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Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup
Donny Enriquez

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.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 49 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian-American
Calories: 500
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
  • 1 lb Italian sausage mild or hot, casings removed if using links
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 3-4 medium russet potatoes sliced into ¼-inch rounds
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups chopped kale stems removed
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan for serving (optional)

Equipment

  • Large pot or Dutch oven
  • Slotted spoon
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cutting board

Method
 

  1. 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.
  2. Add sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up, for 6-7 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
  3. Add onion to the pot and cook 4-5 minutes until softened, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
  4. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant.
  5. 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.
  6. Reduce heat to low and stir in heavy cream. Add kale and stir until wilted, 2-3 minutes.
  7. 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.