Bites of Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale swim in a creamy, garlicky broth in this copycat Olive Garden recipe. Instead of dining out, make a big batch of Zuppa Toscana in one pot, in just 30 minutes!
This Soup Is SO Much Better Than Olive Garden’s
Zuppa Toscana — literally, “Tuscan soup” — is a rich and creamy Italian sausage soup studded with chunks of potato and kale. The authentic, made-in-Tuscany version of this soup often incorporates stale bread as a thickener, but the American version utilizes chicken broth and heavy cream for richness and depth.
No shade at all to Olive Garden (who can complain about endless breadsticks!), but my homemade Zuppa Toscana recipe blows theirs out of the water. The perk of making this soup yourself is that you control how much salt, seasonings, broth, and cream go into it. In short, you can tweak the flavor to be exactly how you like it.
This recipe isn’t authentically Italian, but it’s got that lip-smacking flavor that has me doling out a second bowlful at dinnertime, without fail. It feels almost illegal that an easy soup like this be allowed to taste so flavorful and delicious after less than 30 minutes on the stove!
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Italian sausage adds more flavor than plain ground pork. Italian sausage is pre-seasoned with spices like paprika, garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, and fennel seeds. Rather than load up the soup with lots of individual spices, I prefer to save time by using spicy Italian sausage to infuse the soup with bold Italian flavor.
Yukon Gold potatoes won’t crumble in the hot broth. Save those starchy Russets for making cloud-like mashed potatoes, and reserve waxy Yukon Golds for soups and stews. This variety of potato holds its shape after simmering in the broth while maintaining its creamy texture.
Mild lacinato kale works better than bitter curly kale. You can use any variety of kale you like in this copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe, but my recipe testers (aka my family) preferred the batch made with lacinato kale. It’s milder and sweeter than curly kale, plus it cooks up much more tender.
The Key Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Italian sausage — I prefer mine spicy, but you may use sweet Italian sausage if you’re sensitive to heat. Ground sausage or sausage removed from their casings work equally well.
- Aromatics — Onion and garlic flavor the broth without overpowering it. Since the soup is only simmered for 30 minutes, I suggest using a white onion rather than a yellow one. The flavor will be much sweeter and less pungent.
- Flour — A heaping spoonful of all-purpose flour thickens the soup without having to extend the cook time.
- Vegetables — Cubed Yukon Gold potatoes and chopped lacinato kale (aka Tuscan or dinosaur kale) add texture and color.
- Chicken broth — If you’ve got homemade chicken broth on hand, use that. Otherwise purchase a quality brand from the store.
- Heavy cream — Just ¾ cup adds richness and creaminess. Other recipes use 1 ½ cups or more for the same size batch of soup, but that amount makes the soup taste incredibly heavy, in my opinion.
- Parmesan — Freshly grated Parm melts seamlessly into the hot soup and is the only garnish you need.
How to Make Copycat Zuppa Toscana
- Brown the Italian sausage. Do this in the same pot you’ll be cooking the soup in, both to reduce dirty dishes and so that none of the flavorful drippings go to waste.
Heidi’s Tip: If your sausage released a lot of fat, remove all but 2 tablespoons from the pot to prevent the soup from tasting greasy.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in the drippings. Once the onion has softened, toss the aromatics with a little flour. Then, cook for another minute to remove the raw flour flavor.
- Add the broth and potatoes. The potatoes will need to simmer in the broth for 10 or so minutes to soften.
- Finish the soup. Return the Italian sausage to the pot and add the chopped kale and cream. Once the soup has warmed through, taste and add extra salt and pepper as desired.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Creamy Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage, use sweet Italian if you’re sensitive to spicy food
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups stemmed and chopped kale, I prefer lacinato
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. Cook 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook, breaking into small chunks, about 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons of rendered drippings or add enough canola oil to make 1 tablespoon.
- Sauté the aromatic vegetables. Add 1 chopped onion, 4 pressed garlic cloves, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to the pot and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 ½ tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring well to coat the vegetables.
- Simmer the potatoes in chicken broth. Add 1 pound cubed potatoes and 6 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in the final flavors. Stir in 6 cups kale, reserved sausage, ¾ cup cream, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Simmer the soup for 5 minutes oruntil the kale wilts. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions
- Stir in cooked gnocchi, ditalini, or tortellini for an even heartier soup.
- Swap the kale for baby spinach or another favorite dark leafy green.
- Replace the heavy cream with evaporated milk, whole milk, or half and half (the soup will taste much less rich, however).
- Add cannelini beans or chickpeas for added texture.
What to Serve With Zuppa Toscana
- Appetizers — Roasted Tomato Crostini, Sweet Potato Flatbread Pizza, Bruschetta
- Salads — Italian House Salad, Caesar Salad, Burrata and Prosciutto Salad
- Breads and Rolls — Garlic Bread, Fluffy Dinner Rolls, Killer Garlic Knots
Storage Tips
Leftover soup should be allowed to cool to room temp before storing in an airtight container and refrigerating. It will last up to 5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat.
I don’t recommend freezing this soup since it’s got a good amount of dairy in it. (Cream tends to split when frozen, and I don’t care for its grainy texture.)
More Italian-Inspired Soup Recipes
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