I bet you have finished a bowl of the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup and wondered if you could make this soup. Yes, you can make this favorite soup from the Olive Garden. You will have a creamy soup filled with crispy bacon, chicken stock, and pork sausage. The first time you taste your homemade soup, it will become a family favorite.
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Copycat Zuppa Toscana
When you try this Olive Garden copycat recipe, you won’t need to go out for unlimited soup and breadsticks any longer. I make this hearty soup often, but I must confess, the Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant, so I still go back all the time!
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.
What Makes Italian Sausage Italian?
Sausage is the star of this soup, so it needs to be the highest quality Italian sausage you can find. Make sure to select Italian sausages for this recipe because it has an entirely different flavor profile than other types of sausage, such as Andouille or Chorizo.
Italian sausages combine finely ground pork, pork fat, and seasonings inside a natural casing. The main seasonings which give them their unique flavor are fennel and anise.
Unlike other varieties of sausages, Italian sausages are always raw and never smoked or precooked. You will need to make sure to cook them thoroughly before serving.
Don’t be confused about the labeling on the package. You will often see Italian sausages labeled as ‘mild,’ ‘sweet’, or ‘hot’ in the supermarket.
Mild and sweet sausages are two different words companies use to describe the same ingredients.
The word ‘hot’ indicates that red pepper flakes are part of the pork mixture. The spiciness of hot Italian sausages varies by brand.
Hot or sweet Italian sausages work for this recipe, so choose whichever one you usually enjoy. You can also make Italian Sausage and season it to your liking.
Zuppa Toscana Soup Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need to make this hearty homemade soup.
- Mild Italian sausage – You can use spicy Italian sausage
- Russet Potatoes is what the restaurant uses; Yukon Gold is another great option
- White onion – You can use yellow onion as well. I find it adds a bit more heat than what the restaurant serves.
- Chicken Broth – Homemade makes a more delicious broth, but canned will work, I recommend low-sodium
- Water
- Garlic cloves
- Slices of bacon or Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh kale
- Heavy cream
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.
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 w
How to Store Leftover Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
Like many soups, this soup tastes better the next day! Store any leftover soup in an airtight plastic container in your refrigerator.
How long is Zuppa Toscana good for in the fridge?
Should you have any soup leftover you can store it in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. It should be consumed within three to five days. After this point, the soup should be frozen to be eaten later.
Does Zuppa Toscana freeze well?
Zuppa Toscana does freeze well. You should store this in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Best Way to Reheat Soup
You may be tempted to place this soup in the microwave, but soup is best reheated on the stovetop. Simply reheat the amount you will need over low to medium heat. This way all of the soup will reheat evenly.
Love Olive Garden? Try these copycat recipes!
Here are some of the most popular recipes for Olive Garden:
- Alfredo Sauce
- Watermelon Sangria
- Olive Garden Spinach Dip
- Capellini Pomodoro
- Seafood Alfredo
- Steak Gorgonzola Alfredo
- Shrimp Carbonara
- Peach Cheesecake
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Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
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.
BAMF
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.
stephaniemanley
Did the yogurt break down with the heat?
Lori
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
Quelady
This recipe is fantastic! I added some fennel seeds! and my family enjoyed it!
Stephanie
I am glad you liked this recipe.
Denise D. Coy
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!
Slagathor
It’s better without the cream, this isn’t a soup that’s very worthy of cream.
analee chan
what is the alternative if you dont have heavy whip cream?
stephaniemanley
Canned evaporated milk may work well.
Debster
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.
stephaniemanley
Great tip on the microwave.
Katrina Ballesteros
Does this recipe freeze well?
Stephanie
It freezes ok, I personally don’t like how the kale comes out after it is frozen.
stephaniemanley
I think it freezes ok, but I am personally not wild about frozen food.
busybonds
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)
Stephanie
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.
bruce
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.
kaylaGray
can you use anything in place of chicken broth?
Vincent Holbrook
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
Stephanie
I am happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Rich Shewmaker
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.
Sherry Burroughs
Just made this recipe for dinner. I didn’t change anything. All that was missing was the bread sticks!
Sophia Bustos Garza
Delicious! And so easy to make. Great for a chilly day!
fifi_66
im trying ground turkey in mine to cut out fat and keep the red pepper flakes for a low fat soup
Dee Dee Hollis-Collins
Whats the different between chicken broth and chicken stock?
Stephanie Manley
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.
Kispench
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).
Stephanie Manley
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.
Jeanetta
Stephanie, have you ever made this soup the night before???? If so, is it just as good?
Alma S
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!
Megs
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.