Craving the rich, hearty flavors of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup, but want to enjoy it from the comfort of your own home? This, my friend, is the recipe for you! Creamy broth, spicy Italian sausage, crispy bacon, and tender potatoes come together in just one pot—making it budget-friendly and family-approved. Trust me, after one bite, they’ll be begging you to make it again and again!
My top tips for making this recipe a winner: Go for mild Italian sausage—it delivers loads of flavor without overpowering the dish with too much heat. When it comes to the kale, opt for fresh bunches, not the pre-chopped kind! Removing the stems before chopping gives you the best tender texture.
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I have always loved the Olive Garden breadsticks. And when you combine them with their salad and that Italian Dressing… there are NO words.
Then, one day I opted to get the soup. Not the Chicken Gnocchi Soup or the Minestrone Soup, but this Zuppa Toscana... WOW!
When I say it was good, I mean it was GOOD. I actually loved it more than the breadsticks—who would have thought that was possible!?!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, you can jump to the recipe.
- Bacon. This recipe calls for pork, but you can easily sub in turkey bacon if you prefer.
- Italian sausage. Be sure to get MILD sausage so you can better control the spiciness of the dish. The spicy Italian version might overwhelm the dish.
- Russet potatoes. These are best for achieving the authentic texture you’ll find at the restaurant, but you can absolutely substitute red or white potatoes.
- Onion. A sweet onion perfectly balances out the spiciness of the sausage.
- Red pepper flakes. These are crucial for creating the spice you know and love. Feel free to increase or decrease the amount based on your personal preference.
- Kale. Look for a bunch of kale, rather than bagged or chopped, for the best taste and texture.
- Half and half. This is the more authentic way to make this soup. You can sub for heavy cream to make it more decadent or regular milk to keep it a little lighter.
- Milk and cornstarch. This is a good alternative if you want to make it healthier (You can even use a plant-based alternative, if dairy-free, too!)
How to Make Zuppa Toscana
Jump to the recipe for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
- Crisp the bacon. Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium. Add the chopped bacon and cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
- Cook the onion and garlic. Add diced onion to the leftover bacon grease. Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender and fragrant. Add minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Brown the ground sausage. Push the onion and garlic to one side of the pot. Add the sausage and cook for 7-8 minutes, breaking it apart with a potato masher. Drain excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Pour in the chicken broth, then add potatoes, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Finish the soup and serve. Stir in half and half, chopped kale, and cooked bacon. Let it rest briefly before serving, garnishing with fresh parsley and optional Parmesan.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Storage: Make sure the dish comes to room temperature before storing in a container and placing in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to 3 to 4 days. (Do NOT add kale if storing for more than 24 hours.)
- Freezing: Allow leftovers to chill in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Then, transfer to a freezer-safe, airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
- Reheating: For the best results, warm leftovers back up on the stovetop. You can use the microwave for individual servings.
FAQs
This is a delicious and creamy soup. However, there are some ingredients with a higher calorie and fat count. If you make it with a leaner sausage, or even turkey sausage, and use milk instead of heavy cream it makes this a slightly healthier choice!
This name generally refers to Italian soup made with hearty vegetables and a meat. The most famous version in America is from Olive Garden, which features sausage, bacon, potatoes, and veggies in a creamy base.
Zuppa Toscana literally means “Tuscan soup,” so it’s safe to assume it is originally from Tuscany in Italy. There are many variations of this recipe. In Italy, it is called “Minestra di Pane,” which translates to “bread soup.”
To make this dish fit in a dairy-free diet, opt for a plant-based milk.
What to Serve it With
This soup can easily be the main dish, or you can serve it alongside something else.
Pair it with a salad like Roasted Beet Salad or a side salad with Olive Garden Italian Dressing.
You can also opt for Italian Dressing Pasta Salad or even Tomato Bruschetta.
More Soup Recipes
There are so many popular soups, it’s impossible to try them all.
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Irish Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Baked Potato Soup.
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Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 oz. bacon finely chopped
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 lb. Italian sausage ground, mild or hot
- 6 cups chicken broth regular sodium
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup half and half heavy cream, or milk (see note)
- 4 cups kale ribs removed and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Add bacon to a large Dutch oven over medium heat and saute for 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove the pieces using a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.4 oz. bacon
- Add the diced onion to the pot with the reserved bacon grease. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until tender and then add the minced garlic. Continue sauteing for an additional 30 seconds or until it becomes fragrant.1 small sweet onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Push the onion to the side and add the ground sausage. Cook for 7-8 minutes or until it’s cooked through. Use a potato masher to break apart the meat into finer crumbles. Drain all fat from the pot except for 2 tablespoons. Discard the rest.1 lb. Italian sausage
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the potatoes, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.6 cups chicken broth, 2 lbs. russet potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼-½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Turn the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
- Pour in the half and half and stir to combine. Add the chopped kale and cooked bacon pieces. Allow the soup to cool for a few minutes before serving with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.1 cup half and half, 4 cups kale
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Notes
- Nutrition: Facts are calculated with half and half.
- Storage: Make sure the soup comes to room temperature before storing in a container and placing in the refrigerator. Soup will keep well for up to 3 to 4 days. (Do NOT add kale if storing for more than 24 hours.)
- Heavy cream/half and half: If you’d like to lighten this soup up, simply combine 1 cup of warmed milk (regular or plant-based) with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk until well combined before pouring into the soup. You can also use a plant-based milk if you’re dairy-free.
- Kale. Don’t forget to remove those tough stems for the most tender texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As someone who worked at Olive garden for 4 years making their soups and sauces you are almost spot on the recipe a little hint though just take the red pepper flake and cook it with your sausage it makes for a better and don’t use the grease from it because it makes it thick and puts a greasy flare on the top of it when you go to cool it and also use heavy cream instead of milk it’ll make it a little bit more thicker consistency not much thicker but it does help with it
Thanks so much for these tips! I definitely agree that heavy cream is the way for the best taste/texture, but I always try to give dairy-free alternatives to those that need it!
Everyone now loves my Toscana soup more than Olive garden..
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Tina! It’s so fun to beat the restaurant version. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Can you tell me the measurements for each ingredient?
Hi! The measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post 🙂
I made this soup tonight using the instant pot. It took one hour and 45 minutes from step 1 to on the table, and my husband even helped. It was delicious! Close to the restaurant version!!
Hi Naomi! I am SO happy to hear you and the hubby enjoyed it so much but I’m sorry to hear it took you so long. Was it the prepping/chopping steps? Thanks for your feedback and rating!
I’m not sure why it took so long. I followed the recipe and timed the sautee steps.
This looks just like what they serve at Olive Garden. Is it unlimited too?
Lol. It totally can be!! Thanks so much for your comment, Jackie!