This Zuppa Toscana is a homemade copycat recipe of the Olive Garden favorite, yet so much better! Make it easy with Italian sausage, kale, potatoes, and bacon.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
One of my favorite restaurant soups is this right here, Zuppa Toscana. Now I can make it easily at home, in my own kitchen, with fresh ingredients and adapt to our likings. This famous Tuscan soup is packed with Italian sausage (I used mild, but you can go for spicy), potatoes, kale, and bacon. it's not only filling and perfect for the cold winter months, but delicious. I serve it with crusty bread or biscuits, to dip in this rich and flavorful soup!
Ingredients
- bacon: builds the base flavor for the soup;
- Italian sausage: classic protein ingredient in this soup; I used mild sausage;
- onion and garlic: a classic vegetable duo for soups;
- kale: another classic ingredient in this soup; use spinach if you don't have kale on hand;
- golden potatoes: cook quickly, since they don't have as much starch as Russet potatoes;
- vegetable stock: to build the base for the soup;
- cream or half and half: makes the soup rich and creamy.
How to make Zuppa Toscana?
- Start by cooking bacon in a large soup pot. Once crispy, remove it onto a plate.
- Add onion and garlic to bacon grease and saute until the onion is translucent. Add seasoning and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. It will become very fragrant.
- Add sausage and cook until done.
- Add water and vegetable stock and deglaze the bottom of your pot (scrape any cooked on flavor bits with a wooden spoon).
- Add potatoes and cook on medium-low heat until tender.
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- Add kale and sausage back to the soup. Simmer just until the kale is wilted.
- Stir in half and half and simmer for 2 minutes.
- Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Is this recipe authentic?
This version is simply a restaurant copycat. If you want to make it classic style, add cannellini beans, celery, carrots, and even zucchini.
Best Tips!
- In a pinch, use frozen diced potatoes to save time on peeling and chopping.
- Don't like grease in your soup? Drain it after cooking the bacon and sausage.
- For a low-carb option, choose cauliflower instead of potatoes.
- Like it spicy? Go for hot Italian sausage to add some heat.
Recipe FAQs:
Store leftovers in a container with a lid, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in a microwave.
Yes! Cook bacon, onion, garlic, seasoning, and sausage in a pan. Add to your slow cooker. Add liquids and potatoes. Cook on low for 3 hours. Add kale, sausage, and half and half. Stir in. Season with salt and pepper.
Absolutely! Saute bacon, onion, garlic, seasoning, and sausage in the Instant Pot, the same way as you would in a soup pot. Once you add liquids and potatoes, close the lid, press the "manual" setting, and set the timer to 3 minutes. Once the timer is done, wait 2 minutes, then release the pressure. Add kale and sausage and stir in. Wait at least 5 minutes, then add half and half and stir it in. Season with salt and pepper.
If you know ahead of time you will freeze this soup, do not add half and half or cream. Place completely cooled soup in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. If you are freezing leftovers (with cream), make sure to whisk well while reheating.
More soup recipes:
If you like this recipe and make it, let me know in the comments below! Don't forget to rate it if you enjoyed it!
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 16 oz Italian sausage I used mild
- 4 slices of bacon
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 3 cups water
- 4 yellow or golden potatoes sliced thin
- 3 cups chopped kale
- ¾ cup half and half
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, cook chopped bacon. Once crispy, remove it onto a plate. Set aside. If your bacon is very fatty and there is a lot of grease in the pot, remove half into a bowl and set aside. You can always add more later if needed.
- Add onion to bacon grease and saute until the onion is translucent. Stir in garlic and saute 1 minute.
- Add seasoning and saute, stirring often, for 1 minute. It will become very fragrant.
- Add sausage and cook until done. Remove onto a plate.
- Add vegetable stock and water to pot and scrape any cooked on bits from the bottom of the pot. This is called deglazing. You want all the flavor in your soup.
- Add potatoes and cook over medium-low heat until tender. It should take about 12 to 15 minutes. Check the potatoes with a fork often.
- Once the potatoes are done, add sausage and bacon back to the soup and stir in.
- Add kale and stir in. Simmer until wilted.
- Add half and half (with cornstarch if you want to thicken the soup) and stir in.
- Season soup with salt and pepper before serving.
Notes
- You can use spicy Italian sausage for more kick or add ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes along with Italian seasoning.
- Please note, that the nutrition value can vary depending on what product you use. The information below is an estimate. Always use calorie counter you are familiar with.
- You can use heavy cream in place of half and half. The nutrition value will change.
Jola says
How good that I got to this recipe! It is already written on the list of soups to which I return with thoughts and say "I already know what I will cook today " 🙂
Allyson Zea says
This is one of my favorite soup recipes! Thank you!
Stephanie says
Such a great copycat recipe! It's actually tastes better than the Olive Garden soup.
Anna says
Right? And it's so easy to make! Thank you, Stephanie!
Tara says
My absolute new favorite soup!
Anna says
Awesome! Thanks, Tara!
Erin says
One of my favorite soups and i love making it at home. It is so much easier than you think!
Anna says
Exactly! Thanks, Erin!