Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana Soup is a copycat version of the Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana soup that is perfect for a chilly night. Made with sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale…this Zuppa Toscana copycat is a hearty soup that is perfect for dinner.
ZUPPA TOSCANA RECIPE
Apparently it’s really cold and snowy everywhere in the country while we are sweating our cakes off here in Florida. I can’t say that I miss the cold. I grew up in Arizona and never even owned a real coat until college.
In college, when it would snow I would try as hard as I could to not go anywhere. I managed to slide my car off the road a couple of times and was traumatized by it. I can’t even walk in the cold. I’m like Bambi on ice.
But there are a couple of things that I love about the cold. I love snowboarding and I love curling up with a warm hearty soup that takes the chill out of your bones.
Start off by browning the sausage with the crushed red pepper flakes until no longer pink.
Add some broth and your sliced potatoes.
Add your broth and boil the potatoes until soft. Add some heavy cream, kale, and simmer.
If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden you’ll recognize this soup. It’s a Zuppa Toscana copycat. It’s spicy, filling, and full of flavor. Forget the restaurant soup, this is just as good if not better.
WHAT IS ZUPPA TOSCANA?
Zuppa Toscana means Tuscan soup. It’s made with bacon, kale, potatoes, onion, and garlic.
HOW TO MAKE ZUPPA TOSCANA
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Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid) over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, remove from pan, and set aside. The purpose of removing it from the pan is to not boil it in the broth.
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Add the bacon and cook until browned. Remove from pan and set aside for later.
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Add the onions and garlic the the same Dutch oven; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
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Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale and bacon into the soup a couple of minutes before serving.
OTHER SOUP RECIPES:
- Panera’s Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Easy Tomato Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Parmesan Soup
- Chicken Taco Soup
- Egg Drop Soup
Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana Soup - a copycat version of the Olive Garden soup that is perfect for a chilly night. Made with sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale...it's a hearty soup that is perfect for dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more to taste)
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and cut into pieces
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth (I like better than Bouillon chicken base)
- 3-4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (see Note)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 5 cups kale, coarsley chopped (spinach can be substituted)
Instructions
-
Cook the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes in a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid) over medium-high heat until crumbly, browned, and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, remove from pan, and set aside. The purpose of removing it from the pan is to not boil it in the broth.
-
Add the bacon and cook until browned. Remove from pan and set aside for later.
-
Add the onions and garlic the the same Dutch oven; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
-
Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onion mixture; bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the heavy cream and the cooked sausage; heat through. Mix the kale and bacon into the soup a couple of minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
You can control the thickness of the soup by the amount of potatoes you put in it. The original soup isn't extremely thick but is chunky.
Source: adapted from Allrecipes
Loved this recipe. The kale took a bit to get softened to my liking. I didn’t have heavy cream, so I used half and half. Once cooked, I mashed some of the potatoes to give it a thicker consistency
Maybe try spinach next time!
How is this low carb when it has potato…
I think you’re looking for this one: https://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/keto-zuppa-toscana/
I could eat soup every day regardless of the weather. This one looks like a winner!
Thanks! It’s a good one.
Is the kale ok after being refrigerated or frozen (leftovers)???
I freeze this soup often, and it still tastes great! I move it from the freezer to the fridge, the night before, then reheat on the stove.
Delicious soup, easy recipe to follow and full of flavor.
Thank you!
mmm- this sounds so good! Excited to add it to my dinner menu. I’ve always wanted to try kale, this sounds like a safe way to do so 🙂
We tried this tonight and it was delicious. I cut the red pepper to 1/2tsp and it was stil spicy to my husband and myself. Just wondering if 1 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes was a misprint. Maybe we are wimpy! 😉
Nope. Not a misprint. It’s supposed to be spicy!
I have made this several times and it’s always a hit! But with a new baby I’m trying to make the most of quiet/nap times and prep dinner before the standard 4 o’clock craze. Could I make this in the crock pot? What adjustments would I need to make?
I haven’t made it in the crockpot but others have. I’m not sure what adjustments you would need because I haven’t tried it.