Zuppa Toscana is a rich and creamy, soul-satisfying soup made with Italian sausage, potatoes, and hearty kale. It’s a copycat recipe of the famous soup at Olive Garden. I could eat this stuff for days! Originally posted December 14, 2011.

Zuppa Toscana recipe in a white bowl with spoon and Italian sausage

Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Copycat

Have you ever tried the Zuppa Toscana soup at Olive Garden? I love to go there for lunch and get their bottomless soup and breadsticks deal (technically I think this is called the “soup and salad deal” but let’s be real, I’m here for the bread and creamy soup.)

Want to save this recipe?
Just drop your email here and I’ll send it right away! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week. Yes please!
Zuppa toscana recipe in a teal pot with a serving spoon

I posted a version of this recipe on the blog back in 2011, and still love to make it on cold winter nights. It’s a family favorite and a huge crowd pleaser!

I’m including a story I told about trying to find kale at the grocery store and failing miserably (I was 24 and knew a lot less things back then; I would say that it’s because the kale revolution hadn’t really taken hold yet, but the truth is that I was just even more of a charlatan back then than I am now.) Here’s a much younger Karen:

Sometimes I think schools should be required to teach a course on American produce items.  It would have been more useful for me than, say, Algebra 2 was.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana in a white bowl with sausage and kale

I had never bought kale before I made this soup.  I went to the store, picked up 2 bunches of the green leafy things marked Kale, and went to the checkout.  The cashier held them up: Turnips, right?  “Uh, nope, it’s kale.”  No, these are turnips, she said.

(I thought turnips were purple and bulbous.  Am I basing this entirely on a magnet that my mom had on her fridge for years that depicted a fat little purple guy saying, Turnip your nose at fat! Yes.)

Zuppa Toscana Olive garden in a black bowl on a wooden table

So I went back to the produce section to obtain the correct green leaves.  I asked a bystander if she knew which one was kale, since they were obviously mislabeled.  She looked around and told me that they must be out of kale because it wasn’t there.  When I asked her what it looks like, she said that kale is crinkly and dark green, and that they use it as a garnish on serving plates sometimes.  I smiled sweetly and thought to myself, No, that’s parsley. You’re an idiot.

zuppa toscana soup recipe held up on a serving spoon with potatoes kale and sausage

Looking back, this is extremely harsh because obviously I have issues when it comes to identifying produce. And I really had to repent when last night at Eric’s work Christmas party, I saw, garnishing the carrots and cherry tomatoes on the vegetable tray, you got it: kale.

sausage kale soup in a white bowl and black bowl on a wooden board with parmesan

Well, vegetable confusion and judgments aside, I think this might be the best soup I have ever eaten. It’s a knock off of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana. You’ve had it, right??

What is Zuppa Toscana?

Zuppa Toscana is Italian American fusion at it’s best! It literally translates to “Tuscan soup” and is a riff on a traditional Tuscan soup called minestra di pane (which means “bread soup”). Zuppa Toscana keeps the iconic kale and potatoes but adds Italian sausage and cream. Um, yes.

So basically it’s sausage and potatoes drenched in perfectly seasoned cream, with a little green kale to make you feel good about yourself. This fact, however, could not convince my 5-year-old niece to eat it. We told her, This is pretty much like eating melted ice cream. You do like ice cream, don’t you? She wasn’t buying it. I’m not complaining. More leftovers for me.

Zuppa Toscana Recipe Ingredients

So, kale. Did you read enough up there yet to figure out how to purchase it in the produce section the way I WASN’T? Here are the other ingredients you need while we’re at it.

  • Kale (NOT turnips)
  • Italian sausage. I like mild but spicy works great too.
  • Large onion
  • Russet potatoes
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Garlic
  • Chicken broth
  • Whole milk
  • Heavy cream
  • Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • Flour

How to make this Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Zuppa Toscana is actually really easy to make, and it’s all done in one pot! Here’s a basic overview:

  1. In a soup pot, saute sausage and onion with spices and garlic.
  2. Add flour, chicken broth, and milk.
  3. Add the potatoes and simmer.
  4. Add chopped kale and cream, then later the Parmesan.
  5. Eat hot! Yum!

See how easy that is? I’ll walk you through it.

Chopping onions for soup, draining italian sausage

Start with some onions, garlic, and Italian sausage.

I like to use mild sausage and adjust the heat with red pepper flakes, but feel free to use hot sausage (or do a combo of both.) Here’s how I drain my sausage: line a bowl with foil, tilt the pot to the side, and use a ladle to spoon out the grease.

Slicing potatoes in a food processor

Use a food processor to slice all the potatoes, they cut it to the perfect size. You can just use a knife if you don’t have one. No need to peel, those skins add great texture! Add it to the pot after the broth and cook til tender.

Destemming kale, kale in a measuring cup

Chop or tear your kale into bite size pieces. Make sure you cut out all the thick ribbing, nobody wants to chew through a thick stem. Use 1 big bunch of kale, or about 5 cups.

lots of kale in a big teal pot of soup

You’re going to feel so trendy and healthy adding all these magical superpower greens to your soup. Be sure to use your “Kale yeah!” tote bag today.

Except then you cancel out the kale magic by adding a pint of cream. No regrets. Yolo people.

Zuppa toscana copycat recipe in a white bowl shot from overhead

How spicy is Zuppa Toscana Soup?

Zuppa Toascana is pretty mild at Olive Garden, but the beauty of making it homemade is that you can adjust the spice level! Use mild Italian sausage if you like it more tame (or feeding kids), use hot Italian sausage if you like it spicy. You can always increase the heat level with crushed red pepper flakes too, or add it to individual servings to kick up the spice.

How to thicken this Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

The cream gives this soup such a perfect thick and rich texture. We are also thickening the soup by making a soft roux in the beginning, that’s what the flour is for. That said, if you like it to be extra thick, consider mashing some of the potatoes with a fork before serving.

Storing and Reheating Zuppa Toscana (Does it freeze well?)

Yes! If you know ahead of time that you are going to freeze, stop the cooking process before the potatoes are fully soft. Then cook them over gentle heat after thawing. Potatoes can be frozen, but they are so watery that they tend to break down in the thawing process. Undercooking is best because it will help the potato hold together later.

Store Zuppa Toscana in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze it in a ziplock or in a tupperware. You can try freezing it in individual portions for easy reheating! It warms beautifully in the microwave or on the stove on medium heat once it’s been defrosted in a microwave or in the fridge overnight.

Here’s an original photo from when I posted this back in 2011:

Sausage Potato & Kale Soup in a white bowl with spoon and purple napkin

Oh dear. I’m pretty sure that purple thing is a pillow case??

More hearty soups you are going to love!

Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram

logo

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe

4.87 from 93 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
Servings: 10
Zuppa Toscana is a rich and creamy, soul-satisfying soup made with Italian sausage, potatoes, and hearty kale. It’s a copycat recipe of the famous soup at Olive Garden. I could eat this stuff for days!

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/2 pounds Italian sausage, (I like mild)
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 2 pounds russet potatoes, sliced
  • 1 large bunch kale, about 5 cups
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • more shredded Parmesan, to garnish

Instructions

  • In a large soup pot, add 1 and 1/2 pounds sausage over medium high heat. You can use mild sausage or a combination of hot and mild.
  • Add 1 large onion, chopped.  Use a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage.
  • Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (remember you can always add more later). Continue sautéing for about 7-10 minutes, until the sausage is thoroughly cooked.
  • Add 4 cloves of minced garlic. Sauté for one more minute, until garlic is fragrant.
  • Turn off the heat and drain the grease from the soup pot. There are lots of ways to do this, but I usually tilt the pot to one side and ladle the grease out into a foil-lined bowl (then refrigerate the grease and toss in the garbage).
  • Turn the heat back on to medium high and stir in 2 tablespoons flour.
  • Once the flour is incorporated, slowly add 4 cups of chicken broth while stirring.  You want the flour to thicken the broth, not get clumpy, so go slow.
  • Slowly add 3 cups of whole milk while stirring.
  • Scrub your potatoes well to get rid of the dirt, then use a sharp knife or food processor to slice the potatoes into 1/4 inch thick coins.
  • Add the potatoes to the pot. Turn the heat down to medium and bring to a low boil.
  • Once the soup is at a low simmer, continue simmering for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
  • Meanwhile, prep the kale. Wash it well and use a sharp knife to cut out the thick stems all the way up the leaf.  Tear or cut the kale into bite size pieces.
  • When the potatoes are tender, add the kale to the soup.
  • Add two cups of cream and stir very gently. You don’t want to demolish all of your nice tender potatoes. Just move your spoon around enough so that all the kale is mostly covered with liquid.
  • Turn the heat to low and let cook for another 15 minutes, until the kale is wilted.
  • Gently stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
  • Serve with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese and a few grinds of black pepper.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 560kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 1447mg | Potassium: 856mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2174IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 228mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 560
Keyword: Copycat, kale, Potatoes, Sausage, soup, toscana, zuppa
Did you make this? I’d love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

Categorized as , , , ,

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You May Also Like...

Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner and enjoyed it. My Aldi store didn’t have kale, so I subbed with broccoli. My family isn’t a fan of creamy soups like I am, so I had my husband taste it before adding cream. He thought it was good as is, so I left out the cream. He and my teen had a couple of bowls full. We all had it the next day for lunch/dinner :).

  2. Holy cow! This was so good. I’m not lactose intolerant, but all that cream and milk wrecked me. Definitely going to dial it back a bit.

    1. Oh no Carrie I’m so sorry!! It is quite the dairy investment lol. Next time – small portions?? I would struggle with this!! I’m so glad you liked it though.

  3. I make this recipe every year for Christmas Eve. We are gluten free so I just omit the flour and you would never know it.

    1. That’s wonderful to hear Leah! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave that tip so others can benefit from it too :-)

  4. 5 stars
    Absolutely love this recipe! I can’t even eat the stuff at Olive Garden anymore because this just knocks it out of the park so much! I was curious…could I use cornstarch instead of flour so that it stays gluten free?

    1. Hi Maria! Yes you could definitely use cornstarch instead of flour. However cornstarch is best added at the end. I would omit the flour, then mix a tablespoon of cornstarch into some of the cream until there are no lumps and add the cream as instructed in step 14. Thanks for taking the time to comment and enjoy!

  5. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe! Don’t skip the step of draining the sausage! It’s the first soup gone every time I take it places. Definitely a family favorite!

  6. 5 stars
    Delicious! We will be making this again for sure!
    I did half hot Italian sausage and half mild Italian sausage- Don Juan’s brand. It was the perfect mix of heat and flavor. Next time I’m going to try just 1 pound of sausage (instead of 1.5 lbs.) since it’s sold in 1 pound packages at my store.

    1. So happy you loved it Ashley! Thanks for the tips! And yeah you can totally make this with just the one pound, make life easy!! thanks for reviewing Ash 💕

  7. 5 stars
    Anyway I could cut down some of the calories? I love the Olive Garden, and eat “bowls” of it when there, it is my favorite. But, didn’t realize that heavy cream and whole milk…what would you suggest? Just found out I’m pre-diabetic and will have to be more careful in my choices. Thanks.

    1. Hi Connie! This recipe is truly best with the heavy cream and whole milk. I recommend limiting portion size rather than changing the recipe. It hasn’t been tested with any lower fat dairy products (they would change the taste and consistency significantly).

  8. What is sprinkled on top at the end? Bacon? Fried onions? I don’t see any mention of toppings in the recipe other than Parmesan cheese.

  9. 5 stars
    Finally!!! This is an amazing recipe! Would NOT change a thing and definitely recommend the zesty hot sausage!!  

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.