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Love the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana? It’s so simple to recreate it at home. This creamy sausage, bacon, potato, and kale soup is total comfort food!

Try my Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli, Easy Chicken Gnocchi Soup, or Minestrone Soup Recipe for more restaurant-quality dishes you can replicate in your kitchen.

a bowl of zuppa toscana

Why you’ll love it

If you haven’t tried Zuppa Toscana yet, it’s about time you do! It’s immensely popular for a reason. It’s simple to make even for new cooks, very satisfying, and feels like a cozy yet impressive treat that you could easily serve for company.

Our sausage, bacon, potato, and kale soup has everyday ingredients, and you can control exactly what’s going into this robust soup that’s inspired by the Olive Garden favorite. We think this copycat recipe is way better than the original!

What is Zuppa Toscana?

  • “Zuppa Toscana” literally means “Tuscan soup”, but from an American point of view, it commonly refers to the soup found at the Olive Garden restaurant with sausage, kale, and bacon. It’s a fairly brothy (not too thick) soup that’s definitely not authentic Italian, but it sure is tasty.

What you’ll need

  • Bacon – I chose thick cut
  • Sausage – Johnsonville mild Italian is my go-to variety for this soup. Ground sausage meat is good too.
  • Onion and garlic – our aromatic base. I like sweet Vidalia onions.
  • Broth and water – I prefer using chicken broth, but beef broth works as well
  • Potatoes – we like using red potatoes with their skins on
  • Italian seasoning – fragrant dried herbs like rosemary and thyme are found in this tasty blend that’s all in a single jar
  • Heavy cream – it’s what makes that broth irresistibly creamy!
  • Kale – another signature component for a burst of freshness
ingredients for zuppa toscana on a marble counter

What’s the best kind of potatoes to use?

  • I typically use red, but Russet potatoes, Yukon Gold, or even other varieties will work just fine. I don’t peel them, but you definitely can.
  • This soup is pretty forgiving on the quantity of potatoes. I typically use four medium-to-large red potatoes, which I know is really subjective. I’d aim for around 1.5 pounds of potatoes if you’re looking for a specific weight. 

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

How to make Zuppa Toscana

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

frying bacon and sausage in a soup pot

Sauté the bacon in your soup pot. Give it a few minutes head start prior to adding the sausage pieces. Cook until the bacon is crispy and the sausage is browned. Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients as it’s cooking.

adding onion and broth to a soup pot for zuppa toscana

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sauté for a few minutes, then add the chicken broth and water to the pot, followed by the potatoes and Italian seasoning. Bring the soup to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are done.

adding cream and kale to finish zuppa toscana

Stir in the cream and kale. Cook for another 5-10 minutes or so until the kale is nice and tender to your liking. Season with salt & pepper to taste!

Crockpot and Instant Pot methods

  • Want to make it in your Instant Pot? Head on over to my Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana recipe.
  • To make Zuppa Toscana in a slow cooker, do steps 1-4 (in the recipe card below) in a skillet, and then transfer to your Crockpot. Add in remaining ingredients except for the cream, kale, and salt & pepper. Cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 on low, then add in the cream and kale about 20-30 minutes prior to serving. Season with salt & pepper as desired.

Substitutions and variations

  • A lot of people like a spicy version, so feel free to use hot Italian sausage if you want a kick, or try 1/4 tsp or more of crushed red pepper flakes for a gentle heat.
  • Substituting spinach instead of the kale works fine, but it’ll wilt much faster, so make sure to watch it carefully.
  • If you need to, replace the cream with half-and-half, but with recipes like this, I prefer to go all out. You can’t beat real cream, in my opinion!
  • Go ahead and grate some fresh parmesan cheese on top for even more luxuriousness.

What to serve with Zuppa Toscana

Leftovers and storage

  • This soup makes great leftovers. It’ll keep in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
  • If you freeze the soup, it can separate a bit when reheating, though, so reheat on a low temperature and stir it well. Alternatively, if you’re planning for a lot of leftovers, just add in the cream when thawing and reheating.
a pot and ladle of zuppa toscana

Have you tried Zuppa Toscana? Leave a comment below. Questions? Let me know! You can also tag me on Instagram #saltandlavender with your beautiful creations.

a bowl of zuppa toscana
4.89 from 93 votes

Easy Zuppa Toscana

Love the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana? It's so simple to recreate it at home. This creamy sausage, bacon, potato, and kale soup is total comfort food!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 5 strips of bacon (thick cut works best)
  • 1 pound Italian sausage see note
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 cups chicken broth (beef works too)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 large red potatoes diced (leave skins on)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 cup heavy/whipping cream
  • 1 small bunch of kale torn into bite-size pieces (remove stems)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Using kitchen shears (or a knife), cut the bacon into small pieces and add it to a pot. Cook for 5 minutes over medium-high heat to give the bacon a bit of a head start before adding in the sausage.
  • Add the sausage meat to the pot.
  • Allow the sausage and bacon to get nicely browned and crispy (this can take 15+ minutes). Stir occasionally. There may be quite a lot of fat in the pot (especially if you're using thick cut bacon), so you may want to spoon some out and discard it, but be sure to leave a few tablespoons in there as it adds flavor.
  • Stir in the onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth, water, potatoes, and Italian seasoning to the pot.
  • Increase the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat to simmer.
  • Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  • Add in the cream and kale, and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the kale is soft and wilted. Season with salt & pepper as needed.

Notes

  • To save prep time, I chop the onion and potatoes while the bacon and sausage cook.
  • For the sausage, either use ground sausage meat or a pack of Italian sausages (I use a 5-pack of Johnsonville mild Italian sausages that’s 500g/17.6 oz. here in Canada) and take the meat out of the casings. A little more than a pound is totally fine!
  • Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes would work if you don’t want to use red potatoes. Aim for approx. 1.5 pounds of potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 669kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 46g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 18g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 1040mg, Potassium: 1512mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2775IU, Vitamin C: 45mg, Calcium: 138mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

Leave a star rating and comment below!

This post was originally published on September 23, 2015. I’ve updated it with new photos, text, and a better written recipe! 


Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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4.89 from 93 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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256 Comments

  1. charlene seprish says:

    I have one word YUM!!!! I used half and half since that is what I had on hand. Definitely a keeper!!!

    1. Natasha says:

      Fantastic!!

  2. Adele says:

    5 stars
    Well you did it again! Delicious and easy to make. I used spinach instead of kale because it was available. I will make this often. Thanks Natasha!

    1. Natasha says:

      So happy you enjoyed it, Adele! ๐Ÿ™‚ XO

  3. Suzy Brenton says:

    This Italian soup is fabulous. I followed the recipe exactly. It’s going in the permanent collection!

    1. Natasha says:

      So happy to hear that, Suzy!!

  4. A. H. says:

    5 stars
    Wonderful! We use smoked sausage.

    1. Natasha says:

      Great!!

  5. Carol Wayman says:

    5 stars
    I tweaked the recipe a little. Didnโ€™t have Italian seasonings in my cupboard. I did have basil. So I used that instead. Also used a pound of hot Italian bulk sausage that I had in my freezer. Super easy soup. We all loved it – even the picky teenager! Will definitely make this again.

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Susan Connors says:

    5 stars
    Just made this soup. Itโ€™s delicious! Will difently be making this again. So few ingredients but so tastey

    1. Natasha says:

      I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Susan!

  7. Eileen says:

    This was absolutely delicious! One of my favorite soups. I will be making this often!

    1. Natasha says:

      So happy to hear that!!

  8. Tara K. says:

    5 stars
    I enjoy these recipes using pantry staples. Thanks for a great one.
    Delicious!

    1. Natasha says:

      So glad you enjoyed it!

  9. Linda V says:

    5 stars
    We just loved loved this recipe! I did use spinach in place of the kale. Just incredibly delicious. This will be a go to recipe.

    1. Natasha says:

      Wonderful! I’m so pleased you enjoyed it, Linda! ๐Ÿ˜€

    2. Debra Williams says:

      5 stars
      So easy and delicious! Great quick lunch or dinner! Thank you!!

      1. Natasha says:

        You’re very welcome!

    3. Chrystal Blackburn says:

      5 stars
      This recipe is literally one of my top favorites. I am going to say that I think it is BETTER than Olive Garden’s. I make huge batches and it freezes well and thaws perfect, just needs a good stir. I use chorizo sausage and regular bacon. I also use half and half because it’s what I have on hand. I top it with shredded parmesan. I have a sensitive stomach and it does not bother my stomach at all. It is so tasty and honestly, perfect.

      1. Natasha says:

        I’m so happy you like it, Chrystal! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks so much for commenting!

    4. Jordane says:

      Hi Natasha,
      Could you use frozen Kale in this recipe?

      Thank you!

      1. Natasha says:

        Hi! I think that should be fine. Frozen spinach would probably disintegrate too much, but kale is more hearty. Let me know how it goes!

  10. Stormie says:

    I canโ€™t get my hands on and chicken /beef broth right now ๐Ÿ™ can i just use more milk ?

    1. Natasha says:

      Hmmm I’d prob just use water instead of the broth. Do you have any bouillon/stock cubes by chance? Better than Bouillon? Worcestershire sauce? I’m trying to think of anything that could add a bit of that salty flavor to water.