1 lb. sweet or spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chopped SPINACH (add during last minute of cooking)
8 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
Salt and pepper, to taste
For serving: grated Parmesan; chopped fresh parsley; baguette, garlic bread, or breadsticks
Instructions
Brown sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
In the same pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to the plate with the sausage.
Drain off almost all of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot. Add onions and cook over medium-high heat just until soft (about 5 minutes). Stir in garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Sprinkle flour over top, and cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the chicken broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot (there’s so much flavor there!). Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Gently boil for about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in cooked sausage and bacon. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Add cream. Cook and stir for about 5 more minutes. Do not boil. Last minute add in spinach. Ladle into individual bowls, garnish with Parmesan or parsley, and serve!
Notes
Once you add the cream, do not let the soup boil. If you boil the cream, the soup may curdle.
For a lighter broth, use half-and-half instead of heavy cream. It will not have quite the same rich
For a low carb option, replace the potatoes with cauliflower florets.
If available, try substituting pancetta for the bacon.
