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
Excellent soup, is has become one of our favorite soup for the entire family. Thank you for sharing with us.
Delicious. Made exactly as written. Will definitely make again. I loved the suggestion of one reviewer to add white beans. I think that would be a great addition to add heartiness and will try that next time!
This has been a hit at every party. Would you happen to have this recipe for the Instant Pot?
Hi Kara! I’m so glad to hear that. I haven’t tested this in an instant pot, but I think it’s possible. I would do step 1,2,3 on the saute setting, then pressure cook for step 4, but wait to add the kale and heavy cream afterwards. You can put it back on the sauté setting add the cooked sausage, kale, and cream then simmer it for a few minutes until the kale softens. Let us know how it turns out.
Can this be made without the addition of the cream
Hi Marsha, it’s not quite the same without the cream, and won’t be the traditional Zuppa Toscana. You can make it with cream, it just will taste somewhat different. If you’re worried about the dairy, 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.
Thanks, was delicious. I used gold potatoes. Garlic was a bit over the top but I enjoyed it. Really appreciate your efforts Natasha. You do a great job.
Thanks so much, Adam!
DO OVER!!!!
Substituted leaf spin for the kale. Perfect.
Can you substitute kale with spinach? Will it taste so much different? Thank you so much for all the great recipes!
Hi Maria, we prefer it with kale but it will work with spinach as well.
Just made this recipe but made did easy swaps for vegetarian and it was so delicious. Bookmarking and adding this to our rotation this fall/winter!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Tried this today, I played around with the seasoning instead of just salt, to fit more of our taste buds, but this recipe was absolutely amazing!! Easy to follow. My family had 2 bowls each and my husband is taking some for lunch tomorrow! I made everything fresh and organic minus the whipping cream.. I absolutely love it, I would dare to say this copy recipe is so much better than Olive Garden’s. Natasha you are my new best friend. Im trying one new soup at least every week, I cannot wait to try your other recipes!!!
I agree,better than Olive Garden! It made this quite a few times at least twice during soup season, and at least once out of soup season. Been to Olive Garden since I started making it to myself, and this version is much better. I still eat it at Olive Garden, but I like it homemade more.
Do you use metric measurements in your cook book? Most of us outside the US use the metric system so ounces can be confusing. I love your recipes. So glad I found you
Thank you so much, Coleen! Unfortunately, there was not enough room in the cookbook to include metric conversions for the recipes. But most of my recipes on my blog have a metric button in the recipe card that you can click on, and it will convert the ingredient list for you.
I’ve been making your recipe for a couple of years now. It’s great fall/winter go-to so thank you for feeding my fam. It’s easy, delicious, hard to mess up and inexpensive
I’m so happy you’ve been enjoying it. I make this one a lot. My family loves it too!
Love following this recipe and making amazing delicious soup for my family. Thank you Natasha 💖 you’re a gem 💎
You’re so sweet, Nadia! Thank you. I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
This soup is delicious!! Definitely a family treat and on rotation.
My family loves this one too! So glad it made it to your repeat list.
Can you substitute the sausage for burger. My children will not eat sausage (even when disguised).
Hi Valerie! Yes, you can. It will be lacking in flavor since the sausage adds quite a bit so you’ll need to adjust the seasoning to taste.
My toddler approves of this soup! I do swap the sausage to no spicy but other than that, it tastes sooooo delicious.the garlic bring so much flavor In the soup.
Can this recipe be frozen after cooled for meal prep with the coconut milk? (Dairy free option)
Hi Mary! You can freeze it for up to 3months but soups with cream tend to get grainy when reheated from frozen. When you reheat it, reheat it on low heat.
Recipe might be good but it takes so long to get to it, you might as well make something else.
Hi D! There is a “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page for a shortcut to the recipe card. However, I recommend reading through the entire post as well because I provide tips and tricks as well as answer common questions.
I hope you get to try the recipe!
This is my favorite soup, its better than the restaurant version… i look forward to the cooler weather just so I can heat the house cooking this soup and eat it! I share with all.!
EXCELLANTAA!! LOL, I know that is not a word, but this soup is wonderful! I just made this for an Italian Dinner party I hosted last week and I received rave reviews! Everyone wanted the recipe. I highly recommend this recipe!!
That’s wonderful, Elizabeth! Thank you so much for the feedback. I’m glad it was enjoyed.
I made this soup several times for my boys. They loved it and requested it over and over again. I haven’t always had Kale on hand, so I’ve substituted it with Spinach and Collard Greens. All are delicious in the soup.