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Growing up, Olive Garden was one of my favorite restaurants and Zuppa Toscana was my favorite soup on the menu. There’s nothing quite like sitting down with a warm, creamy bowl of soup that’s rich, flavorful, and full of comfort. The combination of spicy Italian sausage, tender potatoes, crisp kale, and smoky bacon in a creamy broth makes this soup a year-round go-to. The best part? You don’t have to head to a restaurant to enjoy it. This Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe brings all that cozy flavor home — easy to make, budget-friendly, and even better than the original.
Looking for more copycat recipes then you have to try this grilled to perfection Peter Luger Steak, or my In-N-Out Burger copycat recipe.
If you’re looking for hearty recipes, then my Collared Greens Cajun Gumbo is a must! Or my Grilled Short Ribs Ragu. Tender, smokey and packed with flavor.
Table of Contents
- What is Zuppa Toscana?
- Ingredients needed to make an Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
- Prep the ingredients
- How to make Zuppa Toscana
- Serving Suggestions
- Why you’ll love my Copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe better than the original
- Final Thoughts
- Frequently Asked Questions:
- Other Hearty Recipes to Consider:
- Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe
Why you’ll LOVE This Zuppa Toscana recipe.
Homemade soups are the ultimate comfort food, but this one takes it up a notch.
This Zuppa Toscana recipe is hearty enough to be a full meal on its own and quick enough to whip up on a weeknight. You’ll get that perfect balance of savory sausage, creamy potatoes, and the slight bitterness of kale, all tied together with a smooth, velvety broth. Whether you’re craving something cozy for cold weather or just want a restaurant-quality soup without leaving the house, this recipe delivers every time.
What is Zuppa Toscana?
In Italian, Zuppa Toscana literally means “Tuscan soup.” Traditionally, it’s made with simple ingredients — potatoes, greens, and sausage — typical of the rustic cooking style found in Tuscany. The Olive Garden version takes that concept and gives it a rich American twist with heavy cream and smoky bacon.
The result? A hearty, flavorful soup that feels indulgent yet still light enough to enjoy with a side of breadsticks or salad.
Ingredients needed to make an Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
- Italian sausage: mild or hot, depending on your spice preference. The sausage brings that signature flavor and richness to the soup.
- Potatoes: Yukon golds are perfect. They stay tender and creamy.
- Chicken broth: liquid base for the soup. I highly recommend going with a lower sodium or unsalted broth. You can always add more with seasonings.
- Kale: adds color, texture, and a nutritional boost.
- Onion and garlic: the aromatic foundation that makes the soup taste homemade.
- Heavy cream: for that signature silky finish.
- Bacon: adds a nice finishing crunch.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: optional – but highly recommended for a touch of heat.
- Cheese: thickens the soup and adds a rich savory nutty touch.
Prep the ingredients
This Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat recipe comes together pretty quickly. It’s the perfect fall or winter weeknight meal that it hearty, delicious and will warm you up on the cold evenings.
Prepping the ingredients will make the process smoother and faster.
Start by washing and dicing the yellow potatoes into bite size pieces. Next, take a full batch of kale, rinse off any dirt and chop into smaller pieces. Finally, take half a yellow onion and dice it into small pieces. This soup is full of texture.
Separately, cook a few strips of bacon. You will need this at the end of the recipe.
How to make Zuppa Toscana
This Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat recipe cooks under 1 hour and is all made in a large dutch oven or pot.
Start by warming up the dutch oven or pot, remove the Italian Sausage from the casing and drop it in. Break up the sausage and cook until the pink is gone and remove from the pot.
Next, toss in 4 tablespoons of butter, diced onion, minced garlic, Dad’s All Purpose rub, a dash of crushed red pepper flakes for some heat and sauté until fragrant and translucent.
Pour in the chicken broth, water, add the diced potatoes and bring everything to a boil. Cover the Dutch oven and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. This will take 15-20 minutes.
When the potatoes are tender, add back the cooked sausage, heavy cream and fold in the kale. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let it wilt just enough to soften while still keeping that bright green color. Grate some parmesan into the soup and stir. This will help thicken the broth and add a sweet and nutty flavor that compliments the sausage, spices and veggies.
Taste for flavor and season as needed with salt and pepper. The result? A rich, creamy, and deeply satisfying soup that’s ready to serve in under an hour.
Serving Suggestions
Pair your Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat with more grated parmesan and chopped bacon. Instead of garlic breadsticks as offered at the restaurant, make a deliciously easy garlic bread or cheese dinner muffins.
Why you’ll love my Copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe better than the original
While Olive Garden’s version is undeniably delicious, this homemade take gives you full control. From the spice level to the creaminess, you can make it richer, lighter depending on your preferences. Plus, it’s made fresh with real ingredients and no shortcuts. It’s one of those recipes that feels restaurant-worthy but is simple enough for a cozy night in.
Final Thoughts
Don’t be afraid to try making homemade versions of your favorite restaurant dishes. For me, this Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe hits the spot. It’s rich but balanced, hearty but not heavy, and perfect for feeding the whole family. Once you make it at home, you might just skip the restaurant version for good.
When you’re craving a comforting, flavorful soup that warms you from the inside out fire up your stove (or even your outdoor Dutch oven on the grill), grab your spoon, and dig into this creamy, savory, perfectly seasoned bowl of comfort.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The 3 key ingredients that make a Zuppa Toscana are Italian sausage, kale and potatoes. Other ingredients include broth, seasoning, onion and garlic.
Yes, Zuppa Toscana is a recipe that originates from Tuscany Italy and is known as the bread soup.
Other Hearty Recipes to Consider:
If you tried this Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
Ingredients
- 5 Mild Italian sausage links (about 1lb)
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter
- 1/2 Yellow onion
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic
- 1 tbsp Dad's All Purpose seasoning
- 1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 cups Low sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups Water
- 4 cups Yellow potatoes – diced
- 1.5 cups Heavy Cream
- 4 cups Kale
- 1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Bacon bits – garnish
Instructions
- Start by washing and dicing the yellow potatoes, onion and kale into bite size pieces.
- Remove the Italian sausage from the casings and brown it in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same Dutch oven, add the butter and onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, Dad's All Purpose Rub, crushed red pepper, black pepper and cook until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chicken broth, water and the diced potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and add back the cooked sausage, heavy cream and kale. Mix everything well and cook until the kale is tender, 10-15 minutes.
- Add in grated parmesan cheese and check for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed.
- Remove from the heat, plate and garnish with more parmesan and crispy bacon bits. Enjoy!
My daughter makes this and it’s awesome!
Besides the salad and breadsticks, this soup is the best thing on the menu at Olive Garden. And this recipe is even better than the original! I hope you try it.