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 tender potatoes. It’s on my family’s regular menu rotation!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Soup was delicious! Best copycat Olive Garden recipe ever! Taste so authentic; I thought I was eating at Olive Garden!” – Marianne ★★★★★
Zuppa Toscana Video
Now wasn’t that easy? Serve topped with crispy bacon, extra cheese and generous slices of Sourdough Bread, or crusty French Bread. I hope this Zuppa Toscana becomes a favorite in your home as well.
Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe
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!
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 from scratch 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! This American adaptation is classically made with kale, potatoes, onion, and garlic, then served topped with Parmesan cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano.
Is Zuppa Toscana Spicy?
I 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 that’s more kid-friendly, then season with salt and pepper to taste. You can spice up individual bowls later with red pepper flakes if you prefer.
Zuppa Toscana Ingredients
- Bacon – the bacon adds an extra layer of flavor to the soup and a crunchy salty bite when sprinkled as garnish. Parmesan is also a nice touch to serve the soup.
- Italian Sausage – I prefer using ‘hot’ Italian sausage, but you can use mild if you prefer less spice. Remove casings if present.
- Aromatics – I use a whole head of garlic (more on that below) and a diced onion.
- Chicken stock – you can use chicken broth or stock here, or even substitute with turkey stock. Homemade always tastes best, especially bone broth! For richer flavor, you can replace the water in the recipe with more stock.
- Potatoes – you can peel or leave the skins on for a more rustic soup. Russet, or yello wpotatoes work great.
- Kale – strip the leaves from one kale bundle then finely chop. It will seem like alot of kale, but it softens and shrinks down in the soup.
- Whipping cream – heavy cream creates a rich broth. You can use a light cream if desired.
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 an incredible and authentic Italian flavor. Since the garlic is sautéed and 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).
Everyone in my family makes this Zuppa Toscana regularly. I love it when my Mom has a pot simmering on the stove when all of my sisters’ families come over for Sunday lunch. It’s the first thing I reach for, even with plenty of other options on the table (Mom always makes a feast on Sundays!). I hope this Zuppa soup becomes a favorite in your home as well.
Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copycat
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon, chopped
- 1 lb Italian Sausage, The “Hot” variety
- 1 head of garlic, about 10 large cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
- 1 onion, medium, finely diced
- 6 cups chicken broth, or chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 5 russet potatoes, medium, peeled and chopped into 1/4" thick pieces*
- 1 kale bundle, leaves stripped and chopped (6 cups)
- 1 cup whipping cream, or 1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk
- salt and black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese, optional, to serve
Instructions
- Brown Bacon – 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 bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and spoon out excess oil, leaving about 1 Tbsp oil in the pot.
- Brown Italian sausage, breaking it up with your spatula, and sauté until cooked through and browned (5 min). Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Add onion to the pot and saute 5 min, stirring occasionally, or until soft and golden, then add minced garlic and saute 1 min.
- Add broth and water, and bring to a boil. Add sliced potatoes and cook 13-14 min or until easily pierced with a fork.
- Add chopped kale and cooked sausage, and bring everything to a light boil.
- Stir in cream and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then remove from heat. Ladle into bowls and serve garnished with bacon and grated parmesan.
Notes
- Fridge: once completely cool, cover and refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Soups with cream and potatoes do not freeze well, so I don’t recommend freezing this soup.
- Reheat: Warm on the stove over medium-low heat or in the microwave until steaming hot. Avoid boiling.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
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
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan
- Filet Mignon
- Chicken Mango Avocado Salad
- Chicken Stir Fry
- Shrimp Scampi
- Monterey Chicken
- Homemade Salsa
- Chicken Piccata
Can you make this in a crockpot? Also do you have to use the bacon? Does it make it better?
HI Steve, the bacon definitely adds flavor, but you can skip it and I have skipped it before when I didn’t have it on hand.
Can this be made in a crockpot to let it simmer and cook through the day?
Hi Steve, I think you could make that work but my concern is that the kale would be overcooked.
We make it in a crock pot. We add the cooked sausage and all ingredients minus the kale and heavy cream. We add the cream and kale 30 mins before serving. It is perfect. 🙂
Oh that’s awesome to know! Thank you so much for sharing that it works great in a crockpot / slow cooker
Was looking at carbs for soups, but I could not see where the serving size was located?
Txs
Hi Iris, the number of servings is listed at the top of the print-friendly recipe card and the nutrition label is per serving. This recipe serves 8.
AMAZING!!! It is simply better in my opinion than the Olive Garden Zuppa!!!
Thanks for your awesome feedback!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Hi Steve, I haven’t tried that but I think it would be do-able to sautee first and then add to a slow cooker, although this cooks pretty quickly, I’m not sure a slow cooker is really necessary.
Hi Natasha
I was thinking it might be easier, I’m in a wheelchair and being able to just throw everything in and let it cook and then be able to eat it later would be nice. But I will try this way. Can I let it simmer until ready to eat?
Hi Steve, yes that should be fine but it’s probably best to add the kale in the last 30 minutes of simmering.
Such a great recipe! I made it many times and it’s always a hit!
That’s so great! Thank you for your lovely review, Oxana!
I’ve made this recipe several times and it is pure gold. So delicious, the whole family will eat it (it helps that my kids like bacon, sausage, cream etc.) It’s an awesome soup to have as a meal. So hearty and hits all the food groups. I’ve never even been to Olive Garden but I can’t imagine their version tasting nearly this good.
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Hello Natashe, can the kale be replace by something else, spinach maybe?
Hi Helene! It’s originally made with kale, and that’s how we like it best, but test, it will work great with spinach! I hope you love this recipe!
Just to clarify… bacon is for garnish only, not to be added into soup later with the Italian sausage?
Also, can I substitute half and half?
Hi Meldy, that’s right we add it as a garnish. If added to the soup earlier it will get soggy. Half and Half may work, you can also use half whipping cream and half whole milk.
Should relay have clear instructions in terms of the bacon being a garnish. In terms of separating it for later.
Thanks for pointing that out. I change the wording slightly to further clarify.
Yum! Zuppa Toscana soup was delicious. I followed step by step and it turned out pretty good. Thank you so much Natasha for sharing the recipe! 🙂
You’re welcome, Lana! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious! I’ve actually never had this soup at OG but it came up when searching for soups to make, so I cant vouch for the authenticity. We prefer a veggie heavy soup so I always add carrot, celery, and squash.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Alex!
Hi Natasha.. I normally dont leave a review.. but this recipe i had too…It was Absolutely the best zuppa tuscana Recipe, even better than Olive Garden…Thank You so much…this is a keeper!!!!!!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Lila!
Hi! I made this soup yesterday because I LOVE the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana and you nailed it!
I’m going to look through your recipe folder to see what other marvelous selections you can gift me with!
There’s just my husband and myself at home, but it’s such a large pot of soup I am going to share it with my BIL and SIL that live next door to us.
They’ll be home from their short holiday tomorrow and with all the unpacking and organizing, I know they’ll appreciate dinner being provided.
Now, all I need to do is make a nice Caesar salad and a batch of breadsticks and we can pretend we’re at Olive Garden! 🙂
That’s perfect! I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe. I hope you and your family will love every recipe that you will try.
Hi Natasha, I absolutely loved the soup I think it was an amazing recipe and it wasn’t that hard for my first time making it! Thank you!!!
Hello Victoria, so nice to see your review. I’m glad you enjoyed making this recipe, thank you for sharing your experience with us!
Can you substitute half and half ? Don’t have whipping cream
Hi Pamela, you can use half whipping cream and half whole milk.
Hi Natasha
I made this soup for dinner and I was amazed of how good it was. Also it was easy to follow your video with the instructions, you always make it very easy. I wasn’t a good cook before but now with your recipes I’m always making something different and my family thinks I’m a professional chef lol.
Hi Ena, that’s great feedback. Thank you for your wonderful review, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipes that you’ve tried!
Could we freeze most of the soup, since we are only two
Thank you
Hi Mireille, I hope you love this recipe! One of our readers wrote: “I freeze this soup all the time! I usually make a triple recipe so I can freeze some for later… It’s as good, or better!” I hope this helps.
I never make soup for some reason…but I made this last night, and it was amazing!! My wife & I loved it & couldn’t get enough of it! Now I know what to get when we go to Olive Garden lol.
What are your tips for storing leftovers? Do you freeze it in batches? Or just try to eat it with the next few days?
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! One of our readers wrote: “I freeze this soup all the time! I usually make a triple recipe so I can freeze some for later… It’s as good, or better!” I hope this helps.
Made this today using fresh spinach instead of Kale, added one TBS of Italian spice and this turned out fabulously wonderful and so so yummy! Thank you so much!
Hello Judy, thank you for your wonderful review! I’m glad you loved it and thanks for sharing that with us.
I am not a cook and do not like cooking. For me, Recipes have to be very easy to follow, not have a lot of steps or take a lot of time or use crazy expensive ingredients. This checks all the boxes for me and tastes great! A pot lasts several meals for my husband and I, so I don’t have to cook again for awhile😀
Hello Becky, thank you for your great comments and feedback. I’m happy to know that you’ve been loving my recipes!
Natasha, I made this Zuppa Toscana soup tonight for my wife and I. I must say I clearly understand why this is Olive Garden’s #1 selling soup. It is absolutely wonderful. I added 2 tablespoons of chicken base and 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese to the soup also. Best soup we’ve had in years!! Thanks for the recipe!! 😘
It’s our favorite copy-cat recipe, Rikochee! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!