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!
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
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
Just got done eating this amazing soup! My wife is gluten intolerant so it made for a great cold Michigan night comfort meal. I used sweet Italian sausage since my wife can’t handle spice very well and I think it gave the soup a unique flavor all its own. We are definitely putting this on repeat for sure. The leftovers are still cooling down and we both want to grab another bowl before it goes in the fridge but we are stuffed. Absolutely love watching your videos and making new and delicious meals for my wife and kids when they come to visit and this will be one I think my picky kids will love.
Thank you for sharing your experience trying out this recipe, Mike. I’m happy that you all enjoyed the soup!
It started snowing today so I thought it would be a great day to make this recipe. I stayed true to the recipe except swapped out half the hot sausage for turkey sausage as I was worried about the heat. It was delicious!
Yummy! I used small yellow potatoes, mild italian sausage and spinach, added a sliced carrot.
It was a very tasty recipe. Something I would not normally make.
My husband and I made the soup. We were impressed with this recipe and also added a can of white kidney beans. Very filling soup! Enjoy a bowl at dinner.
My daughter and I made this soup together and it was delicious! Super perfect for a rainy, cold day! Thank you!
Great to hear that you both enjoyed this soup!
Fabulous! Definitely a make again! A new favorite! Delicious, flavorful and hearty ❤️
delicious on a cold night- our family loved it
Super yummy and easy to make. I have made it with both pork and turkey sausage. Great tasting either way!
Great to hear that you love it with pork and turkey sausage! Thank you for sharing that with us.
Love love love this recipe. Easy to follow and absolutely delicious!
Can you use whole milk instead of cream?
Hi Lisa! 1 cup whipping cream, or 1 can full fat unsweetened coconut milk works!
My wife and I found the zuppa delicious. I enjoyed gathering the ingredients and putting them together. It made for a scrumptious dinner on a cold North Carolina evening.
Yum! I’m craving this now. I’m so glad you loved it, Lee!
Always winning recipes! This one was no different!! Followed to a ‘t’…only 1 change I made was to add some cheese and garlic tortellini in the last step. Everyone commented on how delicious this was!! As always, thanks!!
I’m happy to hear it was a hit, Scott!
Yum! I will definitely be making this again. I had to use less garlic because of a sensitivity and mild sausage because I’m a wimp (ha!), but it was still absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to enjoy the leftovers!
The soup makes the best leftovers! Thank you for your awesome review, Greta!
Better than Olive garden. Great with French bread toasted. Thanks.
It was delicious and easy! It was a big hit! Your recipes never fail me!
I made this for lunch on a school snow day. It was the perfect winter warm-up! The recipe is perfect as written. I enjoy experimenting, so I switched out the ground meat for homemade meatballs and simmered the in the broth before adding the potatoes and finishing with the cream. My family doesn’t like kale, so I swapped for spinach. We also enjoyed stirring in a dollop of seasoned ricotta to individual bowls, which made it silky and rich.
It filled us up so well at lunchtime, that come dinnertime we decided just to have dessert (your pumpkin pie perfectly fit the bill)!
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your experience with this recipe. Great to hear that your famly enjoyed it!
This recipe is so good. I just finished cooking it and can’t wait to eat it. It’s a keeper.
It was delicious! So easy to make!! Some of us do not like potatoes so I used less than the recipe called for, but still very cozy for a cold day.
Thank you for sharing that, Charlene!
Hi Natasha!
I don’t have any leafy greens. Can I use broccoli instead!
Love your recipes:)
Hi Char! I think that could work too. Let us know how you like it with broccoli.