This Zuppa Toscana soup recipe is quick and easy to make and full of rich flavor. Stovetop, Crock-Pot and Instant Pot options included!
Olive Garden Forever, xoxo
Like so many of us who grew up in the ’90s and early 2000s, I can still remember piling into a booth with friends, endless salad and breadsticks on the table, and that first spoonful of their creamy Zuppa Toscana. That rich, garlicky, cozy soup always hit the spot on a chilly evening — pure comfort in a bowl. ♡
I have to admit, it’s been ages since I’ve actually set foot in an Olive Garden, but I’ve loved making this soup at home for decades. It’s actually incredibly easy to make, and arguably even better when you can adjust the spice, creaminess, and all those crispy bacon bits to your own liking.
This homemade version comes together easily in one pot with spicy Italian sausage, creamy potatoes, kale, and a silky broth that’s pure comfort food perfection. It’s hearty enough for chilly nights but simple enough to whip up any day of the week. Serve it with some crusty bread for dunking, and you’ll see why this nostalgic classic is a forever favorite in our house.
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Recipe Tips
Here are a few quick tips to be sure that your zuppa toscana turns out perfectly each time:
- Use good-quality sausage: The sausage is the star here, so choose one with bold seasoning (spicy Italian is my favorite) to infuse the broth with lots of rich and zesty flavor.
- Don’t overcook the kale: Add it during the last few minutes of simmering so it stays vibrant green and tender, not mushy.
- Adjust the spice: If using mild sausage, feel free to add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Do some multitasking: Feel free to cook the bacon alongside the soup while it simmers to save time, if you’d like.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few variations that you’re welcome to try with this classic zuppa toscana soup:
- Add extra veggies: Sliced bell peppers, carrots, celery, leeks, mushrooms or zucchini make delicious additions. Feel free to also swap fresh baby spinach for kale.
- Add beans: Add in a can of white beans (rinsed and drained) for extra protein.
- Make it lighter: Substitute half-and-half or whole milk in place of the cream for a lighter broth. You can also swap the cream for coconut milk for a plant-based, subtly sweet twist.
- Make it vegetarian: Use plant-based sausage and vegetable stock, and skip the bacon.
FAQ
“Zuppa Toscana” translates to Tuscan soup in Italian. The Olive Garden version is loosely inspired by traditional Tuscan flavors but made with a creamy American twist — featuring sausage, potatoes, and kale in a rich broth.
Unfortunately, no, I don’t recommend freezing this one.
Highly recommend it with crusty bread and a side salad (bonus points if it’s Olive Garden–style with Italian dressing!).
Yes! Use the sauté function to brown the sausage and onion, then add the potatoes, garlic, and chicken stock. Pressure cook on High for 5 minutes, quick release, and stir in the cream and kale afterward.
Definitely. Brown the sausage and onion first, then transfer everything (except the cream and kale) to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5–6 hours or high for 2–3 hours, stir in the cream and kale, and cook another 10 minutes until wilted.
Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Zuppa Toscana recipe (inspired by the classic dish at The Olive Garden) is easy to make, full of the most delicious zesty Italian flavors, and so cozy and comforting. See note above for Crock-Pot and Instant Pot instructions.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (I recommend spicy)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
- 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
- 5 to 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 to 3 cups chopped fresh kale
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 6 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Cook sausage in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, breaking the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a separate plate, reserving 1 tablespoon grease in the stockpot for later*, and discarding the excess grease. (I actually like to briefly rinse my cooked sausage in a strainer to remove even more excess grease.) Set aside.
- Add onions to the stockpot (with the grease), and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and sauté for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, and cooked sausage, and continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the kale and cream, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm, garnished with the bacon bits.
So happy I tried this!!! It was so easy and absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I have tried making a similar recipe and the soup was so greasy:( Thank you for the suggestion of rinsing the sausage a little… made such a difference!! Really good!!
This is soooo good!! And easy!!
The bacon is a garnish
So easy, So delicious!!! Shared with friends and everyone went back for seconds. I did add another cup of water and an additional 1/2 cup of half/half. This is my all time favorite soup from Olive Garden. Love that I can now make!! Happy Holidays.
Please help… Made this tonight. What’s the best way to thicken it, even though it’s done?
Thanks
I made this recipe after a friend recommended it. I made it without bacon and used Beyond Meat Spicy Italian sausage instead of traditional sausage. I also swapped vegetable broth for chicken broth. It was incredible!! And my husband asked me to make it again!!
Oh Kristie I’m going to try it your way too.
I see bacon on the ingredients but not in the recipe.. where does the bacon come into play? Thank you!!
I was a little confused, too, but at the end it says to just sprinkle on top as a garnish — it looks like the recipe just forgot to include the part where you cook it. :) I fry mine, but I’ve heard baking it is a good alternative also!
Cook the bacon separately and top your souo with it. I’ve made it and left it out before and it was still delicious!
You sprinkle it on top after the soup is done when serving it.
recipe calls for “cooked & crumbled” bacon…it’s a garnish, not a component of the recipe.
The best soup I ever made!
It’s was yummy and flavorful. Was not very creamy more soupy/watery. Any suggestions to what I may have done wrong, welcomed. I plan to make again.
This soup isn’t really a creamy soup. Evebthough it has cream in it, at OG it’s still a brothy soup.
Is it possible to cut this recipe in half? I’m wondering if you need to modify the time for the Instant Pot.
Excited to try this!
Cooked via the slow cooker and did the following:
– Didn’t drain or rinse the sausage as I like it really brown, and there wasn’t a lot of grease leftover. I also wanted the flavor.
– Omitted the bacon since it was just a garnish.
– Used heavy cream, but think I will use half-and-half in the future.
– Used baby Dutch yellow potatoes since I couldn’t find Yukon gold.
– Used low sodium chicken stock (I’m afraid things will get too salty!) but may use regular in the future.
– Used more than 2 cups of kale. Recipe didn’t state whether or not to cut off the stems but I did.
I ended up having to add at least (rough estimate) of 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 of pepper, and maybe 1/2 to 1 teaspoons of season salt to add flavor. I also added around 1/4 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes because I do like things spicy! Brought this for lunch at work and really liked that the kale was still crunchy!
Thanks for the estimations in salt and pepper. I understand why recipes are marked to taste but it’s nice to know where to start. Mine is in the instant pot right now! I added 1/4 t chipotle chili pepper because we like some spice too. ☺️