Your favorite restaurant recipes, recreated at home — tested and easy to follow.
Zuppa Toscana has been Olive Garden’s most-ordered soup for a reason — it’s the one that shows up in the never-ending soup, salad, and breadsticks lineup and quietly steals the whole meal. Spicy Italian sausage, smoky bacon, tender russet potatoes, and dark ribbons of kale all sit together in a rich, cream-based broth that tastes like it took all day, even though it really doesn’t.
Here’s the fun part most people don’t know: despite the Italian name, this specific soup is an American invention. Traditional Tuscan zuppa is closer to a rustic bean-and-bread soup with vegetables in a tomato-based broth — nothing like the creamy, sausage-and-bacon bowl Olive Garden made famous. Olive Garden built this version, leaned into the “Tuscan” branding, and it became such a hit that it’s stayed a permanent menu fixture for decades. Which is honestly fair, because the combination works — the sausage brings heat, the bacon brings smoke, and the cream mellows everything into something genuinely comforting.
This copycat version rebuilds that exact combination in one pot, using the same core ingredients as the restaurant version, so you get a big batch of it at home for a fraction of the cost of ordering bowl after bowl at the restaurant.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Italian sausage (mild or hot, bulk or removed from casings) — This is the primary flavor driver in the soup. Hot Italian sausage gives you that familiar spicy kick from the restaurant version; mild works fine if you want a more kid-friendly bowl, and you can always add red pepper flakes back in to control the heat separately.
Bacon — Adds a smoky depth that the sausage alone doesn’t provide, and the rendered bacon fat is used to build the soup base, which is where a lot of the flavor actually comes from. Thick-cut bacon holds up best here rather than getting lost in the broth.
Russet potatoes — Their starchiness is what naturally thickens the soup slightly as they cook, giving it a heartier body without needing flour or a roux. Yukon gold potatoes work as a substitute, though the soup will be a touch less thick.
Kale — Adds color, a slightly earthy bite, and enough sturdiness that it doesn’t wilt into nothing the way spinach would. If kale isn’t available, curly kale, Tuscan (lacinato) kale, or even Swiss chard are all reasonable substitutes.
Chicken broth — Forms the savory base of the soup. Low-sodium broth gives you more control over the final saltiness, since the bacon and sausage already bring a fair amount of salt on their own.
Heavy cream — This is what gives the soup its signature richness and pale, creamy color. Half-and-half can be used for a lighter version, though the soup will be noticeably thinner and less indulgent.
Onion and garlic — Build the aromatic base the soup simmers on top of. Standard yellow or white onion works well; there’s no need for anything fancier here.
Red pepper flakes — Optional, but recommended if you’re using mild sausage and still want some of that background heat the restaurant version has.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana Soup at Home
This is a genuinely simple one-pot soup that comes together in about 45 minutes, most of which is just letting the potatoes simmer while the flavors build. The order matters here: you’re layering flavor by browning the meats first, building a broth on top of those drippings, then finishing with cream and kale at the very end so nothing gets overcooked.
Step 1: Cook the Bacon and Sausage
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 6-8 minutes, then remove it with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot. Add the Italian sausage to the same pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, for 6-7 minutes until browned and fully cooked through. Remove the sausage to a plate as well, leaving behind any remaining fat and browned bits for the next step.
Step 2: Build the Soup Base
In the same pot, add the diced onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened, using a spoon to scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot — that’s where a lot of the flavor is hiding. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, just until fragrant.
Step 3: Simmer the Potatoes
Pour in the chicken broth and add the sliced potatoes, bringing everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 15-18 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart. This is also when you’ll stir the cooked sausage back into the pot, letting it warm through with everything else.
Step 4: Finish with Cream and Kale
Once the potatoes are tender, reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream — don’t let the soup boil hard after this point, since high heat can cause cream-based soups to separate. Add the chopped kale and stir just until it wilts, about 2-3 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper as needed.
Step 5: Serve with Crispy Bacon
Ladle the soup into bowls and top each one with the reserved crispy bacon and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan, if you like. Serve immediately, ideally with warm bread on the side to catch the last bit of broth in the bowl.
Why “Tuscan” Soup Isn’t Actually Traditional Tuscan Food
This is one of the more interesting things about the dish, and it’s worth knowing if you’ve ever wondered why a soup this rich and creamy carries a regional Italian name. Traditional Tuscan cooking leans on rustic, simple ingredients — beans, bread, seasonal vegetables, olive oil, and a tomato or vegetable broth — not heavy cream, pork sausage, and bacon. Olive Garden’s version is really an Americanized dish that borrowed the “Tuscan” name for its regional appeal, and it happened to become popular enough that most people now associate the name with this creamy sausage-and-potato soup instead of anything more traditionally Italian. Neither version is more “correct” exactly, but it’s a fun bit of context for a soup that’s become such a fixture on American menus.
A Few Easy Variations
Lower-calorie version: Swap the heavy cream for half-and-half or a light cream, and use turkey Italian sausage in place of pork. You’ll lose a little richness, but it cuts a meaningful amount of fat.
Extra hearty: Add a can of drained white beans (cannellini work well) along with the potatoes for more fiber and a slightly heartier bowl, closer to how a more traditional Tuscan soup might be built.
Dairy-free: Skip the cream entirely and whisk together ¼ cup olive oil with ½ cup of an unsweetened plant-based milk, adding that in place of the heavy cream at the end.
Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
A creamy, hearty soup loaded with Italian sausage, crispy bacon, tender potatoes, and kale in a rich broth. This copycat recreates Olive Garden’s most popular soup in one pot at home.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cook chopped bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp, 6-8 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.
- Add sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up, for 6-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion to the pot and cook 4-5 minutes until softened, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in chicken broth and add sliced potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered 15-18 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Stir the cooked sausage back in.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Add kale and stir until wilted, 2-3 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon and Parmesan, if desired.
Video
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and reheat gently on the stovetop rather than boiling hard, since cream-based soups can separate under high heat. For freezing, it’s best to freeze the soup before adding the cream and kale, then stir those in fresh when reheating, since both can change texture after being frozen. This recipe is naturally gluten-free as written. See the Variations section above for lower-calorie, extra-hearty, or dairy-free swaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Zuppa Toscana” actually mean?
It translates from Italian as “Tuscan soup,” referring to the Tuscany region of Italy. The Olive Garden version most people know, though, is an Americanized creation rather than a traditional Tuscan recipe.
How many calories are in Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana?
According to Olive Garden’s own published nutrition information, a standard bowl contains around 220 calories. A homemade serving of this copycat recipe will generally run higher, since restaurant bowl portions tend to be smaller than a typical homemade serving.
Is Zuppa Toscana gluten-free?
Yes, both the restaurant version and this homemade copycat are naturally gluten-free, since none of the core ingredients (sausage, bacon, potatoes, kale, cream, broth) contain gluten. If you’re highly sensitive, just double-check your specific sausage brand, since some blends include fillers or casings that aren’t gluten-free.
Can I make Zuppa Toscana without pork?
Yes, turkey or chicken Italian sausage and turkey bacon both work as substitutes, though you’ll lose some of the richness the pork versions bring. It’s a common swap for a lighter, lower-fat version of the soup.
What can I use instead of kale?
Spinach, Swiss chard, or curly kale all work in place of the standard lacinato or curly kale called for here. Just keep in mind spinach wilts much faster than kale, so add it right at the very end to avoid overcooking it.
Can I make this soup in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes, this soup adapts well to both. For a slow cooker, brown the meats first, then add everything except the cream and kale to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, stirring in the cream and kale during the last 15-20 minutes. For an Instant Pot, use the sauté function for the browning steps, then pressure cook the broth and potatoes for about 8 minutes before finishing with cream and kale.
How do I store and reheat leftover Zuppa Toscana?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Avoid microwaving on high or letting it boil hard when reheating, since the cream base can separate.
Does this soup freeze well?
It freezes reasonably well, but for the best texture, freeze it before adding the cream and kale, since both dairy and leafy greens can change texture and become watery or gritty after thawing. Stir those in fresh once you’ve reheated the frozen base.
