I bet you have finished a bowl of Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup and wondered if you could make this soup at home. Yes, you can make this favorite soup from Olive Garden! You will have a creamy soup filled with crispy bacon, chicken stock, and pork sausage that becomes a family favorite from the first taste.
On a cold winter many years ago, I craved the comforting warmth of Olive Garden’s famous Zuppa Toscana. Instead of heading to the restaurant, I decided to recreate this beloved soup in my kitchen. After numerous attempts and tweaks, I’ve perfected this copycat recipe that captures the essence of the original with a creamy, savory soup that’s both hearty and satisfying.
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Table of Contents
Why This is the Best Recipe for Zuppa Toscana
This is the best copycat, Zuppa Toscana, because it contains everything you love about this soup. Italian sausage, many Russet potatoes, and bits of smokey bacon are all served in a creamy broth. This Italian soup is packed with everything so that you can enjoy this delicious soup at home. Be sure to serve it with some crusty bread!
What is Zuppa Toscana?
Zuppa is an Italian word for soup. Toscana is the Italian name for the region of Tuscany. So Zuppa Toscana is Tuscan soup.
Olive Garden Tuscan soup is creamy, hearty, and loaded with Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and kale. It is an excellent meal with Olive Garden breadsticks and Italian salad. It is also Olive Garden’s most famous soup, and serves countless bowls of it every day.
Why This Recipe Works
This is the best copycat, Zuppa Toscana, because it contains everything you love about this soup. Italian sausage, russet potatoes, and bits of smoky bacon are all served in a creamy broth that perfectly balances richness with hearty satisfaction. The key is browning the sausage properly in the oven to develop deep flavors, then building the soup base with aromatics before finishing with cream and fresh kale. This method ensures each component maintains its distinct character while melding into a harmonious, restaurant-quality soup.
Zuppa Toscana Soup Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make this hearty homemade soup.
- Mild Italian sausage – provides the primary savory flavor and meaty texture
- Russet Potatoes – adds heartiness and helps thicken the soup naturally
- White onion – creates a flavor foundation and adds natural sweetness
- Chicken Broth – forms the soup base and adds depth. Low-sodium broth is recommended
- Water – helps achieve the perfect consistency
- Garlic cloves – adds aromatic depth and traditional Italian flavor
- Slices of bacon or Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits – contributes smokiness and rich umami flavor
- Kosher salt – enhances all flavors
- Ground black pepper – adds subtle heat and depth
- Fresh kale – adds nutrition, color, and slight bitterness
- Heavy cream – creates the signature creamy texture
Nutritional information can be found on the recipe card below.
How to Make Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
- Place the sausages in a baking pan—brown sausage by roasting at 300°F for 30 minutes or until cooked through.
- Drain sausages on paper towels to absorb the excess grease and cut the links into slices.
- Place the potatoes, onions, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a large pot or large Dutch oven and cook on medium heat until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Add the sausage, bacon, salt, and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low. Add kale and cream and stir to combine.
- Add more water if necessary for desired consistency.
- Heat thoroughly and serve.
Pro Tips and Common Questions
Ingredient Substitutions
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes can replace Russet
- Sausage: Spicy Italian sausage for extra heat
- Kale: Spinach or Swiss chard work well
- Heavy Cream: Half-and-half for a lighter version
Make It Your Own
This recipe is incredibly versatile. Try these variations:
- Add mushrooms for extra earthiness
- Include cannellini beans for more protein
- Use turkey sausage for a lighter version
- Add a splash of white wine for depth
Troubleshooting Tips
- Soup too thick? Add water or broth gradually
- Soup too thin? Simmer longer or add more potatoes
- Too mild? Add red pepper flakes or use spicy sausage
- Potatoes not cooking evenly? Cut them into uniform sizes
Cooking and Serving Suggestions for the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe
- Use a food chopper. The time required to make this recipe revolves around cutting the vegetables. Save time and get perfectly diced onions and sliced potatoes with an inexpensive and indispensable food chopper. These inexpensive food prep tools are a must-have time-saver in any kitchen.
- Serve with warm slices of Tuscan bread to make Zuppa Toscana a simple supper. Tuscan bread is unique because it is baked without salt. Some people say there is no salt in bread from the region because the stubborn residents refused to pay high salt taxes during the Middle Ages. Other people think saltless bread pairs well with the traditionally heavy and salty local food. Either way, Tuscan bread goes great with this soup.
- Top each bowl with cheese and a splash of olive oil. A tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on top of your soup just before serving helps provide a luscious mouthfeel. A little grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese on top helps balance the soup’s richness.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Freezing: Freezes well in airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before reheating.
- Refrigerator Storage: Store leftover soup in airtight container for up to 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Like many soups, this tastes better the next day.
- Reheating Method: Reheat on stovetop over low to medium heat for even warming. Avoid microwave as it can cause uneven heating and texture issues.
Love Olive Garden? Try these copycat recipes!
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- Olive Garden Spinach Dip
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- Seafood Alfredo
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Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana – Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage links
- 1 pound russet potatoes peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 29 ounces chicken broth (2 cans)
- 1 quart water
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped slices of bacon or Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits(1/2 can)
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups chopped kale
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Place the sausages in a baking pan and roast for about 30 minutes or until cooked through. Drain sausages on paper towels and cut into slices.
- If you are using fresh bacon slices, saute bacon in a small skillet until the bacon has browned.
- Place the potatoes, onions, chicken broth, water, and garlic in a pot and cook on medium heat until potatoes are done.
- Add the sausage, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat to low. Add kale and cream. Stir to combine.
- Add more water, if necessary for desired consistency.
- Heat thoroughly and serve.
I am trying to eat healthier and I remembered that this recipe was pretty low in calories, but just to take it a step further, I substituted Greek yogurt for the cream and omitted the bacon. I would recommend mixing at the end. Add stock to the yogurt and whisk, then add to the soup.
Did the yogurt break down with the heat?
We do not include the bacon and switch 1/2 and 1/2 for the heavy cream. We also use Chicken Base instead of boulillon to omit any added sugar. We add the kale to individual bowls as we eat to keep the cripsness. We also use a few more spuds than what they call for. Super yummy
This recipe is fantastic! I added some fennel seeds! and my family enjoyed it!
I am glad you liked this recipe.
I made this recipe today cuz Im a huge fan of this Olive Garden soup, and it was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! I loved the recipe, very simple and easy to make and it tastes just like the restaurant. The only change I made was to use only 1 can of chicken broth, and then 1 can of water! =) Thank you for posting this Stephanie! Im gonna try the Chicken Gnocchi tomorrow!
It’s better without the cream, this isn’t a soup that’s very worthy of cream.
what is the alternative if you dont have heavy whip cream?
Canned evaporated milk may work well.
For a time saver – instead of baking the sausage, I place them on a microwave safe plate, piercing both sides. Cover with paper towel and microwave in high 6 minutes. Turn. Replace with new paper towel and microwave another 6 minutes.
Great tip on the microwave.
Does this recipe freeze well?
It freezes ok, I personally don’t like how the kale comes out after it is frozen.
I think it freezes ok, but I am personally not wild about frozen food.
sitting in heaven as i write!! this soup is the best thank you for sharing it was easy to make affordable and delicious all at once !! It tastes just like olive garden’s and i can now satisfy my craving at anytime thanks to you . My son and husband are lovin it as well. Thanks for MAKING ME ROCK THE KITCHEN TODAY :0)
I am so happy this worked out well for you. There is nothing like getting validation from your family. It makes all of the difference in the world when they love your cooking.
A waitress ( OG) told me that their chefs add a lot of butter. When you order the at OG, notice the yellow sheen in the soup.
can you use anything in place of chicken broth?
My wife made this soup. I love Zuppa at Olive Garden and this recipe is a true COPY CAT. Love this soup. My brothers family was over and they all loved it, even the three year old. Thanks for the recipe
I am happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
I love this recipe. I do have a couple of suggestions. First, use real bacon. Freeze two bacon strips, then use kitchen scissors to cut them into 1/4″ pieces. Cook the bacon until crisp in the pot, and remove it, and set aside, then pour off all but one tablespoon of the fat. Saute the onion until soft, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Remove the onion and garlic and add to the bacon bits. remove the skins from the Italian sausage, and crumble the meat into the pot. Saute until softened but not yet browned. Remove sausage and add to bacon/onion/garlic, leaving behind as much of the fat in the pan as possible. Pour off the fat, and return ingredients to pot. Add potatoes (I peel mine before dicing), Kale (I remove the stringy ribs before chopping) , and one quart of half-and-half. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste.
Just made this recipe for dinner. I didn’t change anything. All that was missing was the bread sticks!
Delicious! And so easy to make. Great for a chilly day!
im trying ground turkey in mine to cut out fat and keep the red pepper flakes for a low fat soup
Whats the different between chicken broth and chicken stock?
Let’s see broth is tasty on its own, stock is basically water that has been cooked with meat and vegetables, and isn’t intended for eating without additional steps. I call for broth, if you are using stock, I would be sure to adjust for proper seasoning.
Video ingredients & written recipe ingredients do not match. Video uses red pepper (not in written recipe) and also video does NOT use water (as listed in written recipe).
Let’s see, I added a little red pepper because the sausage didn’t have enough by looking at it. I should have noted that. My editor cut out the water that was added, why ? I don’t know.
Stephanie, have you ever made this soup the night before???? If so, is it just as good?
Made this today! Delicious and exactly like the OG soup but cheaper lol. I used hot Italian sausage and it tastes even better. Thank you so much for the recipe!
I like to boil the potatoes separately (in a different batch of water) drain them and add them to the soup later. That makes it more creamy, and less starchy. If you like it thicker, though – as some others are saying, cook them in the broth.
ALSO. This makes a great slow cooker recipe. Throw everything in in the morning (except for the kale and cream) and let it cook. Throw the kale and cream in a few minutes before serving and voila.