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
I used spinach as prefer to Kale, used medium spicy Italian sausage and half heavy cream and half plant based heavy cream. Super delicious!
My family’s favorite winter recipe. I love that yours calls for kale. Spinach gets slimy and disintegrates into the soup. I love the crispness of the kale! A perfect soup for cold, winter nights. It’s like a warm blanket!
I agree, this is a good one!
An easy and delicious soup for a cold, winter day. This recipe is going into my stash of recipes.
It’s one of my favorites!
Could this be thickened with a cornstarch slurry? I prefer a creamier, thick soup.
Hi Jill! Sure, that would be fine.
Natasha the recipe says it makes 8 bowls. Would it be possible to use standard measures in cups for the serving size?
Hi Joanne! The nutrition facts is computer generated by plugging in the ingredients. I have this set to serve 8 bowls, but the amount of cups may vary due to how the potatoes are cut in size and how much it reduces during the cooking process. Based on the amounts of the ingredients my guess is they it will yield about 24 cups total.
For more precise measurements, you can weigh the soup as a whole on a food scale and divide that by 8.
How is this recipe heartier than the original? What has been updated?
Hi EK, We updated the recipe after the video went live and since there is no way to update the video, that is why there’s a difference. I also made sure to change that in the youtube list and notated that to eliminate confusion. I’m so glad you enjoyed the Zuppa Toscana!
I do not eat pork, but would like to try this recipe. Do you have any substitutions for the Italian sausage and bacon you would recommend for this soup? Love your recipes!
Hi Tammie! You can use beef or turkey bacon. Also- many of my viewers like to use chicken sausage.
I make my Zuppa Toscana with chicken Italian sausage removed from the casing. Sautee onions, garlic, celery, and carrots. No soft & mushy carrots though. Lastly, add in a good sprinkle of hot pepper flakes, but not if using hot/spicy Italian sausage. Love your recipes Natasha!
Hi Natasha. I love your recipes. I noticed in your cookbook the recipe calls for 8 cups of broth and 2 cups of water. Which do you prefer, more broth (8 cups)?
Hi Debbie, they are both great, but I further updated it in the book, so that’s the latest version. I hope you love it.
I used the 8 cups of broth. The soup was amazing. I love your cookbook so much I gave it as a Christmas gift to my future daughter-in-law.
Can you substitute spinach for the kale?
Hi Marlene, yes you can!
Wonderful recipe! Easy to follow instructions! Used homemade Turkey Broth and you are right homemade is definitely worth the effort! A favorite with family!
I’m so glad to hear this is a family favorite, Joann! Thank you for your awesome reveiw.
I have a lot of spinach in my fridge. Could I substitute it for the kale?
Hi Eva, yes, spinach works great in this recipe.
Great recipe. Added only 4 potatoes and didn’t think it needed the parmesan sprinkled on top at the end. Other than that, followed the recipe as written. Makes a lot of soup and wonder how well it would freeze. Not sure since it has cream in it. Will probably cut the recipe in half the next time.
Thank you for sharing that with me, Jude!
I’m not sure why, but this recipe is even better than Olive Garden’s. I was invited there and had their soup. It was good but this one is hands down better! More flavorful and delicious.
I’m so glad you loved our recipe, Irene! Thank you for that awesome feedback.
I’m on a low carb diet, if I leave out the potatoes, what could I replace that with?
Hi Liz, one of my readers mentioned “I have used radishes in place of potatoes. Delicious!” I hope that helps.
I’ve used your recipe countless times and everyone who has dined with me loved it. I now have quart jars on hand so that dinner guests can take some home to enjoy later. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
You’re very welcome, Robin! I’m glad you loved it.
Best soup ever! Perfect anytime but especially on cold winter days.
Made this soup too many times. Every time it comes out so flavorful and absolutely delicious. Top soup that gets requested all the time
This is one that is on repeat. Simple enough that my 15 yr old makes it on her own. The recipe is absolutely delicious.
Hello. I’m not sure how the metric calculation works, but it seems to be incorrect. 6 cups of broth come out as 940 ml, but it should be more like 1400 ml. And 4 cups of water is not 1500 ml, but only 946. In other words these two values are basically reversed. Thanks. I plan to use the recipe this week, however.
Thank you for letting me know, it has been updated.