Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copycat (VIDEO)
Zuppa Toscana is Olive Garden’s most popular soup. This one-pot, homemade Zuppa Toscana recipe is hearty and loaded with Italian sausage, kale, bacon and potatoes.
Some of our most popular recipes are restaurant copycat recipes like Creamy Shrimp Pasta and of course Chicken Madeira! You can make it better at home for a fraction of the price!
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Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe:
We love re-creating restaurant quality soups at home like our popular Clam Chowder Recipe. My sister Tanya taught me how to make this Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana and it has been a family and reader favorite since we first published it in 2010. We have since made it heartier and more flavorful. The classic just got better!
What is Zuppa Toscana?
Zuppa means soup and Toscana means Tuscan. Tuscan Soup! It is classically made with kale, potatoes, onion, and garlic then served topped with cheese.
Is Zuppa Toscana Spicy?
We use “Hot” Italian sauce which does give this soup a spicy kick but you can substitute with medium or mild Italian sausage and make a less spicy version then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Do I really need 1 HEAD of Garlic?
YES! We used a full head of garlic (about 10 large cloves). Do not skip the fresh garlic. Garlic gives the broth incredible and authentic Italian flavor. Since the garlic is sautéed, then simmered with the broth, it doesn’t overwhelm the soup. Garlic is also very good for you (a super food)!
Is Zuppa Toscana Healthy?
This soup is naturally gluten free and grain free. To make a Keto-friendly Zuppa Toscana, you can substitute potatoes with cauliflower.
For Whole 30 (dairy free), substitute the heavy whipping cream for 1 can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk (using the solid white cream portion only and adding it at the very end just to heat through).
More Copycat Recipes from Restaurants:
These recipes are inspired by some of our favorite restaurant dishes. In every case, we loved the homemade version even better because of higher quality ingredients, healthier fats (olive oil), less salt and of course a lower bill!
- Beet Salad with Arugula – Cheesecake Factory inspired
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan – ridiculously easy dinner idea
- Filet Mignon – read the reviews and plan a date night in
- Chicken Mango Avocado Salad – you’ll love the dressing here
- Chicken Stir Fry – so saucy and healthier than takeout
Watch How to Make Zuppa Toscana:
Now wasn’t that easy? Serve topped with crispy bacon, extra cheese and generous slices of crusty French Bread. I hope this Zuppa Toscana becomes a favorite in your home as well.
Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden Copycat
Homemade Zuppa Toscana is loaded with Italian sausage, bacon, kale and potatoes. Learn how to make Zuppa Toscana soup as made popular by Olive Garden!
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon chopped
- 1 lb Italian Sausage The "Hot" variety
- 1 medium head garlic 10 large cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 cups chicken broth/stock (32 oz)
- 6 cups water (48 oz)
- 5 medium russet potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/4" thick pieces
- 1 kale bundle leaves stripped and chopped
- 1 cup whipping cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese to serve optional
Instructions
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In a large pot or dutch oven (5.5 qt), over medium-high heat, add chopped bacon and sauté until browned (5-7 mins). Remove to a paper-towel lined plate and spoon out excess oil, leaving about 1 Tbsp oil in the pot.
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Add Italian sausage, breaking it up with your spatula and sauté until cooked through (5 min). Remove to paper towel lined plate.
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Finely dice onion and add to the pot. Saute 5 min or until soft and golden then add minced garlic and saute 1 min.
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Add 4 cups broth and 6 cups water, and bring to boil. Add sliced potatoes and cook 13-14 min or until easily pierced with a fork.
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When potatoes nearly done, add chopped kale and cooked sausage and bring everything to a light boil.
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Stir in 1 cup cream and bring to boil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then remove from heat. Garnish with bacon and grated parmesan.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Zuppa Toscana Recipe 
Pasta e Fagioli (Olive Garden Copycat) 
Italian Wedding Soup Recipe 
Clam Chowder Recipe (VIDEO) 
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (VIDEO) 
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
This is honestly better than Olive Garden’s Zuppa! My husband and I devoured this in a few days and have shared your reciped with family. This will be a go-to especially throught the winter. This is the first comment I’ve ever written on a recipe!
Wow! That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can it cook in the crockpot for a few hours?
Hi Jenny, I have not tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote ” I usually make zuppa in a slow cooker and it tastes great! I just saute the garlic and onions and sausage on the stove first and then put all the ingredients (except the heavy cream) into the slow cooker for several hours and then add the cream in right at the end!” I hope that helps.
Awesome thank you! That’s exactly what I was thinking. Making this today.
I hope you love it Jenny!
This was soooooo good! Thank you Natasha for the recipe!
You are most welcome, Jen!
I used to go to Olive Garden just for this soup. I made this soup for my family and it is delicious!! Now, I will be making it at home. It takes even better the next day. Yum.
I meant “tastes”
It is one of our favorite soups! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
What can you use instead of kale? That’s nasty. I used to feed that to my bearded dragons.
Hi Curt, you’re welcome to substitute that with spinach for kale.
My mom and I enjoy this recipe SO much!! We go to Olive Garden all the time, so it’s nice to make it at home without going anywhere. Thank you so much!!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear you’re enjoying this recipe!
How do you think this would freeze?
Hi Kate, I haven’t tried freezing it but one of my readers froze it and shared the following helpful info: “I froze the remaining soup in individual servings using freezer bags and this soup is just as delicious the second time around!”
My husband thinks that he does not like Kale, is there a substitute?
How about spinach? I think that’s a good one.
If I sub cauliflower instead of potatoes should I reduce the water??
Hi Nikki, I haven’t tested that so I cannot advise, but here is what one of our readers wrote ” Natasha, this soup is perfect for my ketogenic diet. I just substituted potatoes for cauliflower and yum!” I hope that helps.
Daikon is another Low carb substitute for the potatoes…
Great idea! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Absolutely amazing!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Naomi!
Hello if I’m using preminced garlic in a jar how much would I use also I’ve got a bag of kale would a bundle be equal to about 2 cups??
Hi Katherine, I would follow the conversion on the bottle to match per clove. Most bottle show a single clove of garlic is equal to 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic, which is the same as 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic. I hope that his helpful.
Just made this tonight and it turned out great. I added one and a half pounds of sausage for a more meaty flavorful soup and it worked. My husbad went to the store to get the stuff for it and accidentally got Silk dairy free heavy whipping cream and it still tasted amazing so thought I’d share for anyone with a lactose sensitivity…my boys like it so much they are actually quiet lol, wish it would let me share a picture it looks awesome!
So nice to know that it also worked well! Thanks for sharing that with us, Liz.
Thank you Natasha! I am so pleased with not only how easy this was to whip together but the bacon and parmesan garnish just made it extra yummy! Made it to the recipe with an extra handful or two of kale, a load of crusty bread and dinner was served! Big hit!
This is one of our favorite recipes, Pamela! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Would this work with Spinach? I’m not a huge fan of Kale’s texture even in soups. Thanks!
Hello Heather, others shared that they used spinach and they loved it!
Good soup. This was a recipe that came up with a quick search. I used a different recipe previously with less cream and no water- just 6 cups broth and liked that richer flavor better.
Hi Alison, thank you so much for sharing that wonderful feedback with us, I’m happy you enjoyed that!
DELICIOUS, made this for my husband, I halved the recipe and it came out perfectly for 3 people, so great will make this again. Thanks for the great recipe!
You’re welcome, Shelby! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
to make this lower sodium, could you just use lower sodium broth and have it taste similar, salting as needed when you make a bowl?
Hello Molly, I haven’t tried that yet but I imagine that should work
I haven’t attempted this yet, but any lower fat recommendation than the heavy cream?
You can substitute the heavy whipping cream for 1 can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk (using the solid white cream portion only and adding it at the very end just to heat through).
My mother-in-law thought that I stopped by Olive Garden and got this soup to go. Spot on.
Super! What an awesome compliment, thank you!
Would to print Recipes
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Thank you very much.
Hi Nancy, are you looking for help with printing a recipe? If so you can print the recipe following these steps here “The print friendly recipe is at the bottom of each post. Once you scroll there, click on the print icon in that recipe card which will open a print screen, then you would need to click file —> print. I hope that helps! If not, please let me know exactly what steps you are taking and where you are navigating to print our recipes.”
Can I substitute spinach for kale?
Hi Melissa, you sure can! I hope you love this recipe!
I can’t tell you how many times I have made this soup! It’s a crowd pleaser every time. Love it
That’s so awesome Pearl! It sounds like you found a family favorite!
Better than Olive Gardens soup. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for that amazing review Pat! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Zupa Toscana is my very favourite soup. I always double the recipe and freeze it.
One of our favorite soups! So so good – always!
Tried it today. We didn’t have bacon, so substituted sliced prosciutto and reversed the order, sausage first, then prosciutto, so as not to overcook that. Still turned out excellent. Definitely making this again
Great to know the information. Thank you for sharing that with us, Eva. I am so glad that you loved this recipe, thanks for your excellent feedback!
Big hit at our house !!! Thank you it was delicious 😊
You’re welcome! Thanks for sharing that with us.
Amazing soup! Thank you for offering such great instructions to make this recipe; it is a favorite soup of my husband and I so no more need for Olive Garden!
I’m so glad that you and your husband loved this recipe. It’s also one of our favorites at home!
I’ve made this countless times as it happens to be my daughter’s favorite. I make this with whatever ground meat I have in hand and just add some spice and red pepper flakes for the kick. Love that it is naturally gluten free. Also, I make this dairy free by substituting cream for coconut milk. It tastes wonderful and the change is so subtle you can barely tell under the aromas of garlic and meat.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Excellent recipe. I’m no fan of the bitterness of kale. I substituted baby spinach for the kale. Perfect.
Sounds good, Jim. I’m glad that kale worked!
We enjoyed the soup. Used a 10 oz bag of Kale. Froze the leftover’s. Next time will use mild sausage maybe add pepper flakes. Forgot cheese and bacon the next day for lunch, favor was milder.
Thank you for that great review! I’m glad you enjoyed that.
As a former OG employee, just a few notes, way too much garlic, should be mild Italian sausage, and missing the crushed red pepper, also cut potatoes into slices and the starch will settle better
I’d give more stars if I could! This soup is wonderful, and I actually thought I wouldn’t really like it. I don’t like italian sausage but liked it in this (I used the sweet as I don’t like hot stuff). Only change I made was: instead of 6 cups water and 4 c. broth, I used 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. OH, I did ad some frozen corn too-we really liked that in it. This soup was so tasty. Me and hubby kept saying that while we were eating it, lol. Thanks Natasha
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Brenda! It sounds like you found a new favorite.
I made this soup for my husband since he always orders it at Olive Garden. It is delicious. This will be one of my go to recipes when the grandchildren visits. Easy to make and I served it with garlic bread.
I’m happy to hear your comments and feedback. I’m glad this has become your husband’s favorite!
I first made this 1-2 years ago and have repeated it a few times since. I believe this recipe gets better with each time I make it! It’s a fantastic meal, suitable for special occasions or just for a quiet night with a book.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite Mike!
My husband’s favorite soup. Our Olive Garden went out of business. Must be because your soup is so good that everyone is making it at home instead of going out. I’m making this for lunch today on this bitterly cold day. Ymmm!
This is also one of our favorites soups Helene! Thank you for that wonderful feedback.
I greatly appreciate that you list the nutrition. And I appreciate your recipes. I am on a rather low sodium diet, and when people list the nutrition, it gives me a baseline on what the sodium level is as the recipe lists, and I can figure out how much I have to trim back. It helps a lot. Some of your recipes are low enough it doesn’t take a lot of work from me. Replacing sodium with flavor takes work, as I am sure you know!
Oh. kale. Yucky as a salad, so yummy in a soup. I have been doing it in soups for years.
Again, thank you so much for what you do. It helps me a lot in figuring out how to eat with low sodium. I have been hospitalized due to salt, so it can be a huge deal.
Sherri
You are so welcome, Sherri. I’m glad that the info helps you a lot in planning your diet. Wishing you good health and all the best!
Made this tonight for dinner! Delicious and rave reviews from my husband. Since there only the two of us, I didn’t want to add spinach to the soup as it would overcook when being reheated. So, not being a kale fan, I thawed and cooked part of a bag of frozen spinach in the microwave and added it to the soup bowls before serving. Perfect! I also only used 2 cups of water and 8 cups of chicken broth. Thank you for a terrific recipe!
Perfect! Thanks for sharing that with us, Carol. I appreciate the great review too!
Frozen spinach…smh
Seems like a good way to ruin a good thing by adding mushy microwaved spinach but you do you.
My husband has been asking me to make this for a few days now. He absolutely loved it and he is a picky one too. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thanks for your good review and feedback. I’m so glad that your husband loved this!
WOOOW! Definitely a keeper! We really enjoyed this soup and all it’s flavors! Risked the hot italian sausage (wasn’t sure if it might be too spicy for us). I’m so glad I did because it was sooo delicious! Wow, the flavor…every bite! Will absolutely be making this over and over again! Thank you Natasha!
I’m so glad you found a favorite on our blog, Cheryl! Thank you for that amazing review.
I made it and it is that good, need to get my chunks broken up, and learn what bite-size is.. Even my daughter enjoyed it. Garlic bread adds to the atmosphere.
I’m so glad to hear it. Thank you for that great review, Robert.
Love the soup it’s my favorite. Question do you know what it’s like to freeze? Love to be able to keep some on hand for my non beef eaters. Thanks
Hi Melissa, I haven’t tried freezing it but one of my readers froze it and shared the following helpful info: “I froze the remaining soup in individual servings using freezer bags and this soup is just as delicious the second time around!”
Looks like 5 stars to me. Wondering if this soup would take kindly to being frozen in portions to thaw and enjoy later?
Hi Ron, I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why not. I think it would work to freeze it.
Absolutely! I make this soup in bulk for my husband and freeze it. I place It in individual sized serving bags. All of the veggies hold their firmness after thawing and reheating. This soup is just as good the second time around!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed this Lori! Thank you for this awesome feedback!
SO delicious!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Jill!
Making this for my big guy for valentine’s day here in WI it’s so cold here. He can’t stop saying it smells so good. Love all the recipes and the videos. Huge fan
This is THE perfect comfort soup for the cold and chilly nights. I’m smiling big reading this comment. Thank you for sharing that with me.
Hi! in my country we do not have Italian sausage, can I substitute with some other sausage?
Hi Wendy! I bet another sausage would work. The taste will be slightly altered but will work. If you experiment I would love to know how you like the recipe.
Thank you! I will continue looking if in some place I found Italian sausage, if not I will try with something similar and I will let you know about the experiment.
Oh my gosh!!! I just made this & I cannot stop eating it! Ive never had this soup before & never had kale & I love it all!
I am 64 & have arthritis so I put the potatoes in my Cuisinart with a thick slice blade. perfect.
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Susan! Thank you for sharing that amazing review with us!
I have made this 4 time and just love it but the last two time I made the soup it soured when i put it away to eat the next can you tell me why?
Hi Michael, it definitely should not sour that quickly. Did it taste off? Sometimes it may look like the fast separates from the broth but reheating fixes that right away. Hopefully, that is what you mean. I’m not sure why else that would happen unless there was some kind of substitution.
How many days will the soup leftovers be good?
So delicious
Hi Christie, I haven’t stored it for more than 3 days. Since it has dairy in it I probably wouldn’t go much longer.
It’s because of the kale.. if it’s cooked at too high of a temperature for too long the kale will sour. Happened to me once as well.
My husband isn’t a fan of kale. Could I use cabbage instead of kale and get a similar taste?
Hi Sheri, I haven’t tested that with cabbage but it does work great with Spinach. If you experiment with cabbage I would love to know how you like that.
My family hates kale, but after making this soup with kale it’s their fave soup. It wilts , isn’t bitter and I put so much mire than recipe calls for now cause it’s so healthy…
That’s so awesome, Beth! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Sheri!
The cabbage would definitely alter the taste and easily overpower the other flavors in this soup. The kale and/or spinach are your best bets. Honestly, they pick up so much flavor from the soup, you’d be surprised. If you do use cabbage, please share the results.
Just purchased all the ingredients this weekend to make today. It is rainy, windy and a great day to enjoy a warm bowl of soup with good bread!! Can’t wait to try this one since I tend to enjoy all of your recipes. I will let you know how I do. This is my husbands favorite soup at Olive Garden.
We absolutely love this one on a cold and rainy day! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi, I don’t see where in the instructions it says to add the heavy cream. When do I add it?
Hi Casey, we have it listed under step 6 in the recipe. “Stir in 1 cup cream and bring to boil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper then remove from heat. Garnish with bacon and grated parmesan.”
Kale in this soup??? OK, I’m not a fan of Kale in anything. So what might one substitute for Kale?
Hi Robert, kale is sooo good in this recipe! We have tried it with spinach in the past as well and loved it. You are also welcome to omit it.
This soup is soooo good! And super easy to make. My husband isn’t usually a soup eater, but he said this one is a keeper (and he went back for more!) Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Sounds like you found a new favorite! That’s so great!
recipe is good
I’m so glad you enjoyed that!w
Any way this could work using a crock pot?
Hi Jessica, I have not tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote ” I usually make zuppa in a slow cooker and it tastes great! I just saute the garlic and onions and sausage on the stove first and then put all the ingredients (except the heavy cream) into the slow cooker for several hours and then add the cream in right at the end!” I hope that helps.
Fantastically delicious and incredibly easy to make!! It was a perfect dinner on a cold snowy night. Thank you for this recipe! I’ve already bragged to my sisters and sent them the link.
You’re welcome, Shannon! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
This is a terrific soup! However, it is truly a one pot meal so you don’t have to complicate. Keep it simple
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Delicious!!! I just made the Zuppa Toscana today. I probably didn’t need to add salt & pepper since it had so much flavor from the Italian sausage, bacon & parmesan. My husband & I love it and it will become a family favorite! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
That’s just awesome, Karen! I’m so happy to hear that!
I just made a pot of chicken stock from scratch; I was wondering if you ever used 100% stock instead of a mix of broth and water…??
thought it might give it a more robust flavor.
And by the way, your instruction to add the garlic for about a minute after the onions are sautéed is a much more knowledgeable instruction than dumping it in at the same time as the onions – as other recipes say. It will become bitter that way. Well done!
Thanks!
Hi Julie, I haven’t tested that with all broth, I imagine that will make it richer. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I do not use water, I use all broth and its fabulous!
I will try to make it with cauliflower and hope it will be good too.
What do you think?
Thank you
Hi Cici, that sounds delicious. If you experiment, let me know how it goes!
This soup is absolutely amazing and so easy to make. Has became a House favorite for my husband and myself.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This soup is very delicious, hearty, and “zuppa” easy to make! I followed the recipe almost exactly, cooking the potatoes separatedly and adding the potato water to the pot. Also, I made a vegan version! I subbed bacon for homemade portobello “bacon”, sausage for homemade leftover spicy veggie patties, and heavy cream for unsweetened coconut milk. So yummy!!!
Thank you for sharing that vegan version with us! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed that!
Have made this 4 times now it’s so good! My family loves this and thinks it actually tastes better than OG’s version!
That’s amazing, Molli!! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
The vidoes on your page keep automatically playing sound. And when I pause them, instead of turning off, it jumps to that recipe page. So incredibally annoying to look up recipes.
That definitely isn’t supposed to happen. I will report it to my tech team. Thanks so much for letting me know!
The one thing that’s missing is crushed red pepper.
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that with me!
What is a good dish to make along side it? At Olive garden I get this soup and sometimes salad or a pasta, so I wasn’t sure what your thoughts are on this.
Hi Tashmier, we love serving this with dinner rolls. We have so many pasta recipes that it’s difficult to narrow it down but one of our favorites is Chicken pesto pasta. I agree this is wonderful with a fresh green salad (again, we have so many!), but Classic Caesar is always a good choice.
Thank you for this recipe ! Our home smelled absolutely delicious after making this soup for dinner tonight , I may have snacked a little to much on the bacon before the soup was done lol. Our family loved it ! Even the kids wanted seconds.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Lyndsy!
Your Zuppa Tuscana soup was spot on!! My family loved it and I had fun making it. 5 stars plus!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Carolyn!
Hi Natasha! Could I freeze this? Thank you!
Hi Naomi, I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why not. I think it would work to freeze it.
Can I use pancetta instead of bacon? Has anyone tried that?
Hi Joanne, I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Would regular milk be ok? I could make my own heavy cream but I only have 2% milk on hand. If not I have some half n half. This will be my second time making your recipe but I had heavy cream last time. It also has good flavor using beer bratwursts, I took the casings off. Adding the red pepper flakes does give it flavor as well.
Hi Michaela, I have not tested that with milk but one of my readers recommended canned coconut milk (the cream part) to make it creamy and dairy-free. You can also use half and half to make it a little lighter.
Love your recipe! The only things I did a little differently were to keep the skins on the baby potatoes I chopped, to give it a rustic feel, and to add a cup more cream with one less cup water. It’s soooo good!
That sounds so good! Thank you for that great review, Theresa!
Hi Natasha
Is the bacon for sauté flavoring and garnish only? I am substituting Spinach for Kale. (Not a Kale fan).
Thanks
Hi Marlene, the bacon adds great flavor to the soup and it’s nice as a garnish. I hope you love it with your substitution.
This is a great recipe. If you ever want to spice it up a bit. I swapped out half the sausage and replaced with Chorizo sausage to appease my Latino wife and her family. They absolutely loved it!
Thank you for sharing that great idea with us! I’m so glad your entire Family enjoyed that.
Loved this soup! My husband is an extremely picky eater and he could not get enough of it! I meal planned and thought it was going to last for at least a few days, and it was gone by day 2. I ended up with mild sausage since I don’t like spicy, and I would actually recommend sticking with spicy sausage, I felt like it needed a bit more “zing” to it. Lastly, I did half cream and half milk to have less fat for my toddler. I liked it, but my hubby added more cream separately to his bowl.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
I love this soup and your recipe however I had little potatoes so I didn’t peel them and it turned out fine,
Thank you for sharing that with us, Louisa! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
Hello Natasha,,pretty good recipe ,but for one thing drop the kale and add real nice unique flavor of Swiss chard stand cut bite size leaf torn added after stems are aldente ,,now tour Italian ,,chard more expensive than kale but has a greater nutritional value a unique one of a kind flavor gotta cook it ,thats why people use more kale cause it can go in a salad chard except for an heirloom variety from Barese Italy cannot ,,eat more chard !!!
Thank you for sharing that with me, Joseph!
I love the Kale! Not a fan of that Swiss chard stuff. I am sure someone may try that though. And honestly, your post lost me a little bit at the end. I think it mainly says you love the chard.
I sub-out the Potatoes with a head of chopped(diced) Cauliflower – So yummy
Thank you for sharing that with me, Maria!
I make this often. One of my favorites. Just a note; this soup freezes well so don’t throw out leftovers. It’s even better the second time around.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Jan, thank you for the tip! I wouldn’t have thought of freezing it, especially not with the potatoes, but I will try next time I make it.
One of my go-to recipes as soon as the weather even hints at cooling off. Super delicious!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Can I substitute kale for spinach?
That should work, Carly!
It would really be helpful to know the approx. weight of the russet potatoes, as there are monster ones, and also tiny little ones…my guess would be about 1-1/2 lbs for this soup?
Hi Patricia, we have a photo for comparison in the recipe.
Go with what you like. I actually use a lot of taters, and 2# of sausage. (I use 1# sweet sausage and 1# chorizo sausage) And just add a lil more broth to make sure and cover the taters. I use all broth no water. And of course a lil more half and half. I love a spoon full of taters and sausage over mostly liquid. And skip the bacon since the chorizo pretty much kills any bacon flavor.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
we really enjoyed this!
I’m so happy to hear that!
Made this soup twice. Did not need to adjust recipe at all. My husband can’t get enough of it. Thanks.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Judy!
I have used your recipes for this soup since i tried it at olive garden for the first time. and over time i have perfected it for our family, I use one can of evaporated milk as i’m lactose intolerant and it is a lot healthier than the heavy whipping cream. I also use hot but i have to add one mild in with to please the family whom don’ t like the spice. I also have used the low sodium chicken and organic chicken broth, both of those by far better less salty. I also use red potatoes as they are less starchy wich make it also healthier. I practically live off this soup so i had to make it healthier for us. Thank you natasha!
That’s so great, Samanth! Thank you for the great feedback.
Natasha, I noticed that you cook in Dutch oven a lot. Is that right? Would you please recommend non-toxic and chip-resistant Dutch oven brands for cooking and baking bread? Also are any other high-efficient cookware alternatives for Dutch oven for those above mentioned methods? Thank you very much!!!
We love cooking in our Dutch oven. Our Shop here has all of our favorites that we use often.
Left out the potatoes to make it Keto!!
That’s so great. Thank you for sharing that option with us Marie!
I use cauliflower instead!
Thank you for sharing that with us, Stephanie!
Hi Natasha My name is LarQueen. I just love your food!😀 could you pls tell me where you get your bowls from? You just made some Alfredo chicken and I loved your blue bowl!🙂
Hi LarQueen, we have our favorites in this shop here, https://natashaskitchen.com/shop/
Made the soup for dinner, my husband and I really liked it. This one is a keeper. I do think it would be fine without the bacon atop too. I also was concerned about how much garlic it called for, but it was perfect!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hello –
I want to use cauliflower instead of potatoes. Can you tell me when I should add it? Any different steps to take? And about how much cauliflower?
Hi Mags, I haven’t tested that so I cannot advise, but here is what one of our readers wrote ” Natasha, this soup is perfect for my ketogenic diet. I just substituted potatoes for cauliflower and yum!” I hope that helps.
This soup is soooo good! Not a fan of Olive Garden! (too many carbs live there) but I grown kale so I had to try it. I sub the hot port sausage for mild chicken sausage and added some red pepper flakes when I sauteed it. I sub the russet potatoes for little red ones (less starch). Made the rest of the recipe as is. My husband is eating some for lunch today and saids it tastes even better the next day. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Will makes this again and again. Thank you so much for this.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Diane!
I made this for my dad while my mom was away. He has loved every recipe I have tried on here, but this one made him pick up the phone at 2 am to tell me how good the soup was even though I was in the other room. He kept raving that it was even better than Olive Gardens and that I do not need to know how to cook any other soup. Basically A++ recipe 🙂
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Patricia. I’m so happy you found a family favorite. I’m all smiles!
What a great base it turns out! As it happened I found myself with about 1/2 of a big bag (Sam’s Club) of broccoli along with most of large bunch of kale and about 8oz of mushrooms all heading south in a hurry. I was trying to come up with something to do with them when I happened onto this recipe. I thought, “what the hell, who needs potatoes”. I thought I’d just turn it into a low carb version, but in the end couldn’t resist throwing in a cup of elbow mac. It turned out to be nothing short of exceptional, certainly one of the top five soups I’ve made and I’ve made a bunch. I used Better than Bouillon so perhaps I ended up with more stock than called for but that’s more about taste anyway. I’m sure the recipe as written is wonderful, but this was so good I’m not sure I’ll ever get to it. 🙂
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Bill!
AMAZING! Have you ever considered making your own app? I’d download it asap!!
Thank you for that suggestion, Miriam!
Agree! Every single recipe is a keeper!
You’re so nice! Thank you Mary! I’m smiling big reading this!
This is one of my favorite soup recipes! Tastes just like the one from Olive Garden!
It is a favorite around here. Thank you for that awesome review Taylor!
This is the best soup EVER!! So amazing!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Chelsea!
One of my favorite dinners!
Thank you for sharing that with me Aimee!
Such great classic recipe!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Tanya! It is one of our favorites!
This soup is perfect any time of year! It’s a family fav at our house.
Hi Cheryl! I’m so happy you enjoyed that! It is definitely a favorite around here also!
Natasha, this soup is perfect for my ketogenic diet. I just substituted potatoes for cauliflower and yum!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Marina!
Hi there, made this for dinner…love, love it. Followed the recipe to the tee…nothing to change. Served with crusty Italian bread. Love all your recipes…
Pat Hatwell
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made this with mild sausage and added some red pepper flakes. It was perfect! So delicious, tastes almost exactly like Olive Garden’s, if not better!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Mary!
Where has this soup been all my life!! Thank you. We are soup fans and this is now easily in our top 5!
Our mods were equal parts broth and water. Check! Added a handful of sun dried tomato strips and garnished with basil on top of the bacon and Parmesan. Triple check!!! Wicked and thank you. We love your blog!!
That’s so great Jules!! Sounds like you found a favorite!! Thank you for that wonderful review!
I made this today, turned out very Delicious thank you.
You should post a receipe For broccoli cheddar Soup from panera Bread!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, Val! Thank you for that suggestion!
48 oz of water = bland soup. Why do you water it down so much?
Hi Brandon, It makes a big pot of soup and if you keep everything else proportional, it is rich in flavor.
I made this soup about a month ago for my husband and I and the only substitution I made was using parsnips in place of the potato. We thoroughly enjoyed this soup! Thank you for the recipe. And BTW, I froze the remaining soup in individual servings using freezer bags and this soup is just as delicious the second time around!
HI Lori! I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review! 🙂
Making this again tonite, so excited!
That’s so great!
Nutritional information per serving? Please?😘
Hi April! I added nutritional info on this. I hope you love our Zuppa Toscana Recipe! 🙂
How much oz is per serving?
Hi Tatyana, I wish I had measured it that way! This soup will make about 11-12 cups, at 8 servings about 1 1/2 cups per serving or so. I hope that helps!
Where is your pot from?! happen to have a link
Hi RM! Yes, it is the red dutch oven pot linked in our shop 🙂
Is there a difference between russet potatoes and yellow potatoes? Will it make a difference if I use yellow?
Hi Alina, yellow potatoes will work fine in Zuppa Toscana 🙂 They are a waxier potato and have a slightly different texture but will still work fine.
Just made this last night. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome Ashley! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
I always added Italian seasoning as well makes it more italian☺️
That sounds great!
AWESOME copycat recipe!
Isn’t it the best?! Thank you for reading our blog!
Oh, AND, I usually make zuppa in a slow cooker and it tastes great! I just saute the garlic and onions and sausage on the stove first and then put all the ingredients (except the heavy cream) into the slow cooker for several hours and then add the cream in right at the end!
Super, that tip will come in handy for a lot of folks! Thanks again Jordyn!
Hi Natasha! I just stumbled onto your blog and it’s fantastic! This is the first time I’ve felt eager to try all of a blogger’s recipes! I plan to try your BBQ pulled pork tonight 😉
Just some personal notes/suggestions for you and others about zuppa: I make a different copy cat version all the time and I like to:
1. Substitute cauliflower (fresh or frozen) instead of potatoes just because fewer carbs
2. Substitute spinach for kale. It tastes great and unless you’re looking for the texture of kale, spinach is a perfect sub.
3. I love adding crushed red pepper flakes in at the beginning and at the end. It’s also great if you have to use mild sausage if family doesn’t like spicy because then you can personalize the spicy with the flakes in your own bowl.
I’m glad you’re enjoying my site so much. Thanks for following and sharing your helpful review with other readers!
I had never tried this soup before until I made your recipe…i just recently went to the olive garden and tried this soup. I must say your recipe was much better.
I love your recipes…looking forward to more delicious recipes.
I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe Deborah! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
I tried your Suppa Tuscana recipe and it was really good. Thank you. Maria Z.
You’re welcome Maria! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe, thanks for sharing your great review!
This soup is AMAZING! It has quickly become one of my go-to’s. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome Rhianna! I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
I made this soup before, but something was a bit different when I made it yesterday. I think 10 cups of liquid is too watery, especially with 6 cups of it being water. Last time, I used 3 cups of broth, 3 cups of water. I used a different copycat recipe last time, and this was the only difference (the liquid amount). Otherwise, delish!
Hi Linda, you can definitely scale it down if you prefer a heartier Zuppa 🙂
Awesome so yummy ! And I never like this soup at the restaurant but decided to try your receipe ! Thank you
You’re welcome Yulia! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing!
WOW!!! Thank you very much for this recipe! I made this at home and absolutely everyone in my family loved it! I was shocked! It was very delicious!!! For sure, gonna make it later.
You’re welcome Julie! I’m glad to hear how much everyone enjoys the recipe. Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Hi Natasha
This soup looks wonderful. I use your recipes weekly and they are always delicious.
I’m wondering if you or another reader has a suggestion for a whipped cream substitute that is also non dairy. I don’t have a problem with it but some of the people I cook for have a dairy allergy (different from lactose intolerance). It seems like soy or almond milk would be too thin. Don’t know if there are heavy cream versions of these products.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Chris
Hi Chris, one of my readers recommended canned coconut milk (the cream part) to make it creamy and dairy free.
Sorry my letter left me hope you get it. I have been looking for a Salmon recipe called tequila salmon, hope you can help.
Hi Fleeta, I don’t have a recipe like that and haven’t heard of it. Is it from a restaurant? I’d love to try it! 🙂
Did you try this?
http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/grilled-tequila-salmon-57297
Love love this soup. I make it at least once a month. My husband and friends love it served with crusty bread hot or not. Thank you Ms. Natasha. I have made several of you recipes and haven’t made one we didn’t like. Keep them coming. Fleeta
My pleasure! I’m glad to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes. Thanks for following and sharing your great review!
Omg made this and it was so delicious! Definitely way better than Olive Garden in my opinion. My hubby loved it so much he had seconds and ate some more few hours later! This was definitely a big hit and is an all time favorite for us now. Thanks Nastasha!
You’re welcome! I’m glad you both enjoy the recipe as much as I do! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Is it spicy hot?
Hi there- great recipe, appreciate that you note how many minutes you sauté/cook each thing. What’s the calorie count? I ran through this a few times looking and didn’t spot it. Thanks!!
Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Sara!
This is an awesome soup. For sake of time you can use Del Monte Fresh Cut potatoes which has a great taste.
I use mild Italian sausage and put red flakes on table for those that want more spice.
I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe as much as I do Catherine! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review with other readers!
Hi Natasha, What a tasty soup! I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Thanks again for another wonderful recipe, always a fan.
Hello Amy! I’m glad to hear the recipe is such a success! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha; I made the Zuppa Toscana for dinner tonight . It was a big hit . The only different thing I did was add some Chopped carrots to it with the potatoes . Love your recipes. Hits home . Love it . And Thank you so much . You made cooking fun again . Sincerely Nelly
Hello Nelly! My pleasure, I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipes! Thanks for following and sharing your great review with other readers! 🙂
I just made this soup it is really good. Thank You so much for the recipe.
You’re welcome Karla! I’m glad to hear that! Thanks for sharing!!
How about spinach instead of kale, and half and half?
Hi Nancy, I think half and half would still work. I’m not sure about spinach though. I really love the texture of kale in this soup, but if you prefer spinach, it might be worth an experiment.
OMG, this soup is awesome!! It was so easy to make and inexpensive. So looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thumbs up!!
I’m glad you love the recipe Lucille! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Hi Natasha,
You might want to review your cooking instructions. Looks like you have cooking the sausage twice. Also, could you add approximate prep and cook times?
Thanks!
Oh goodness, thank you so much for pointing that out! I clarified the recipe and included cooking and prep times. 🙂
Hi Natasha!!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I’m obsessed with your recipes!!! I have a question… If I skip potatoes, is it gonna change the taste a lot? What do you think? Thank you!😊
Hi Alina, I think it would still taste ok but it would be a very very thin soup since there isn’t much to bulk it up except for the potatoes. It would be very watery.
You could try substituting cauliflower for the potatoes. I try and follow a low carb lifestyle and that’s what I typically do with Zuppa Toscana Soup. Try maybe a whole cauliflower cut into the florets.
Thanks for this recipe!!! Is it still yummy for the next day?
Hi Dana, yes we still enjoy it the next day if there are leftovers 🙂
Do you think it would be okay to replace the sausage with ground turkey and omit the bacon as we do not eat port
Hi Veronika, the overall soup would taste more like a meatball soup than zuppa since you would be lacking the spiciness. I would suggest adding some spice since the sausage is a spicy sausage. Also, we often make this without any bacon so that one is easy to omit 🙂
We don’t eat pork either- I make this soup with Trader Joe’s spicy italian chicken sausage and it’s perfectly spiced!
Thank you for sharing that with me Yuliya!
Hi Natasha,
What do you think if I were to somehow add mushroom to this?
Too much?
Anna, I don’t think you can go wrong with mushrooms here, although I haven’t tried it myself.
Can this be stored in freezer containers?
Hi Nancy, I haven’t tried frezing but I don’t see why not. I think it would work 🙂
Love this soup!! We make it a little different but thinking to try it this way soon. Also, I wanted to ask you if you ever tried the chicken and gnocchi soup at Olive Garden, would be awesome if you would create a copy cat of that soup!
I haven’t tried that one but now I guess I have to!! Thanks for the suggestion! 🙂
Zuppa Toscana is my all-time favorite soup!!!!!
It is so delicious! Please let me know if you decide to try my recipe!
I love this recipe! Thank you Natasha for such easy instructions and beautiful pictures that motivated me to try this delicious soup. My whole family loved it, and I am also sharing with recipe with coworkers. P.S It tastes better than at Olive Garden 😉
I’m happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!! 😀
Can anything be substituted for the whipping cream in this soup?
Hi Yvonne, one of my readers recommended canned coconut milk (the cream part) to make it creamy and dairy free. You can also use half and half to make it a little lighter.
I love this recipe!!!
👍🏻 I knew you would 😋
How long can this soup stand in the fridge?
My favorite!!!
Hi Lana, we’ve never maxed it out because it always literally disappears in 2 days ;). It’s definitely great at least 3 days but probably not passed 4-5 days.
Any chance you would know nutritional facts in this?
Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Stephanie!
This is my favorite version of Zuppa – I really think it’s better than Olive Garden’s!!
That’s quite a compliment! Thank you so much! 🙂
This is a great soup Natasha!
I love the addition of bacon.
I add a half cup of white wine to the broth.
Oh wow! I never would have thought to add white wine. I’ll have to try it sometime! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This is my husband’s favorite soup to order– thanks for sharing an at-home version =)
It’s always either the salad or this soup for us as an App at Olive Garden. I never get tired of it. I think it’s nicer at home because it’s heartier and made with love of course 😉
this is my favorite soup at OG and in the past I have tried other recipes but this is spot on as many have written. It is an easy go to for company and everyone so far love and rave about. I also tried substituting with sweet potatoes and coconut milk, the cream part for my paleo friends and they loved it. Thanks for your hard work
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Priscilla!
delicious…can i freeze this soup?
i live in Ottawa, Canada and look forward to your emails.
I haven’t tried that but I don’t see why not. I think it would work to freeze it. I’m so glad you are subscribed and enjoy the emails 🙂
This soup came on the perfect day! It’s sunny here but it’s COLD…very deceiving, but hey! The sun is out! This looks like the perfect comfort meal with some nice crusty bread 🙂
It’s been the same here – it’s still a little crisp outside and perfect for a bowl of warm soup :). What part of the country are you in? I’m in Idaho – the Boise area 🙂