Tuscan Sausage and Bean Soup

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Cooks Note: One of my favorite soups in the world is Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden. Give me a bowl of that and a few hundred of their bread sticks and I am GOOD. This soup tastes so much like Zuppa Toscana, it will be a staple in our house this winter. Easy to make, 35 min, start to finish. Serve with some crusty bread and it is a prefect Fall meal. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 2 19 oz cans of cannellini beans 
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 links mild Italian sausage (out of the casing)
• 8 slices bacon (6 for soup, 2 for topping)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• more water if soup is too thick
• Shredded cheddar cheese for topping

Instructions:

1. Add the bacon to a soup pot or a large dutch oven and fry the bacon until brown. Remove bacon from the pot and add the tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion and the Italian sausage to the pot and fry until onion is translucent and sausage is slightly browned. Add garlic and cook until another 2 minutes.
2. Drain water from beans and discard. Rinse well and add beans to the pot. Add broth, heavy cream, paprika, and basil, and season with salt and pepper. 
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. If the soup is too thick add more water, or if you want it thicker you can add beans.
4. Garnish soup with crumbled bacon and cheddar.

Original Pinspiration from My Kitchen!