My homemade Zuppa Toscana is a delicious twist on Olive Garden’s most popular soup! Loaded with Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and fresh kale, this hearty, one-pot recipe tastes like it came straight from the restaurant, only better!
The whole family will love this delicious copycat Olive Garden soup, oh and it’s ready in 30 minutes or less!
I have made this recipe hundreds of times over the years, and as the granddaughter of an Italian restaurant owner, I know what it should taste like! It was on the menu all winter long while my boys were growing up.
Here are my top tips for the best possible soup:
- Avoid Undercooked Potatoes: Dice your potatoes into smaller, evenly sized pieces.
- Heavy Cream: Don’t let it boil, as it will cause the cream to curdle.
- Prepping Kale: Remove the bitter stems before adding to the soup.
I go into more detail below in the steps for how to make Tuscan soup, but I can almost guarantee your family will be begging for seconds. Mangia!
If you are a soup lover, try these other family favorites! Panera Broccoli Cheese Soup, Italian Wedding Soup (on repeat in the winter) and Bacon Beef Minestrone soup.
What is Zuppa Toscana Soup?
Oh sure, you’ve had this at Olive Garden™ and I’m not trying to steal their thunder, but did you know you can recreate this delicious, creamy, one pot soup right in your own home, in under 30 minutes!?! And I guarantee it’ll taste better, alas I cannot guarantee bottomless bread sticks. Sorry!
Is Toscana Soup healthy?
This amazing and simple soup is Keto friendly, low carb, copycat Olive Garden™ Zuppa Toscana will become a family favorite and it’s naturally GLUTEN FREE!
And the green bits throughout? Traditionally kale is used, but I prefer red swiss chard. Swiss Chard is a lovely, green tossed in for its vibrancy and durability, AND it happens to be loaded with good-for-you nutrients and since it’s not overpowering, I toss in big handfuls, chopped small!
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Italian Sausage (mild or hot): Use bulk sausage or remove the casings if using links for easier crumbling.
- Bacon: Cooked until crisp and chopped; thick-cut bacon adds a richer flavor. Reserve some for garnish.
- Olive oil or butter: Used in addition to the bacon/sausage grease for sautéing the onions and garlic to add depth and richness to the soup.
- Garlic, minced: Garlic is a must-have in any Italian soup!
- Onion, chopped: Yellow or white onions work well for a mild, sweet base.
- Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced: Diced small and even to ensure they cook thoroughly and quickly; skins can be left on or off based on preference.
- Chicken broth: Provides a savory base for the soup; can be mixed with water if needed.
- Kosher salt & Black Pepper: Start with a small amount and adjust to taste at the end of the recipe. You may need more or less based on your broth.
- Kale, chopped small: Remove the spine and coarse parts; Swiss chard can be a substitute.
- Heavy cream: Adds richness and creaminess to the soup; use more if a creamier texture is desired.
- Bacon: Additional cooked and chopped bacon for garnish.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated or shaved for a savory garnish.
- Italian parsley, chopped: Adds a fresh, vibrant garnish to the finished soup.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Grab a medium soup pot and heat to medium-hot; brown and crumble the Italian sausage; mild or hot, your choice, I used mild, because I’m a spice wimp.
Fresh Tip
- I like bulk sausage for this soup, and I love Boulder Sausage because it’s gluten-free, nitrate and nitrite-free, and preservative-free. Occasionally, our store is out of bulk sausage, so I buy the links and remove the casings. Both work fine. Also, try Chicken Italian Sausage.
- Remove the browned sausage to a plate, set aside. Toss in chopped bacon and cook until crisp, remove with slotted spoon to a plate with a paper towel to drain, set aside.
- Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil if the sausage was lean; saute onions until translucent & light brown, about 5-8 minutes. Add in garlic in the last-minute or so of browning the onions.
- Return sausage to the pot and pour in chicken broth, you can add the bacon now too, but I prefer my bacon crispy not soft and rubbery, so I toss it on top of the soup when serving.
I used my homemade chicken broth (read the end of the beef broth recipe and you’ll see adjustments for chicken broth), give it a good stir. - Start with one quart (4 cups) of broth, then as you add your veggies you can add more broth if needed, I typically extend our soups a little further by adding an extra quart of broth, you may need to adjust your seasonings to compensate for the increased liquid.
- Add in diced potatoes, cover and bring to simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife or fork. About 10-15 minutes.
- Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste, about 1 teaspoon of salt and couple grinds of pepper. Simmer a few additional minutes.
- Reduce heat to low/simmer and place in your chopped chard or kale as well as your cream. If freezing, leave cream and chard out adding when you reheat.
- Return to simmer and serve immediately. Garnish each bowl with crisp bacon bits if desired.
Soup recipes like Zuppa Toscana are perfect any time of the year, but I especially love them on a chilly fall or winter day; when a heavy meal is too much, but you still want a hearty meal.
A soup will nourish my family and it doesn’t hurt that it comes together in one pot (YAY!) in 30 minutes or less! Double yippee-skippy!
Toscana Soup Recipe Tips
How to chop Chard or Kale
- Rinse your chard/kale leaves and pat dry.
- Run a sharp knife up and down the “spine” of the leaf on either side, releasing the tender leafy part from the bitter, tough spine.
- Don’t worry about the “veins” so much, they are tender, but that hard (red in this case) spine that runs through the middle, toss it out.
- Chop leafy portions into desired size for your soup.
Can you freeze Zuppa Toscana Soup?
Yes! And it doubles beautifully as well, follow these simple steps for the best frozen Zuppa!
If you forget or have leftovers you want to freeze with the cream and greens, it will be fine, you may have a little separation of the cream when reheating, just stir well.
If possible, do not add greens or cream, if not, see below.
Cool completely!
Pour into container or gallon freezer baggie, removing as much air as possible, freeze flat.
Thaw in refrigerator overnight, reheat until simmering and add in chopped chard/kale and cream.
More Tasty Hidden Veggie Soups
Try these other tasty soups with disguised veggies, that are family favorites! Black Bean Soup, Easy Tortilla Soup and my Broccoli Cheese Soup. These soups are kid-friendly, nutrient packed, and easy to make!
More Popular Recipes from The Fresh Cooky
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!
Equipment
- Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian Sausage bulk, mild or hot if links, remove casings
- 8 strips bacon cooked crisp and chopped (I use thick-cut bacon) Save some to use as garnish.
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil or butter, if needed after cooking bacon and sausage
- 4 – 5 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 medium onion chopped, yellow or white
- 3 – 5 medium russet potatoes washed and diced (skins on or off, your preference) (or 4-5 Yukon gold potatoes)
- 4 – 8 cups chicken broth depends on how brothy you like it, may also use 4-6 cups broth and 1-2 cups water
- 1 – 3 teaspoons kosher salt start with 1 and taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 – 4 cups kale chopped small (spine and course parts removed, may also use Swiss chard)
- ½ – 1 cup heavy cream use more for creamier soup (up to 1 ½ cups), may also substitute with half and half
- Garnish with parmesan fresh grated or shaved
- Garnish with Italian parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage and crumble until cooked through about 5-6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate.1 pound Italian Sausage
- Chop bacon into bite-size pieces and saute until crispy. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel-lined plate.8 strips bacon
- Leave the bacon grease in the pot (unless there is a lot, in which case mop some up with a paper towel). Add butter and olive oil (if needed) and saute the onions until browning and translucent. Toss in the garlic and saute until fragrant, one minute.1-2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 4 – 5 cloves garlic
- Add chicken broth (water if using), potatoes, salt, and pepper, and simmer, covered until the potatoes are tender about 10-15 minutes.3 – 5 medium russet potatoes, 4 – 8 cups chicken broth, 1 – 3 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Once tender, return the sausage to the pot, and add kale and heavy cream. Stir and return to a low simmer (try not to boil, as it could curdle your cream). I personally like to add my bacon towards the end, but if you don’t mind soft bacon, toss it in now!2 – 4 cups kale, ½ – 1 cup heavy cream
- Add bacon (if not already added), heat through (do not boil), taste, and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Garnish with shaved parmesan cheese and a little Italian parsley.Serve with a crisp salad, and a good loaf of Italian bread slathered with butter and enjoy!
Notes
- Remove portion to freeze before adding chard/kale and cream.
- Cool completely, pour into a container or gallon freezer baggie, remove as much air as possible, and freeze flat.
- If you forget or have leftovers you want to freeze with the cream and greens, it will be fine, you may have a little separation of the cream when reheating, stir well.
- Fridge: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Cool the soup completely before freezing. Store in freezer-safe airtight containers or baggies for up to 3 months. Freeze without cream for the best texture; add cream when reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. If frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat as usual. Add more broth or cream if the soup thickens.
Nutrition
John
This recipe is fine as it is, however, I lean to very little bacon. I also like half and half for the cream. Also a pinch of oregano and crushed fennel.
Love your twists, John and how you made it yours!!!
Irene M Gebe-Norris
How I’ve made mine for years. I do switch out the potatoes for cauliflower to lower the carbs and throw in a 1/4 c, of pesto with the cream.
I love your twists Irene!! I should also add that you can use diced rutabaga as well to lower the carbs and they taste surprisingly a lot like potatoes! Love the pesto added too!