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There’s a reason this Zuppa Toscana Soup shows up on repeat orders at Olive Garden, and once you know how to build those layers of flavor at home, you will understand exactly why. This is the recipe gets you there, spicy sausage browned until it gives up all its color and flavor, potatoes simmered tender, and kale and cream stirred in at just the right moment. It is the kind of soup that gets seconds requested before the bowls are even empty.
One of our favorite things to do is a ladies’ day out, shopping, laughing, and stopping for soup, salad, and unlimited breadsticks at Olive Garden. I love getting out with my mom, my sister, and my daughter, granddaughter an my niece. and they fill our days with just as much joy as the rest of us.
We all have our favorites off that menu, but Zuppa Toscana is always at the top of the list. After I got married and started cooking for my own family, my mom asked me to make it at home so she could have it anytime. Turns out I have a knack for turning restaurant favorites into recipes you can make in your own kitchen, and I have a few more of our Olive Garden favorites up my sleeve too.
Why you’ll love this Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
❥ Tastes just like Olive Garden. Spicy sausage, smoky bacon, tender potatoes, and kale in a rich, creamy broth, no dinner reservation required. Built for real layers of flavor. Browning the sausage and bacon first is what gives this soup its color and depth, not a shortcut you want to skip.
❥ Two ways to make it. Build it on the stovetop in about an hour, or let the slow cooker handle it while you get on with your day.
❥ Feeds a crowd. This recipe makes a full pot, perfect for family dinner with leftovers to spare.
❥ Naturally gluten free. Just double check your broth, sausage, bacon, and spices, and it fits right into a gluten free menu.
NikkiIngredients Needed for Zuppa Toscana Soup on the Stovetop
- Italian sausage: Look for a spicy Italian sausage if you want that signature Zuppa Toscana kick, or use mild if you’re serving picky eaters.
- Bacon: Cooked first so the fat renders into the pot, that’s where a lot of the flavor foundation starts.
- Onion: Cooked down with the sausage until it’s soft and almost translucent, this is where the base flavor builds.
- Garlic: Added at the very end of the sauté so it doesn’t burn, just a minute or two is all it needs.
- Chicken stock or broth: Check the label if you need this gluten free, some brands sneak in wheat-based additives.
- Russet potatoes: These hold their shape and turn creamy tender without falling apart in the pot.
- Kosher salt: Its bigger flakes give you better control over seasoning than table salt, and it dissolves cleanly without the metallic edge iodized salt can leave behind.
- Coarse black pepper: Gives the soup a little texture and bite in every spoonful instead of disappearing into the broth.
- Paprika: Adds warmth and a little color to the broth, this is what rounds out the spice from the sausage and red pepper flakes.
- Red pepper flakes: Optional, but this is where you control the heat if you like more kick than the sausage alone gives you.
- Heavy cream: Stir this in at the very end, off a hard boil, so it doesn’t curdle on you.
- Kale: Sturdy enough to hold up in the hot broth. Swap in collards or spinach if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Make Homemade Zuppa Toscana Soup
✱ Below shows step-by-step photos and instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.
Step 1 | Cook the Bacon
Cut the bacon into bite sized pieces and fry over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until crisp and the fat has rendered, about 8 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate, but leave that fat in the pot. That’s your flavor base right there.
Step 2 | Brown the Sausage
Add the sausage to the Dutch oven and cook, breaking it up as it browns, until cooked through and nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Don’t rush this part, those browned bits are doing a lot of the work in this soup.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the plate with the bacon, then leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the pot and pour off the rest.
Step 3 | Build the Base
Add the onion and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant, that’s your cue it’s ready for the next step.
Step 4 | Deglaze the Pot
Slowly stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you go. Those bits are pure flavor, don’t leave them behind.
Step 5 | Simmer the Soup
Add three quarters of the bacon, all of the sausage, the potatoes, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes.
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover, and let it do its thing until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. This is where all those layers really come together.
Step 6 | Finish with Cream, Parmesan, and Kale
About 5 minutes before serving, stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and kale.
Cook just until the kale wilts, keeping the heat gentle so the cream doesn’t curdle.
Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Step 7 | Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, parmesan cheese, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for good measure.
Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana
You still want to brown the bacon and sausage in a skillet first here, that’s where the color and flavor come from, the slow cooker can’t do that part for you.
Step 1 | Brown the Bacon and Sausage
Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate, reserving some for topping later, and leave the fat in the skillet.
Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up as it browns, until cooked through and nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the plate with the bacon, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat in the skillet.
If you have a few extra minutes, sauté the onion and garlic in that reserved fat until softened before adding everything to the slow cooker. It’s optional, but it builds even more flavor into the base.
Step 2 | Load the Slow Cooker
Add the browned bacon, sausage, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker along with the chicken stock, potatoes, kosher salt, coarse black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
Step 3 | Finish with Cream, Parmesan, and Kale
Once the cooking time is up, stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and kale, pushing the kale down into the soup so it wilts evenly. Cover and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes, that’s your cue everything’s ready to go.
Step 4 | Serve
Ladle into bowls and top with the reserved bacon, parmesan cheese, and a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Variations and Substitutions
- Kale swap: If you don’t have curly kale you can use Tuscan Kale, or baby kale. Not a fan of kale, or don’t have it on hand? Collards, spinach or Swiss chard all work well here.
- Spicy sausage: Swap in mild Italian sausage if you want to dial back the heat, or leave out the red pepper flakes entirely. If you have regular sausage you can add in add 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning or Herbs de Provence and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.
- Add more veggies: Zucchini is a great addition here. Swap it in for half the potatoes, or replace them entirely if you want more veggies in every bowl.
- Low carb: Replace the potatoes with cauliflower florets or extra zucchini to cut back on carbs without losing that hearty, spoonable texture.
- Thicker soup: If you like your zuppa toscana soup on the thicker side, whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into ¼ cup of water and stir it in when you add the cream and kale.
Shortcuts & Time Savers: Pick up pre-sliced bacon and pre-minced garlic to cut down on prep time without losing any of the flavor.
Gluten-Free Zuppa Toscana Soup
This recipe is naturally gluten free as long as your chicken stock, sausage, bacon, and spices are all certified gluten free. Some broths and sausages sneak in wheat-based fillers or additives, so always check labels carefully if you or someone you’re serving has celiac disease.
Tips for the Best Zuppa Toscana Soup
- Don’t rush the browning. The color and flavor in this soup come from browning the bacon and sausage well and scraping up those browned bits when you add the stock. Rushing this step is the easiest way to end up with a flat tasting soup.
- Add the cream at the very end, off a hard boil. This is the number one thing that goes wrong with zuppa toscana soup. If the cream hits a hard boil, it can curdle. Stir it in gently and keep the heat low once it’s in the pot.
- Slice your potatoes thin and even. Uneven pieces cook unevenly, and you’ll end up with some potatoes falling apart while others are still firm. Aim for consistent, thin slices so they cook at the same rate.
- Taste before you serve. Bacon and sausage vary a lot in saltiness from brand to brand, so always taste the soup before adding extra salt at the end.
- Save some bacon and parmesan for topping. It’s a small step, but that fresh bacon and cheese on top gives every bowl a little extra flavor and texture that gets lost if it all goes into the pot.
What to Serve With Zuppa Soup
A big salad is the natural partner here, and my Copycat Olive Garden Salad with the Olive Garden Dressing brings the whole restaurant experience home right alongside this soup.
Warm bread rounds it out perfectly. My Olive Garden Copycat Breadsticks are made for dipping into that creamy broth, or go a different direction with Carrabba’s Bread Dipping Oil if you want a little variety on the table. Either way, you’ll have that full restaurant meal without ever leaving your kitchen.
Storage, Make Ahead, Freezing Instructions
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, since a hard boil can cause the cream to separate.
Make Ahead: This soup is a great make ahead option. Make it through the simmer step, then stir in the cream, parmesan, and kale just before serving for the best texture and flavor.
Freezing: This one is not the best freezer candidate because of the cream. If you want to freeze a portion, do it before adding the cream, cheese and kale, then stir those in fresh after thawing and reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Zuppa toscana means “Tuscan soup” in Italian, but the version most people know and search for is the Americanized one made popular by Olive Garden, built on browned sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale in a rich, creamy broth rather than the traditional bean-based Tuscan soup.
Yes, brown the bacon and sausage first, then let the slow cooker handle the rest on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
t has a gentle kick from the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes, but you can dial it up or down easily by swapping to mild sausage or leaving the flakes out.
It’s not the best freezer candidate because of the cream, but you can freeze it before adding the cream, parmesan and kale, then stir those in fresh after thawing and reheating.
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Instant Pot Black-Eyed Pea and Collard Green Soup
- Pasta Fagioli Soup
- Spanish Bean Soup
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
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Zuppa Toscana Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 6 slices bacon - reserving about ¼ of it for topping
- 1 small yellow onion - diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 48 ounces chicken stock - or broth
- 5 medium russet potatoes - sliced thin and halved or quartered
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt - or to taste
- ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper - or to taste
- ½ teaspoon paprika - optional
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional – plus more for serving
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese - plus more for serving
- 4 cups curly kale - stemmed and roughly torn
Instructions
- Cut bacon into bite sized pieces and fry over medium heat in large dutch oven, until crisp and fat has rendered (about 8 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
- Add sausage to dutch oven, break up until crumbled, until cooked and nicely browned (about 10 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the plate with the bacon. Leave about 2 tablespoons of fat in the dutch oven and remove the excess.
- Add in onion and cook until almost done for 1-2 minutes or until translucent. Then, add in garlic and cooking for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Slowly stir in the chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Then add in ¾ of the bacon, all of the sausage, potatoes, salt, black pepper, paprika, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cover and cook until potatoes are fork tender, and allowing the flavors to develop about 30 to 45 minutes.
- About 5 minutes before serving add in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and kale. Cook until the kale is wilted. Taste and adjust
- Ladle into serving bowls and top with bacon, parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Notes
Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana
- Cook bacon, sausage, onion and garlic in a skillet as in directions above.
- Add everything to the slow cooker EXCEPT the cream, cheese, and kale.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, add the heavy cream, parmesan and kale, push the kale down in to the soup.
- Cover and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
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Love, love this soup.
Thank you, Carol! It’s one of my favorites, too!
So happy I found your website and this recipe!
Hubby says this is a winner!
Thank you.
Thank you, Melisa! I am so glad you are here!! <3
This soup was so delicious! It will become a staple in my kitchen.