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)
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.
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
My entire house smells wonderful. I tasted it, it doesn’t have the cream or the kale in it and it tastes delicious already. I’m taking it to an Italian theme dinner and can’t wait to share it.
Thank you.
it’s amazing this is my 33 time making it
Amazing recipe! It’s easy, it’s delicious and it tastes just like the zuppa from Olive Garden. That soup, plus salad, is my go-to order at OG, because I’m gluten free and those are sure to be okay for me. I was hungry for it and looked for a copycat recipe, and this is exactly right! I love it. I followed the recipe exactly (well,mostly –
the only exception was I added a few chopped mushrooms that I needed to use up). It’s perfect.
I want to make this for a family soup potluck. How is it reheated? As we can’t all use the stove it’d be easier to reheat for the event.
Ohhhh my gawsh delicious!!!! Recipe is perfect!!! Thank you!!! Husband doesn’t like kale so I substituted spinach. But that’s just personal preference.. Recipe is flawless. I didn’t use heavy cream because I only had half-and-half and it’s still turned out amazing, along with the broth. I literally have no need to go to Olive Garden anymore lol
If you would like low carb, sub cauliflower for potatoes. It’s very good.
The recipe is missing instructions for the bacon. It’s listed in the ingredients but never mentioned in the procedure.
The recipe says “6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled” in the ingredient list. So you just cook them however you wish. I’m making this now and I stuck them in the oven because I had something else in there already. 15-20 minutes at 350.
Honestly I’ve never had any soups at Olive Garden but this happens to be the trend this year. ( 2025) so I hopped on. The soup is delicious. I couldn’t find Kale so I used collard greens. I will definitely make this again. I made home made rolls with mine and a salad. :) Thanks for the recipe. :)
When do you put the bacon in? At the last?
I was going by the written instructions and didn’t add bacon until I went back up to ingredients and had to thaw out my bacon and cook it after my soup was done. I hope that’s ok.
Yes I loved this soup so much taste exactly like the original soup, I used to go to my great grandmother’s house and she would make this she knew the founder of olive garden and she actually was one of their first cooks so she knew this recipe by hart, loved it growing up!! But when I make I all ways use my homemade spices that I make and sell on karenscookslard.www try it out anyway this is Karen and if you heard it from Karen you heard it best 😉
This is a repeat recipe in my house, it is SO good. The broth is like liquid gold. I use spicy sausage and I add red pepper flakes to taste because I like a little more heat. It’s so easy to put together and is a hit every time I make it!