What In Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

a spoonful of zuppa toscana soup in a white bowl

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Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup with spicy Italian sausage, bacon, fresh kale, and russet potatoes in a rich and creamy broth is gluten free, packed full of protein, and bursting with delicious flavor.

Even better than the restaurant version, this copycat Zuppa Toscana soup is made in one pot, easy to prepare, and is always a family favorite.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

This year, like a lot of you, we've really limited our eating out — except in our back yard, of course! All puns aside, what I miss most about dining out is the atmosphere and meeting up with friends.

When it comes to flavor, however, making Zuppa Toscana soup at home is even better than eating out!

My hubby will tell you that because of our recent cooking adventures, he's gotten really particular and dining out doesn't hold the same appeal that it once did. I'm all good with eating in more as long as my sous chef continues helping with the clean up!

As for this Zuppa Toscana, it's the North American version of Italy's Tuscan soup. The original version is more like chili with zucchini and beans in a tomatoey broth.

I prefer the Olive Garden recipe myself. After all, there's a reason it's one of the all-time most popular items on their menu. It's just outright delicious! 😋

a pot of Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup on a table

Ingredients and substitutions

Italian sausage — mild or spicy
Onion — white or yellow
Garlic
Red pepper flakes — optional
Chicken broth — may also use vegetable broth
Potatoes — Russet, Yukon Gold, or Red Potatoes
Curly kale — may substitute fresh baby spinach or Swiss chard
Heavy cream — for less calories, use half and half or milk instead
Bacon — fried crisp and crumbled
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese — optional for garnish

a bowl of zuppa toscana soup on a wooden table

Instructions

Prep all the ingredients first so you have everything ready when you start cooking—peel and dice potatoes, chop the onion, mince the garlic, and remove kale leaves from the stems.
Next, crumble and cook the Italian sausage in a Dutch oven, then add the onions.
Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
To the pot add the chicken broth and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
Last, stir in the kale and heavy cream, cooking until the kale is just wilted.

I made the Olive Garden Toscana Soup and it was delicious! This Olive Garden soup is one of my favorites and Sheila's recipe was just as good! I will definitely be making it again!
—Lynda S.

Time-saving shortcuts

Use Yukon Gold potatoes which have thinner skins and skip peeling the potatoes. Just scrub and dice.
Fresh garlic tastes best, but you can use jarred minced garlic in a crunch.
Leave out the bacon (no frying and crumbling) entirely or use leftover breakfast bacon.

FAQs

Can you freeze Zuppa Toscana?

Potato soups are not the best for freezing because when thawed, the potato texture can become grainy. Likewise, soups that include dairy products usually don't freeze well.

How do you store leftover soup?

Leftover soup is a wonderful thing to have in your fridge for lunches later in the week. To store soup, ladle leftovers into smaller containers so that it cools quicker, then store for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Cooking with kale

Kale is a nutrition superstar, making it a great ingredient to incorporate into your diet whenever possible. Kale is packed with vitamins A, K, B6, and C as well as calcium and potassium.

When cooking with kale, always remove the tough middle rib or stem which can leave a bitter taste. The rib can be easily removed by hand or with kitchen shears.

a basket of fresh kale on a wooden table

More pro tips

Cook soup in layers.Brown or sear the sausage first, then add the vegetables in order based on which ones will require more time for cooking.
Sauté aromatics. Slowly cook onions or garlic until very tender and caramelized to release their best flavor.
Garnish like a chef. Save some of the crumbled bacon to sprinkle on top of each bowl of Zuppa Toscana along with shredded Parmesan cheese. End with a grind or two of black pepper.
Add freshness. Think about adding chopped fresh Italian parsley in place of the bacon garnish.

What goes with Zuppa Toscana?

Add a green salad like Chopped Mediterranean Salad or Insalata Della Casa (another copycat recipe from Bravo's Italian Restaurant) and a loaf of toasted crusty bread to complete this meal.

Please share!

Your shares are how this site grows and I appreciate each one. Do you know someone who would enjoy this recipe? I'd love it if you would share it on Facebook or on your favorite Pinterest board!

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. ground Italian sausage, mild or spicy
1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups curly kale, leaves removed from the stem and torn into pieces
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 - 6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
shredded Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Into a Dutch oven over medium high heat, crumble the Italian sausage. Add the diced onions and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink.
Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant. Drain off the extra grease in the pan.
Add the chicken broth and diced potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the kale and cream. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the kale is just wilted.
Season the soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with the bacon and shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Some sausage processors add gluten products to their Italian sausage, so be sure to check the label to confirm. I use the Johnsonville brand and it is certified gluten free.

If the broth is too thin: Make a slurry by whisking together equal parts water and cornstarch (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and slowly add to simmering soup to thicken the broth.

To store soup: Ladle leftovers into smaller containers so that it cools quicker, then store for up to 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 477 Total Fat: 31g Saturated Fat: 14g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 18g Cholesterol: 78mg Sodium: 1448mg Carbohydrates: 30g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 5g Protein: 20g