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Home » Type » Soups » Best Easy 30-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Best Easy 30-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

October 3, 2022 by Faith 3 Comments

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This creamy 30-minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe is hearty and flavorful with bacon, sausage, potatoes, and kale. It makes 8 servings and is budget-friendly, especially when compared with how much it would cost for this many people to eat out at Olive Garden!

close up top view of bowl of tuscan soup

For anyone who’s ever been to Olive Garden and had their soup, you already know.

I haven’t been there in years, but I still find myself thinking about a few things on their menu. This soup is one of them, and their salad is another! But that’s a different recipe for a different day. This soup though.

If you like rich, cream-based soups, then this one will be right up your alley!

pot of zuppa toscana with bowls and bread

We start off by crisping up some beef bacon to add the first layer of flavor. Then we brown Italian turkey sausage and aromatics like onion and garlic. Chicken stock adds depth, and we keep the seasonings pretty simple. Potato makes it hearty, and kale rounds it out to a full meal in one pot. A generous glug of cream adds a delicate hint of sweetness and makes it a lovely silky soup.

Serve it with freshly-grated parmesan and crispy bacon on top for a soup that’s sure to be a hit with the whole family!

close up of creamy tuscan soup in bowl

In This Article

  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • The Best Easy Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe
  • Cooks Tips
  • Zuppa Toscana FAQs
  • What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana
  • Easy 30-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Budget friendly. Making a huge pot of soup instead of going out to dinner is a great way to save a ton of money! And bonus, you’ll probably have leftovers.
  • Weeknight friendly. It whips up in just 30 minutes, making it a good choice for busy nights when you don’t have a ton of time to cook.
  • Full meal in one pot. This soup covers all the bases with protein, leafy greens, and starchy vegetables all in one dish. Serve it with some crusty bread if you want, but it really doesn’t need anything else.
  • Freezer friendly. This soup freezes well and is great for meal prep!

The Best Easy Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Ingredients

olive garden copycat zuppa toscana recipe ingredients
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Onion
  • Garlic
  • Chicken stock
  • Yellow potatoes
  • Salt and black pepper
  • Crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kale
  • Heavy whipping cream
  • Freshly-grated parmesan cheese

Step-by-Step Instructions

how to make zuppa toscana
  1. Add the bacon to a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer 2/3 of the bacon to a bowl to sprinkle on top when serving.
  2. To the same pot, add the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes (it doesn’t have to be fully cooked at this point).
  3. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. Stir in the chicken stock, potato, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring up to a boil, and then cover the pot, turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over, and cook until the potato is tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  5. Stir in the kale and cook (uncovered) until it’s wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.
ladle full of creamy sausage tuscan soup

Storage and Reheating

Store Zuppa Toscana in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

To reheat, first thaw the soup if it had been frozen.

To reheat on the stovetop, add the soup to a saucepan over medium-low. Continue heating until it reaches a simmer, but don’t let it boil.

To reheat in the microwave, put the soup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 45-second increments on high until warm, stirring in between each increment.

top view of pot with zuppa toscana soup

Cooks Tips

  • Make it stretch. Add 1 can of rinsed, drained cannellini beans to this soup and you can easily get 10 servings out of it.
  • Pork products. I don’t eat pork, so I used beef bacon and turkey sausage. However, feel free to use pork bacon and sausage if that’s your preference.
  • Type of potatoes. I like to use yellow potatoes here because they hold up well and don’t fall apart easily. However, you can use starchy potatoes instead (such as Russet) if you prefer or if that’s what you have on hand. Peeling the potatoes is your call as well! (I like to scrub the potatoes, but leave the peel on because it’s full of nutrients.)
  • If kale isn’t your thing. You can use baby spinach leaves instead. They will wilt faster than kale; it should take about 1 minute.
zuppa toscana graphic

Zuppa Toscana FAQs

What Does Zuppa Toscana Mean in English?

From Italian, zuppa means “soup” and Toscana translates as “Tuscan”, referring to the Tuscany region of northern Italy.

Can You Freeze Zuppa Toscana?

Yes! This soup freezes well for up to 6 months. I like to freeze it in individual-sized glass containers for portion control. This lets me grab out as many servings as I need, whether it’s lunch for just me or dinner for me and the family. This soup reheats well on the stovetop or in the microwave.

copycat olive garden zuppa toscana

What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana

  • Garlic Bread Drop Biscuits
  • No Knead Bread
  • Heirloom Tomato and Avocado Panzanella Salad
bowls of zuppa toscana soup with sliced bread and red pot

Let’s Connect

I love hearing from you!
Did you make this recipe? Please rate it and leave a comment.
You can also tag @anediblemosaic on social media.
To stay up-to-date, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter!
xoxo, Faith

zuppa toscana recipe featured image

Easy 30-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

By: Faith Gorsky
This creamy 30-minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe is hearty and flavorful with bacon, sausage, potatoes, and kale.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8 servings
Calories 347 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 5 slices beef bacon chopped
  • 1 pound bulk Italian turkey sausage
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 7 large cloves garlic crushed
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 pound yellow potatoes cubed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
  • 5 cups chopped kale
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • Freshly-grated parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Add the bacon to a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Cook until the bacon is crispy, about 3 minutes. Transfer 2/3 of the bacon to a bowl to sprinkle on top when serving.
  • To the same pot, add the sausage, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes (it doesn’t have to be fully cooked at this point).
  • Turn the heat down to medium. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the chicken stock, potato, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring up to a boil, and then cover the pot, turn the heat down so it doesn’t boil over, and cook until the potato is tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the kale and cook (uncovered) until it’s wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the cream and remove from the heat.
  • Serve with the crispy bacon and freshly-grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Faith’s Tips

  • Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 4.5 quarts of soup, which is 8 servings. Each serving is a little over 2 cups.
  • Storage: Store Zuppa Toscana in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
  • Reheating: To reheat, first thaw the soup if it had been frozen. To reheat on the stovetop, add the soup to a saucepan over medium-low. Continue heating until it reaches a simmer, but don’t let it boil. To reheat in the microwave, put the soup in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 45-second increments on high until warm, stirring in between each increment.
  • To Make This stretch. Add 1 can of rinsed, drained cannellini beans to this soup and you can easily get 10 servings out of it.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy 30-Minute Copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 347 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 10g63%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 6g
Cholesterol 74mg25%
Sodium 1194mg52%
Potassium 772mg22%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 4730IU95%
Vitamin C 70mg85%
Calcium 160mg16%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Keyword Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe, Zuppa Toscana, Zuppa Toscana Recipe, Zuppa Toscana Soup
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
zuppa toscana recipe pin

Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Copycat, Gluten Free, Italian, Soups Tagged: Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe, Zuppa Toscana, Zuppa Toscana Recipe, Zuppa Toscana Soup

Comments

  1. Heather Johnson says

    March 23, 2023 at 7:46 pm

    5 stars
    made this tonight – skipped the bacon and added a little more broth – really tasty!

    Reply
  2. Josie says

    November 20, 2022 at 9:01 pm

    I made this soup last night for the first time and I loved it!! It was so good, I’m glad I don’t have to share it with anyone! I made a couple of small changes which were: I used spinach rather than kale; added a carrot; added 1T of Italian seasoning and I used 1/2 & 1/2 instead of heavy cream. Not too drastic of changes I don’t think. Good stuff!
    I love soup!!

    Reply
  3. Betsy says

    October 3, 2022 at 7:06 am

    5 stars
    Fall equals soup, and this one tasted exquisite!

    Reply

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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affiliate disclosure

An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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