, plus 3 tablespoons honey. Mix well.
  8. Serve as an appetizer warm out of the oven with honey mustard sauce on the side.
  • Preparation time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 15 minutes

Are Pigs in a Blanket one your go-to appetizers also? Have you ever tried them Gouda or do you have another way you like to bake yours? Let me know in the comments below.

Mother’s Day Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole

BACON AND SAUSAGE BRUNCH CASSEROLE

Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Tyson Foods, Inc. All opinions are entirely my own.

Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole is a perfect Mother’s Day recipe made with Jimmy Dean® Regular Premium Pork Sausage, Wright® Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon, hash browns, eggs, onion, garlic, Mexican cheese and Roma tomatoes.

We are beginning our brunch journey with a trip to Meijer to check off all those items on the grocery list. From produce to fresh flowers to serving platters and so much more, Meijer stores have it all. For this Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole, a visit to the refrigerated meats section is the first stop to grab Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage and Wright Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon. Also, keep an eye out for the new Jimmy Dean Hickory Smoked Bacon now available at Meijer, because bacon is life and you are going to want to try the bold smoky flavor in a slightly thicker cut. Be sure to be on the lookout for the special Mother’s Day stickers on Jimmy Dean and Wright Brand products at Meijer!

THE MEAT

Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage offers a high quality, savory pork sausage with a special blend of seasonings. Ideal for breakfast casseroles!

Wright Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon is a naturally smoked bacon that is hand-trimmed and cut thick. You are going to want to eat this bacon as part of your breakfast, lunch and dinner.

LOCATE A MEIJER STORE NEAR YOU TO PICK UP EVERYHTING ON YOUR MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH MENU!

CLICK HERE FOR THE STORE LOCATOR!

BRUNCH TABLESCAPE

I decided to go with a tablescape that was beautiful, yet simple. The lace table runner is my favorite part. I added some fresh flowers and candles and utilized cake stands wherever possible. I stuck to all white for the plates, table runner, cake stands and serving dishes to help keep the dining room bright and airy. The floral napkins are a vintage find from a while back and inspired this entire table and set the tone for brunch.

What you need for a Mother’s Day brunch tablescape: 

  • Fresh flowers for a pop of color.
  • Candles.
  • Lace table runner.
  • Floral napkins.
  • Cake stands for muffins and pastries.
  • Serving platters, bowls and serving utensils. I used all white to keep the table bright and cheery.
  • Plates, bowls, glasses and utensils for each guest.

BRUNCH MENU

  • Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole. Recipe card below!
  • Blueberry muffins. I used a simple box mix today with bakery style liners.
  • Vanilla Yogurt with granola.
  • Fresh fruit with strawberries, kiwi, blackberries and grapes.
  • Orange juice. You can even set up a beverage bar with juice, water, coffee and some mimosas.
  • Variety of pastries. Some pastries from the bakery at Meijer are easy and delicious for a nice brunch treat.

BACON AND SAUSAGE BRUNCH CASSEROLE

Let’s get to the best part! Our Mother’s Day Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole that is loaded with Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage and Wright Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon for a meaty main dish mom will love. Our menu has pastries, muffins, yogurt and fruit but a hot dish was needed to complete brunch. This Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole hits the spot with your favorite breakfast meats and the must have eggs and hash browns. Plus, the tomatoes add some vibrant color to the top. This casserole is going to make your Mother’s Day! Make sure to click play on the short video at the bottom of the page to see how simple this casserole is.

Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole
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Bacon and Sausage Brunch Casserole is a perfect Mother’s Day recipe made with Jimmy Dean® Regular Premium Pork Sausage, Wright® Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon, hash browns, eggs, onion, garlic, Mexican cheese and Roma tomatoes.

  • 1.5 pound Wright® Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon
  • 16 ounce Jimmy Dean® Regular Premium Pork Sausage
  • 3/4 pound frozen hash browns, thawed
  • 2 cups Mexican cheese
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
  • 8 eggs
  • .5 teaspoon salt
  • .5 teaspoon pepper
  • .5 cup heavy cream
  • .5 onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • .5 cup sour cream
  • chives to garnish
  1. Finely chop half an onion, mince 2 garlic cloves, slice tomatoes and chop a few chives.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. On the stovetop on medium heat, cook your Wright Brand Hickory Smoked Bacon extra crispy, set to the side on paper towels.
  4. Dispose of bacon grease on the bottom of pan and place pan back on medium heat. Add Jimmy Dean Regular Premium Pork Sausage and brown meat. Place the sausage to the side in a bowl.
  5. Place pan back on stovetop and turn down heat a bit, add minced garlic and half a chopped onion. Stir for 2 minutes and set onion mix to the side in a bowl.
  6. In a mixing bowl, add eggs, salt, pepper, heavy cream, sour cream and cheese. Whisk thoroughly. Set to side.
  7. Assemble the casserole after spraying dish with non-stick spray.
  8. Place hash browns in the bottom layer. Use about 3/4 of a 1 pound bag. Add the cooked sausage, then the cooked onion. Spread out evenly.
  9. Add a layer of the cooked bacon slices followed by the egg mixture.
  10. Place in oven for 35 minutes.
  11. Add tomato slices and chives, cook another 10 minutes.
  12. Serve.

Do you have Mother’s Day brunch plans? Let me know in the comments below what you are giving your mom, and most importantly, what you will be feeding her!

 

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups with delicious sausage wrapped with French toast sprinkled with confectioners sugar and dipped in maple syrup. Great recipe for weekend morning brunch! Serve with scrambled eggs and hash browns for a completely delicious start to the morning. The whole family will thank you.

Sausage French Toast Roll UpsYou will want to brown your sausages to begin. Use a skillet or pan to get them warmed up and put some color on them. I don’t recommend simply microwaving the sausage to heat up. I have tried this and you miss out on the nice crispy outer layer that adds more texture and flavor. Follow the directions on the package to cook and then set the sausages to the side while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Sausage French Toast Roll UpsYou can use any sort of bread you like. I just go with a cheaper, white bread. You don’t need anything fancy. Just trim off the crust and use a rolling pin to flatten out the bread. Roll up one sausage per slice of bread and dip into your egg mixture. The egg mixture is really like any French toast mix you would use: milk, eggs, sugar and cinnamon. Cook the Sausage French Toast Roll Ups in a pan in small batches with a bit of butter turning often until slightly browned and serve. Sprinkle a little confectioners sugar over top and dip into maple syrup to complete.

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups
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Sausage French Toast Roll Ups
  • 4 eggs
  • .5 cup milk
  • .5 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 14 pack of breakfast sausage
  • 14 slices bread
  • butter
  • maple syrup
  • confectioners sugar
  1. In a large pan, brown the breakfast sausage and set to the side.
  2. Trim off the crust of 14 slices of bread and thin out the bread using a rolling pin.
  3. Wrap each sausage with a slice of bread.
  4. In a bowl, add eggs, sugar, cinnamon and milk. Whisk well.
  5. Dip each sausage into the egg mixture.
  6. In the large pan, add a bit of butter on a medium heat.
  7. Add the sausage roll ups to pan and turn often until browned. This should only take a couple minutes. Do this process in small batches to avoid burning.
  8. Place sausage roll ups on a plate and sprinkle confectioners sugar.
  9. Dip in maple syrup.

Sausage French Toast Roll Ups

Papas con Chorizo

Papas con Chorizo is a simple spicy Mexican dish fit for a quick dinner option any night of the week. Hot Mexican chorizo, small yellow potatoes and some colorful bell peppers cooked in one pan.  Hello one pan dinner.

 

Papas con Chorizo

 

This is a new recipe for me, although I have made similar dishes in the past. I was in line checking out at the grocery store and the Home and Gardens Mexican food edition was glaring at me. Dangerous! I want to cook every single item. My love for Mexican cuisine runs deep. I picked this recipe to try out though because we love potatoes around here and I don’t cook with chorizo enough. Chorizo is amazing. So full of flavor and easy to toss in a lot of different meals.

Another chorizo filled meal that my family loves is Southwest Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole with spicy chorizo, crispy tater tots, cheese, bell peppers and eggs.

 

Papas con Chorizo

 

The big trick to get this recipe just right is getting the potatoes cooked evenly. This is why you want to dice them and cook in the microwave before adding to the pot to complete and to mix in with all flavors. Serving in a soft tortilla shell is optional. Try some sliced fresh avocado on top, sour cream and a mild salsa. Yum! I’m even thinking about cooking this again real soon and just adding an egg on top for some mighty good breakfast tacos!

 

Papas con Chorizo

 

Dinner is ready! Now, what to drink? Mexican food and cerveza just happen to be the perfect match. Has anyone tried this Oculto beer? It was our first time. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Put a fresh squeeze lime inside and the beer paired pretty well with the Papas con Chorizo. You can actually taste a little bit of tequila in it, which is interesting so if you love beer and tequila, give this one a go and tell me what you think.

 

Papas con Chorizo

 

Papas con Chorizo
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Papas con Chorizo
  • 1 pound small yellow potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo
  • 1/3 cup diced onion
  • .5 red sweet pepper
  • .5 yellow sweet pepper
  • .5 teaspoon cumin
  • dash of pepper
  • 10 small tortillas(optional)
  1. Chop the potatoes into bite sized pieces, dice the peppers and onion.
  2. Place the potatoes in a large microwavable bowl with the 2 tablespoons of water and cover with a paper towel.
  3. Microwave potatoes for 10 minutes stirring half way through.
  4. In a large sauce pan on a medium heat, cook the pound of chorizo for about 10 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan and set on plate to the side.
  5. Keep the chorizo drippings in pan, cook the diced onion for one minute before adding the remainder of the ingredients and the microwaved potatoes in.
  6. Cook and stir for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
  7. Mix in the cooked chorizo and give a good mix.
  8. Turn off heat and serve on a soft flour tortilla. Add diced avocado, sour cream, salsa or whatever you please.

 

Papas con Chorizo

6 Family Friendly Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

6 Family Friendly Instant Pot Dinner Recipes that you can put on the table tonight! Instant Pots are big right now! Why wouldn’t they be? You can cut down time on recipes without sacrificing the moisture, flavor, texture in your favorite recipes. Every mothers dream. Here are some amazing instant pot recipes from some of my favorite bloggers!

 

Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers from Food and Service with sweet Italian sausage that you can have on the table in less than 40 minutes! Delish.

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant Pot Sausage and Peppers

Tex Mex Chili from Food and Service with ground beef, beans, seasoning, tomatoes and 20 minute cook time.

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant Pot Tex Mex Chili

 

I can’t stop drooling over this Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe from pressurecookrecipes.com.

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant Pot Beef Stew

 

Pressurecookrecipes.com know there stuff! Check out how do to Pulled Pork in the instant pot.

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant pot Pulled Pork

Shut the front door and give me this Instant Pot Loaded Mac and Cheese!

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant Pot Loaded Mac and Cheese

Wholesome Yum has a low carb, gluten free Chili instant pot recipe that is a must try!

[Click Here for Recipe]

Instant Pot Chili

Need more instant pot recipe inspiration? Try out:

Instant Pot Yogurt

Instant Pot Salted Caramel Cheesecake. Yummmm

Pressure Cooker Pot Roast

Instant Pot Chili

Instant Pot New York Cheesecake

Instant Pot BBQ Ribs

Pressure Cooker Soft Hard Boiled Eggs

Pressure Cooker Rice in 13 minutes

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

 

Pin these recipes to share with your friends:

6 Family Friendly Instant Pot Dinner Recipes

 

 

Sausage Pepperoni Penne

Sausage Pepperoni Penne is made with smoked sausage, turkey pepperoni, cream of chicken, milk, and penne pasta flavored with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and garlic for a simple family dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes any day of the week.

Sausage Pepperoni Penne is one of the family’s favorite go to budget friendly meals for busy nights taking less than 30 minutes to get on the dinner table. A few simple ingredients thrown into a pan create a creamy pasta dish with lot’s of sausage and turkey pepperoni with lots of garlic and a kick of red pepper flakes.

This dish also happens to be one of the only meals I will eat as leftovers- it might actually be even better heated up the next me so make a big batch and take some to work the next day. This recipe will feed our family of four for dinner with 1 or 2 servings leftover.

Sausage Pepperoni Penne

Let’s just get to cooking!

This dish is all about the simplicity but still a really comforting, meaty, tummy satisfying meal. Sausage Pepperoni Penne start with a skinless smoked sausage and I like to use a turkey sausage normally to keep it somewhat lean, pasta noodles which any pasta can be used but we really like penne or sometimes rigatoni, and turkey pepperoni. I recommend the turkey pepperoni to keep the dish lighter but a regular pepperoni can be used. The only seasonings in this dish come from salt, pepper, a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes and minced garlic but it is not short on flavor.

Grab the recipe below for this Sausage Pepperoni Penne and make sure to come back and comment if your family enjoyed it as much as mine does.

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Sausage Pepperoni Penne

Servings 6
Author Amber

Ingredients

  • 16 ounces penne
  • 14 ounces skinless smoked sausage turkey sausage is recommended
  • 2 1/2 ounces turkey pepperoni (1/2 package worth)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 10 ounces cream of chicken
  • 8 ounces 2% milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus some for boiling water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • olive oil
  • parsley

Instructions

  • Slice sausage and cut pepperoni into halves. Mince the garlic. 
  • Fill a large pot of water and place on the stove top on a medium high heat to bring to a rapid boil. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt to the water. Cook penne noodles according to package instructions. Drain. 
  • At the same time the pasta water is put on the stove top, heat up a large nonstick pan ( I like my 12 inch fry pan) on the stove top on a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a small drizzle of olive oil followed by the sausage and pepperoni. You want the meat to sizzle a bit and cook until it is nicely browned turning often. This should take about 5 minutes. If your meat stops sizzling, add a tiny bit of the pasta water to the pan. 
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes on top of the meat. You can adjust the red pepper flakes to how spicy your family likes food. 
  • Move the meat to one side and add another very small drizzle of olive oil. Add your minced garlic on top of the olive oil and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir the garlic into the meat.  
  • Add the can of cream of chicken, followed by the milk. Stir well and bring to a low simmer. Remove from heat. 
  • Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain and add to the pan of sausage. Stir everything together and let sit for about 5 minutes to cool down and thicken before serving. Sprinkle with parsley if you would like. 

 

 

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (Copycat)

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana is a copy-cat recipe with large slices of potato, chunks of spicy Italian sausage, bacon pieces, garlic and loads of fresh kale.

Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipeThis Zuppa Toscana is one of my families most requested dishes. It is just so tasty and comforting! A few changes were made from the Zuppa Toscana you are used to at Olive Garden starting with MORE! More chunks of potatoes, more sausage, more kale and more yum.

I should mention that this recipe makes a ton of food! You can easily feed a large family of 6 with everyone leaving the table with a full belly.

Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipeZuppa Toscana is much easier to cook than you may think. This is all cooked in a single pot! On a medium heat, cook the Italian sausage and add the bacon, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a large pot. Add 8 cups of water, bouillon cubes and slice all the potatoes, leaving skin on. Toss the potato slices in and let boil for 30 minutes.

As your potatoes boil, bake some fresh breadsticks or toss a quick salad together to pair with your soup. You will also want to chop half a bunch of kale to throw into soup when potatoes are tender, along with heavy cream.

That is it! Easy!

Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipeLet me know how this copy-cat compares to Olive Garden and share with me what other copy-cat recipes you would like to see from here at Simply Made Recipes!

Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipe

 

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (Copycat)
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Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipe
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (I use the spicy)
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2.8 ounce package bacon bits
  • 5 bouillon cubes
  • 8 cups water
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes
  • .5 bunch of kale
  • 1 cup heaving whipping cream
  • red pepper flakes to preference
  • parmesan cheese (optional)
  1. Gather ingredients, large pot, cutting board, knife, garlic press, cheese grater, and ladle.
  2. Put the pot on a burner at medium heat.
  3. Wash kale and potatoes well.
  4. Slice 3 pounds of russet potatoes leaving skin on.
  5. Chop .5 bunch of kale into bite sized amount.
  6. Cook Italian sausage in pot until browned. Add red pepper flakes according to personal preference. If you don't like heat in your food, add a limited amount. Add 2.8 ounces of bacon bits.
  7. Grate 3 cloves of garlic and 5 bouillon cubes into pot immediately followed by 8 cups of water.
  8. Add sliced potatoes into pot and bring to a boil. once boiling, lower temperature to a simmer and let cook for 30 minutes. Make sure water is covering your potatoes and if not, add more water.
  9. Add one cup of heaving whipping cream and the chopped kale into pot and let simmer another 5 minutes.
  10. Stir well and serve.
  11. Grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top to desired taste. Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden, #dinner Copy-cat recipe

 

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