Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe
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So easy to make and 10x better than the original! With Italian sausage, potatoes, spinach + bacon!
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why i love this recipe
A homemade replica version of the most favorited Olive Garden soup? Yes, please! Now this copycat recipe comes together in one single pot, which is always a win on those super busy weeknights (hello, easy clean up here), loaded with crumbled spicy Italian sausage, tender russet potatoes, sneaked in greens and all the crispy bacon bits on top.
WHAT IS ZUPPA TOSCANA?
Zuppa toscana is a soup from northern Italy in Tuscany. Translated word for word, zuppa toscana literally means Tuscan soup, also known as minestra di pane in Italy (bread soup).
tips and tricks for success
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Spinach, kale, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options.
- Add the cream slowly. Always add the heavy cream at the very end, pouring very slowly to prevent curdling.
- Make it dairy-free. Need a dairy free option? Substitute coconut cream or skip the half and half.
- Add garnishes. Garnishes are always optional but a fresh sprinkle of grated Parmesan or some crispy bacon will certainly take your soup to the next level, adding more flavor, texture and contrast.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH ZUPPA TOSCANA
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe: Frequently Asked Questions
The spicy Italian sausage does pack a little bit of heat but you can substitute mild Italian sausage as needed.
Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream) has one of the highest fat contents with about 36-40% fat. Half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes, but will yield a lighter result.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the heavy cream and bacon (cream soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding heavy cream and bacon when serving.
Absolutely! We have a recipe for that here.
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, diced
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cups baby spinach
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium hight heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; drain excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons in the stockpot, and set aside.
- Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat, reserving 2 tablespoons in the stockpot.
- Add garlic and onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in spinach until wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with bacon.
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I use 2 potatoes then at end put a large can of white beans in it. Add a tap of dried Oregano too. Love this recipe. Make it a lot!
Definitely DELICIOUS!!!
Can I do doulbedouble in an a 6 qt? How much extra time shouldd i cook it?
Ooooo I notice spinach rather than kale. Not a giant fan of
Kale so this is a great alternative.
We made this tonight and it was great! We doubled the meat but we usually do that with soups because it is our dinner. We will be making it again!
Love this recipe just made it tonight! Thank you for posting it wife and my little girl loved it!
This was easy and delicious!!!
So easy to make and soooo very good. Warms you up on a cold day!
Glad I found this, this soup is an instant hit…
I’m new to cooking but just this yesterday and it was awesome. Great flavors.
Excellent
As the lady says, “Damn Delicious!” And yes, it’s even better than Olive Garden!
Can I leave out the spinach? And just not add it or the kale?
Sure!
I use canned mixed greens
I love, love, love this soup at Olive Gardens!
So excited to try this this week! Wondering if it is possible to freeze any left overs for later use???
Unfortunately, soups that contain milk or cream, like chowders and bisques, do not hold up well in the freezer as they tend to take on a grainy texture and separate when defrosted and rewarmed. 🙁
What we usually do is add a dollop of cream to individual serving bowls. It sacrifices a tiny amount of richness from simmering but allows us each to control the amount we consume, plus freeze leftovers.
I make this all the time, it’s so comforting and delicious! I do double the broth (cuz i like things brothy) and when i sautee the onions and garlic I deglaze the pot with some white wine! Lastly i bake half of the kale so i have a crispy topping! Sooooooo good.
I make this soup often, shared it with my mother and sister and we all love it!! Tonight I’m even making it for a birthday party, but for some reason the recipe isn’t showing up on the website?? I’ve used this link so many times, I know it should be here. Please fix or send the recipe ASAP! Thanks, Chungah!
My apologies. The website is undergoing a system update. The recipes will be available very soon! Thank you so much for your patience.
This recipe is definitely better than OG’s! We are spinach lovers here too. My 15 year old says that the spinach is like noodles in the soup and asked me to add more! Even my 9 year old loves this soup but how could you not?
First off, Olive Garden uses kale. And doesn’t use bacon.
Just kidding. I’m sure you are so sick of those comments.
Personally I’d rather channel my inner Italian grandma and use what is delicious and what my family will eat.
Just wanting to chime in and say this recipe is fantastic, is one of the highlights of winter for my husband, and if he had it his way there would be no green stuff in it at all.
Haha thanks, Haley!
Loved this soup! It truly is BETTER than Olive Garden’s.
Great recipe! I did dice the potatoes instead of slicing. Same cooking time 10 minutes for potatoes. Thank you for the Zuppa!