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
This recipe was fantastic!! I made a double batch and added a little extra bacon and some baby Bella mushrooms! It was really quick and easy to make. Definitely going to be a regular in this house!
That’s wonderful, Mia! So glad you found a favorite.
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this and it is absolutely delicious. Super easy to make too. Thank you for the great recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy to hear that!
This is so easy to make and just delicious. I was a little nervous about all of that garlic. So, I only added about 1/2 a large head. While still good, it can easily use the rest, and I will do that next time. Thank you for the great recipe!
Hello Sue, that sound good! I’m happy to hear that you loved this recipe!
I’m fairly new to cooking and I want to make this recipe, but isn’t 80 ounces of liquid an enormous amount?
HI Dave, it’s 10 cups of liquid total which generously serves 8. It does make a large pot of soup. If you desire a heartier soup, I would cut 2 cups water and then just add more if desired.
Guess what I made tonight? I didn’t have kale so I substituted with spinach and it turned out so scrumptious!! Another guess on what we’re having tomorrow…the leftovers if there is any left by then! Looking forward to your cookbook!!
Awesome! So happy to hear that you love this recipe! Thank you for patiently waiting for the cookbook, it will be ready by the fall of next year.
So good. I used sour cream instead of whipping cream and it was still perfect!
Good to know it worked! Thanks for sharing that with us.
I make this recipe at least four times over the fall and winter. It is fantastic!
Thank you for the review, Dawn! So glad you love it.
I no longer enjoy your site due to all the pop up advertising.
I used to love it when you first started..
Hi Regina, the only way we can keep running our site for free to our audience is to have advertising. We found that most people would rather scroll past the ad to get a free recipe than to pay a subscription. We have to be able to pay our 7-person team and keep things running and the ads pay for that.
I love your quick and easy instructions. and the Advertisements are just a given in this day and age. Those that complain honestly , would never pay for a subscription either. So You Go Girl!!
Hi Gina! Thank you for your love and support! I so appreciate it. 🙂
I’ve been making this soup ever since I tasted it at Olive Garden! I make the soup and use spinach at the end but I don’t add cream in the pot of soup, we add our cream to our bowls and than I don’t worry about it going bad, although it doesn’t last long. I have made it with hot sausage and mild sausage. I love your recipes.
Thank you for sharing, Carol!
How would I make this using pre minced garlic in the jar? How much?
Hi Holly. I don’t have the exact measurement. Fresh garlic is stronger so you may need to use more than the recipe calls for if you are using minced garlic from a jar.
hello natasha. I would like to know where i can find the receipe to the old tsupa toscana soup reciepe you had on here. PLease email it to me
Hi Anna, this is our original recipe! I hope you love it!
I have accidently everytime I made this, added the sausage with the potatoes. Does it matter?
Should be alright but please update us, we’d like to hear how it goes!
I have done the same thing! It’s turned out just fine. So good!
Love it!!! Family hit….we live in south texas and I made it when we got our first cold front…made it again today…that’s twice this week…super easy n delish!
So glad you love this recipe. It’s one of our favorites.
I am going to try this recipe , it sounds great. I hate kale, so I am going to use spinach.
Hi Paul, I think that would still work with spinach but keep in mind that spinach will soften faster than kale so it needs a shorter cook time at the end.
Paul, I’m not a huge fan of kale either, but it is so incredibly good in this recipe. It holds a little structure after it is cooked which makes the texture of the soup perfect!!
You should give it a try!!
I love this recipe. I made it at Thanksgivings and it was a hit. Definitely making it again and again. Thank you so much for the recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Jennn!
This was absolutely delicious but caused some epic garlic breath next day. Small price to pay I guess, lol.
Can’t wait to try this recipe, can I make this in a crockpot?
Hi Carrie, one of my readers shared the following great review on making this in a crockpot/ slow cooker: “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.” Another reader reported cooking on low for about 8 hours.
OMG! I may never return to Olive Garden again for this soup. It turned out superb. My husband and I have been eating it everyday it’s just that good! Now help me make the garlic sticks and I’m good! Lol
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Shay!
I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of instead of adding milk I used a pkg of softened boursin garlic and herb cheese. It was over the top good!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Yuvonne!
how much softened boursin garlic and herb cheese did you use?
I use this recipe every time we have this dish! It’s a huge hit in my house, we absolutely love it! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Excellent! Thank you for consistently perfect recipes and videos! My favorite chef! This was perfect and just like the Olive Garden recipe. Perfecto!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Beverly!