Zuppa Toscana
Published
Published
Loaded with so many goodies like sausage, bacon, potatoes, spinach, and cream, this classic Italian Zuppa Toscana recipe and Olive Garden soup copycat is incredibly hearty and pure comfort food. Make sure to have some crusty bread ready to mop up those last dribbles in the bowl!
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Easy Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Zuppa Toscana is one of Olive Garden’s most popular recipes, and probably their most popular soups. This homemade Zuppa Toscana recipe is a copycat version, loaded with Italian sausage, crispy bacon, spinach (instead of kale), potatoes, and a creamy broth. It’s completely irresistible!
Zuppa translates to soup, and Toscana means Tuscan—so, Tuscan Soup! However, this is actually not a traditional soup from Tuscany, but rather a soup that was simply created and made very popular in America by the Olive Garden restaurant chain, much like their other popular soup, pasta fagioli.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- Use kale if preferred. My family prefers spinach, but the original Olive Garden recipe uses kale.
- Try a different variety of sausage. Swap out the spicy Italian sausage for a mild or sweet variety.
- Make it keto-friendly. Swap out the potatoes for chopped cauliflower florets.
- For a dairy-free (Whole30) version. Substitute the heavy cream for a 15-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk (using the solid white cream portion only).
- Remove excess grease. At the end of cooking let it cool for about 15 minutes and then slowly skim off the top layer of grease.
- Purchase pre-diced vegetables. Use refrigerated diced potatoes if you’re short on time.
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 5 slices bacon, diced
- 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 oz. low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced small (about ½-inch cubes)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium-high; add bacon and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Drain off all but one tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat; add sausage and onion to the pot and cook until pork is no longer pink and onion is translucent, crumbling up the pork and stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Drain excess fat.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add potatoes; reduce heat to a medium simmer for about 12 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt.
- Return most of the bacon back to the pot (reserving some for garnish) and stir in heavy cream until heated through, 2-3 more minutes.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve with some crusty bread and a little reserved crumbled bacon!
Video
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Zuppa Toscana Step by Step
Gather your ingredients.
Cook the bacon: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and cook 5 slices diced bacon until crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Drain and cook pork: Drain off all but one tablespoon of the rendered bacon fat; add 1 lb. sausage and 1 diced sweet onion to the pot and cook until pork is no longer pink and onion is translucent, crumbling up the pork and stirring frequently, 3-5 minutes. Add 3 cloves minced garlic and cook for 20 seconds until fragrant. Drain excess fat.
Add stock: Pour in 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth and add 3 small peeled and diced russet potatoes; bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender.
Add spinach: Stir in 3 cups fresh baby spinach and cook until it just begins to wilt.
Add bacon and cream: Return bacon to the pot, along with ¾ cup heavy cream. Heat through.
Season and serve: Season with salt and pepper. Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!
How to Store
Refrigerate any leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last 3 to 4 days. Gently reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Due to the heavy cream component, this soup is not ideal for freezing. Dairy tends to separate after thawing, leaving a less than desirable taste and texture. If you really want/need to freeze it, I suggest doing so before adding the cream and spinach. Add these ingredients after reheating just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This soup is very hearty on its own and doesn’t need much else, but we often enjoy it with homemade garlic bread or popovers to mop up the last dribbles in the bowl. Pure comfort in a bowl and will hit the spot on a cold night!
More Soup Recipes
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
My Zuppa Toscana recipe was originally published 10/2/20. It was retested and republished to be better than ever 1/22/26.
4-21-26
I made soup. As usual did a few *Tweaks*. I added cut up carrots & zuchinni & colored sweet peppers….made it a bit heartier & healthier. Was Very good. Shared with my neighbors, like I do All of my weekly soups. They thought it was delicious.
We made this recipe and put it in the fridge for a couple of days. Loved the result. It’s a keeper!
Im making this right now but I used what I had on hand. Using kielbasa and added some very small diced carrots. I only have milk or condensed milk..that should work. Im adding some cheese tortellini in with the soup right before I serve. Can’t wait to eat it.
I am making this recipe now – the ingredients are easily found and prepped. I expect it will be delicious!
My question is that I want to freeze about half of it. My plan is to divide it up before I add the cream and spinach. I will freeze it with notes to add spinach and cream. Does this make sense? I am not sure about freezing with the cream and spinach.
Thanks for the great recipes!
I make this soup a lot only I make mine with kale instead of spinach, but look forward to trying spinach. I’m sure it would be just as good.
This recipe is fabulous and easy! Make it!!!
Loved this recipe – better than original! Here in ATL we’ve had frigid temps with freezing rain and lots of ice this weekend. I prepared the soup ahead through step 3 in case we lost power. I could reheat on gas grill or camp stove. I used 1 lb of baby reds quartered and 1/2 & 1/2 as it’s what I had on hand. Fortunately we did not lose power and this soup was so fantastic. I warmed the soup with a bit more chicken broth, added the cream and just simmered it for a while adding the spinach just before serving. Wonderful comfort food!
Made it! Love it!
Oh my goodness! This was delicious!
I only had to pop out and buy some bacon and heavy cream (I had 1/2 and 1/2 but thought whipping cream would be better).
I love making homemade soups so this recipe is definitely a keeper!
I shared this page with my daughters and daughter in-law and my sister as we all love to cook and share recipes when we find one we love.
I made this yummy soup on a cool rainy evening with a few minor revisions: I used sweet Italian chicken sausage, Chicken stock, and condensed coconut milk to be dairy free. Turned out delicious!
Oh my, oh my. Favoloso! Thank you, Amy!
Easy to make and full of great flavor. It was better than Olive Garden’s.
Excellent!
Yum! Really hoping there’s lots of leftovers! Delicious!
Loved This!!!!
Loved this !!!
I substituted potato for frozen cauliflower and used kale instead. Has less carbs. Amazing. Hubby really loves it.
Amy, I’ve been making this Zuppa soup every week since I found your recipe. It’s glorious! I actually make it in my Instant Pot which makes for no-fuss, easy cleanup. So delish!
I love this recipe. It tasted exactly like the Olive Garden. Thanks for sharing .
This soup turned out so well. I used plant-based brats and plant based heavy cream and who ever want bacon for crunch at the end can add it. I also used kale. So delicious I will keep this in my recipe rotation!!
I love this recipe. This is so yummy.