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
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
- 6 cups chicken broth/stock, (48 oz)
- 4 cups water, (32 oz)
- 5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/4" thick pieces
- 1 kale bundle, leaves stripped and chopped (6 cups)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese to serve, optional
Instructions
- 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.
- Add Italian sausage, breaking it up with your spatula and sauté until cooked through (5 min). Remove to paper towel lined plate.
- Finely dice onion and add to the pot. Saute 5 min or until soft and golden then add minced garlic and saute 1 min.
- Add 6 cups broth and 4 cups water, and bring to boil. Add sliced potatoes and cook 13-14 min or until easily pierced with a fork.
- When potatoes nearly done, add chopped kale and cooked sausage and bring everything to a light boil.
- 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.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
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!