Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Nov. 8, 2024
This Zuppa Toscana is savory and creamy, brimming with the goodness of sausage, kale, and potatoes. It’s super comforting, and is even better than the restaurant!
In This Article
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Video: watch us make this Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
There’s something extra special about this homemade version of Olive Garden’s popular soup. Here’s why this recipe is a winner:
- All Easy Ingredients: The recipe uses simple, easy-to-find ingredients, most of which you probably already have in your pantry.
- Better than the Restaurant: This Zuppa Toscana is savory, brothy, and creamy with the goodness of sausage, kale, and potatoes in every bite. It’s better than the restaurant, like our Pasta e Fagioli.
- Meal in One: This soup can be a meal on its own, or it can be served with a quick and easy salad or your favorite bread recipe for a heartier meal.
- Good Enough For Guests: Whether it’s a cozy family dinner, a casual get-together with friends, or a comforting meal on a cold day, this soup is just perfect.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Italian Sausage – The star of our Zuppa Toscana, this ground sausage is packed with classic Italian flavors that infuse the soup with a rich, savory essence.
- Russet Potatoes – Sliced thinly, these starchy potatoes release their natural starches into the soup as they cook, helping to thicken the broth and add a hearty texture.
- Half and Half – This creamy addition brings a lusciously smooth texture to the soup, while also toning down some of the spiciness of the sausage.
- Kale – We love the way the crisp flavor of fresh kale contrasts with the richness of the soup.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite substitution and variation ideas:
- Vary the Protein: While we love the flavor of Italian sausage in this soup, feel free to substitute it with ground turkey sausage or chicken sausage.
- Adjust Creaminess: For a richer soup, you can replace the half and half with heavy cream. Alternatively, you can use whole milk for a lighter option.
- Different Greens: Spinach makes a great substitute for kale in soups, and it would work well in this recipe too.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot. Reserve a small amount of grease and cook the onions in it.
- Add the seasonings, potatoes, and chicken broth to the pot. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer.
- Stir in the half and half, kale, and the cooked sausage. Let the soup simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish the soup with diced bacon and parmesan before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Prep the Ingredients: This soup comes together quite quickly, but you can make it even faster by prepping the ingredients in advance. You can remove the casings from the Italian sausage, chop the onion, clean and slice the potatoes, and chop the kale ahead of time. Store these prepped ingredients in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
- Make it a Freezer Meal: Zuppa Tuscano also makes a great freezer meal. Simply cook the soup according to the recipe, let it cool completely, then store it in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Allow it to thaw overnight before reheating.
What To Serve With Zuppa Toscana
Bread
- You can’t go wrong with some Olive Garden Style Bread Sticks on the side. They’re the perfect way to round out the meal!
- This Easiest Garlic Cheese Bread is another great option that the kids will devour. We also love these Easy Dinner Rolls.
- For a crusty, chewy option, go for this easy French Bread recipe.
Vegetables
- Add some extra greens to your meal by serving this soup alongside your favorite salad recipe. We personally love our Easy Chopped Greek Salad.
- This Warm Chorizo Spinach Salad is also incredible with Zuppa Toscana, and so is a Classic Caesar Salad.
- Some Easy Roasted Vegetables truly elevate this soup!
Commonly Asked Questions
What type of sausage is best for Zuppa Toscana?
We recommend using ground Italian sausage with the casings removed for this recipe. You can choose sweet or spicy, depending on your preference. If you can’t find ground Italian sausage, you can also use Italian sausage links and simply remove the casings before cooking.
How do I know when the potatoes are cooked?
The potatoes are cooked when they are tender. You can test this by poking them with a fork. They should easily slide off the fork when they’re done. Be careful not to overcook them.
How long does Zuppa Toscano keep?
Zuppa Toscano will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)
This Zuppa Toscana is a mouthwatering replica of the one served at Olive Garden, except that homemade is always better! Fresh, hot, and makes a big pot that tastes delicious as leftovers. It will be a sure hit!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground Italian sausage, casings removed
- 12 slices bacon, cooked and diced
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 7 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ lbs russet potatoes, cleaned and sliced into thin pieces
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp table salt, plus more to taste if needed
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups half and half
- 2 cups kale leaves, chopped, packed tightly
- parmesan cheese , finely shredded, for serving
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot or dutch oven, over medium-high heat, cook sausage and break up into pieces while cooking.
- Transfer sausage to a separate dish, but reserve 1-2 tsp of the grease in the pot.
- Add diced onions to pot and cook until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, potatoes, sugar, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Bring soup to a boil, and immediately reduce to medium-low. Stir in half and half, kale, and cooked sausage.
- Cover pot and simmer 10-15 minutes or just until potatoes are nicely tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- If desired, skim top to remove excess fat from soup. Ladle soup into bowls, garnished with diced bacon and parmesan.
Notes
- Cook the bacon until it’s crispy and chop it into small pieces. This will give your Zuppa a delicious crunch and smoky flavor.
- Chop your onions finely so that they cook evenly and blend well into the soup. This also helps to avoid large chunks of onion in every spoon.
- Adding sugar may seem unusual, but it helps to balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the bitterness of the kale, giving your soup a more rounded flavor.
- This recipe is part of our Italian Recipe Collection.
- You can’t go wrong with some Olive Garden Style Bread Sticks on the side. They’re the perfect way to round out the meal!
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 510kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 1937mg | Potassium: 771mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1907IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg
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