Valentina Ablaev
This zuppa toscana soup recipe is an all-time copycat favorite. You’ll never have to go to Olive Garden again for a bowl of rich and creamy soup, because the home version is that much better! Not to mention it’s a fraction of the price and cooks so quickly!
We’ve Got Olive Garden at Home
This time, the kids will be happy when you say, “We’ve got food at home.” That is because this copycat olive garden zuppa toscana is so flavorful and beautifully complemented by a side of buttery breadsticks! Bonus points if you have a bowl of homemade alfredo sauce to dip them in!
Where Did Zuppa Toscana Originate?
Zuppa toscana gets its name from “Tuscany,” a region in Italy. Also inspired by Tuscany is our creamy tuscan chicken and even better, our tuscan chicken pasta.
Ingredients for Homemade Zuppa Toscana
Simple ingredients you’ll need for the one-pot soup:
- Bacon – Chopped into bite-sized pieces before cooking.
- Italian sausage – We use mild italian sausage for an incredible flavor and texture.
- Vegetables – Maybe not traditional, but we love to add onions and carrots to the soup for extra flavor.
- Chicken broth – Some recipes use just water, but chicken broth is a must for a rich and flavorful broth.
- Potatoes – We like to use russet potatoes, but you can use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes. The authentic way is to leave the peel on and dice it into half rings.
- Seasoning – A blend of salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes adds the perfect spice.
- Kale – Break the leaves up into small pieces so they don’t overpower each bite.
Substitute: Don’t have kale? Use spinach leaves for a delicious alternative. - Cream – We use heavy whipping cream as opposed to half and half for the rich and creamy broth.
Substitute: Use half&half for a lighter broth or coconut milk for a dairy-free alternative!
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and quantities.
Tools for this Recipe
Shop all of Valentina’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and kitchen must-haves!
- There’s nothing I love more than a one-pot soup! And to make the perfect one-pot soup, you’re going to want a dutch oven, or any other large pot.
- When making a large batch of soup, I love to store leftovers in soup cubes.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana From Scratch
Easiest step-by-step instructions:
- Cook bacon. Add chopped bacon to a large Dutch oven. Cook until crispy, and remove from the pot, leaving a little bit of bacon grease.
2. Cook sausage. Add italian sausage to the same pot and break it up. Cook the sausage and remove it from the pot once it has been cooked through.
3. Vegetables. Add chopped onion to the Dutch oven and sauté until softened. Add carrots and garlic to the pot and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Broth. Stir in the chicken broth and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add diced potatoes to the pot and simmer on low for 12-14 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Add the chopped kale, bacon, sausage, and heavy cream to the pot. Cook for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
Other Cooking Methods
To make this soup in the Instant Pot, cook the bacon, sausage, and vegetables in the Instant Pot on sauté mode.
Add the liquids and potatoes to the pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Open the lid and add the kale, meats, and cream. Cook on high for 2 minutes.
Make this soup in a crockpot with ease! Cook the bacon, sausage, and vegetables separately, and then add the veggies and sausage to the crockpot. Add the water and potatoes, and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or until the potatoes are cooked through. Add the bacon, kale, and cream to the slow cooker. Cover and allow the kale to cook.
Expert Tips:
- Don’t over-season: This soup is built with layers and layers of flavor, from the salty bacon, to the seasoned italian sausage, and the chicken broth. When adding extra salt to the soup, be sure to taste it for seasoning.
- Don’t overcook: Kale cooks quickly, which is why we add it last.
- Garnish: Finish off each bowl with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.
Serving Suggestions
- Soup and side salad: Zuppa toscana and caesar salad are two of my favorite pairings! Light, flavorful, and so delicious.
- Sandwich & soup combo: This soup can be served with a 3-tier club sandwich to really complete your meal.
- Chicken parm: Our homemade chicken parmesan features a crispy cutlet, topped with our marinara sauce and lots of cheese.
- Pasta: Serve this soup with a hearty pasta like a classic chicken alfredo or a cheesy chicken scampi!
Store & Reheat
- Storage. Keep leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Reheat. Warm up leftovers on the stove until just simmering.
- Freeze. Add the cooled soup to soup cubes and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat: Add soup cubes to a pot and reheat on low until warmed through.
More Soup Recipes
If you enjoyed this zuppa toscana recipe, be sure to try our other easy soup recipes; here are some of our favorites:
If you tried this easy zuppa toscana recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below – we appreciate it!
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon, chopped & cooked
- 1 pound ground mild Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups water
- 32 oz chicken broth
- 2 pounds potatoes (5-6 potatoes), diced
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cups packed chopped kale, chopped
- 1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot, leaving behind some bacon fat.
- To the same pot, add ground italian sausage and cook over medium heat. Once browned and cooked through, remove the sausage from the pot.
- To the same pot, add finely chopped onion. If you don’t have enough bacon grease, add olive oil. Cook the onion until tender, then add the carrots. Cook until softened.
- Add minced garlic to the pot and cook until fragrant.
- Poor in water and chicken broth, and bring it up to a light boil.
- Add the diced potatoes to the pot and cook for 12-14 minutes or until the potatoes are softened.
- Add the kale into the pot, along with the seasoning.
- To the pot, add kale, along with bacon, sausage, and heavy whipping cream. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
- Watch the seasoning. With layers of bacon, seasoned sausage, and chicken broth, this soup is seasoned throughout. You may be tempted to add more than a teaspoon of salt, but be sure to taste the soup after the potatoes are cooked before adding more salt.
- Don’t overcook. Kale cooks quickly, and you don’t want it to be mushy in your soup. This is why we add it last, and about 5 minutes before serving.
- Garnish. Serve every bowl of soup with freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes if you love spice.
- Store leftovers. This soup reheats amazingly! Some say it’s even better the next day! Keep leftover soup in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Recipe FAQs
If you love a kick of spice, hot italian sausage is a great way to get extra flavor and spice!
The italian sausage has a slight kick, but nothing overwhelming! If you’re sensitive to spice, skip the crushed red pepper flakes.
You can absolutely make zuppa in a soup pot. You might have to sauté the meat and vegetables in a separate pan.
