Zuppa Toscana

By Maria Lichty

Published on January 15, 2024

Quick Summary

If you love Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup, you will love this homemade version. It is made in one-pot and loaded with Italian sausage, bacon, potatoes, garlic, and kale. Creamy, satisfying, and delicious!

zuppa toscana soup in bowls with crusty bread. - 1

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The Olive Garden restaurant made Zuppa Toscana (Tuscan soup) extremely popular. It is a creamy soup made with Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, garlic, and kale. It is rich, hearty, and flavorful. No wonder it is so popular.

Well, good news, you don’t have to go to the Olive Garden to enjoy this soup. You can make it at home, from scratch! And I think our homemade version is even BETTER.

All of the ingredients are cooked in ONE pot, one pot meals really are the best! The soup has a rich and creamy broth and is loaded with chunks of sausage, bacon, and potatoes. The kale adds a nice touch of green and I like to add Parmesan cheese at the end for an extra boost of flavor.

Enjoy the soup for lunch or an easy weeknight dinner. Serve with crusty bread and a simple salad . Cozy, comforting, and always a crowd-pleaser!

  1. Ingredients
  2. How to Make Zuppa Toscana
  3. Serving Suggestions
  4. How to Store & Freeze
  5. More Soup Recipes
  6. Zuppa Toscana Recipe
zuppa toscana ingredients in bowls. - 2

Ingredients

  • Bacon – for best results, use thick cut bacon. It adds a smoky, salty flavor to to the soup.
  • Italian sausage – we use mild ground Italian sausage. If you want a spicy soup, you can use hot Italian sausage.
  • Onion – diced.
  • Garlic – minced.
  • Chicken broth – use your favorite brand. Vegetable broth will also work.
  • Russet potatoes – peeled and chopped into 1/4″ thick pieces. You will need about 3 cups. Red potatoes will also work.
  • Crushed red pepper flakes – a dash for a little heat.
  • Heavy cream – to make the soup rich and creamy. Half and half will work too.
  • Kale – chop up the kale and remove the ribs. Spinach will also work.
  • Parmesan cheese – for extra flavor!
bacon cooking in white pot with wooden spoon to make zuppa toscana. - 3

How to Make Zuppa Toscana

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon pieces over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Stir occasionally so the bacon doesn’t stick or burn. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Italian sausage cooking in white pot with wooden spoon. - 4
  • Add the Italian sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
onion cooking in large white pot with wooden spoon to make zuppa toscana. - 5
  • Add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
potatoes cooking in broth in large white pot to make zuppa toscana. - 6
  • Add the broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
stirring sausage and bacon into zuppa toscana soup in large white pot. - 7
  • Add the cooked bacon and sausage to the pot.
heavy cream and kale being added to zuppa toscana soup in large white pot. - 8
  • Stir in the heavy cream, kale, and Parmesan cheese. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
zuppa toscana soup in large white pot with wooden spoon. - 9

Serving Suggestions

This soup is very filling and can be a complete meal on it’s own, but if you want to add a few sides, here are some ideas.

  • Simple Arugula Salad
  • Easy Green Salad
  • Simple Kale Salad
  • Buttermilk Drop Biscuits
  • Garlic Bread
  • Bruschetta

How to Store & Freeze

  • To store leftover soup , place the cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
  • To freeze the soup , make the soup according to the recipe, but under cook the potatoes a little and don’t add the cream . Let the soup cool completely and place in a freezer container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Place in a pot and heat over medium low on the stove. Add the cream to the soup and stir.
  • If you have leftover soup that you want to freeze and already added the cream, you can still freeze it, but the cream might separate a little bit after thawing and the potatoes might be a little mushy.
zuppa toscana soup in bowl with spoon and crusty bread. - 10

More Soup Recipes

  • White Bean Soup
  • Potato Soup
  • Minestrone Soup
  • Potato Leek Soup
  • Homemade Vegetable Soup
  • Chickpea Soup
  • Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup

Find more SOUP RECIPES HERE !

Zuppa Toscana - 11

Soup

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients1x2x3x

  • 4 strips bacon chopped
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/4″ thick pieces (about 3 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups chopped kale, ribs removed
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon pieces over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Stir occasionally so the bacon doesn’t stick or burn. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add the Italian sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Add the cooked bacon and sausage to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream, kale, and Parmesan cheese. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm.

Nutrition

Have you tried this recipe?

Zuppa Toscana - 12

Zuppa Toscana

Recipe from Two Peas and Their Pod

Ingredients

  • 4 strips bacon chopped
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/4" thick pieces (about 3 cups)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups chopped kale, ribs removed
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon pieces over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or until crispy. Stir occasionally so the bacon doesn’t stick or burn. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add the Italian sausage to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
  • Add the onion to the pot and cook until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the broth, potatoes, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
  • Add the cooked bacon and sausage to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream, kale, and Parmesan cheese. Let simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
  • Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm.

Nutrition