Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe

I’m sharing a creamy Zuppa Toscana built from sausage, bacon, kale, and potatoes in my Sausage and Kale Soup that hides a surprisingly clever trick.

I didn’t expect Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana to haunt my dinner thoughts but it did. A spoonful hits salty savory notes from browned sausage, then the kale shows up with that stubborn green bite that I love.

It’s creamy without being cloying and somehow simple while still feeling like a tiny restaurant secret. I kept poking the bowl thinking there had to be more to it, some trick I was missing.

If you like bold soup that puts sausage and kale front and center this Toscana Soup will make you curious, maybe slightly obsessed, and probably hungry.

Ingredients

• High in protein and fat adds savory spice, not the healthiest choice.
• Crunchy smoky fatty, boosts flavor but adds lots of sodium and saturated fat.
• Starchy carbs that fill you up offer potassium and fiber when skins left on.
• Leafy green full of fiber vitamin C and A slightly bitter but very healthy.
• Makes soup silky and rich adds calories and saturated fat use sparingly.
• Pungent adds savory depth and aroma may offer immune boosting compounds.
• Nutty salty finish provides umami and calcium sprinkle for extra flavor.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) Italian sausage sweet or spicy your call
• 6 slices bacon roughly chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 4 cups (960 ml) low sodium chicken broth
• 3 to 4 medium russet potatoes (about 1.25 lb / 600 g) sliced or cubed
• 1 bunch kale stems removed roughly chopped (about 5 to 6 cups packed)
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or half and half
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving optional

How to Make this

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, add the roughly chopped bacon and cook till it’s crisp, scoop bacon out with a slotted spoon and leave the rendered fat in the pot.

2. Add 1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy your call) to the pot, break it up with a spoon and brown it well, then remove and set aside with the bacon.

3. Toss the diced onion into the pot and cook in the bacon/sausage fat until translucent, about 4 minutes, then stir in the minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if using and cook 30 seconds more.

4. Pour in 4 cups low sodium chicken broth and add the sliced or cubed potatoes (3 to 4 medium russets), bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender about 10 to 15 minutes.

5. When potatoes are soft, return the browned sausage and bacon to the pot, stir to combine and let it simmer 2 minutes so flavors mingle.

6. Add the chopped kale (about 5 to 6 cups packed) and simmer until the kale wilts and is tender, 5 to 7 minutes.

7. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream or half and half, warm through gently for 2 to 3 minutes, dont let it boil hard or the cream can separate.

8. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjust heat with more crushed red pepper flakes if you want.

9. Serve hot in bowls topped with grated Parmesan cheese if you like, and remember you can mash a few potatoes against the side of the pot to thicken the soup if it’s too thin.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy pot or Dutch oven for browning and simmering the soup
2. Slotted spoon to lift out the crispy bacon and drained sausage bits
3. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to break up sausage and stir the pot
4. Chef’s knife for chopping onion, kale and trimming sausage casings if needed
5. Cutting board, preferably a sturdy one (use separate boards for meat and veg if you can)
6. Measuring cups and spoons for the broth, cream and spices
7. Ladle for serving and checking liquid levels
8. Potato peeler and paring knife for prepping the russets (you can skip the peeler if you like the skins)
9. Box grater for freshly grated Parmesan on top
10. Potato masher or large spoon to smash a few potatoes against the pot if you want the soup thicker

FAQ

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Italian sausage: Swap with 1 lb ground pork plus 1 tsp fennel seeds and 1/2 tsp smoked paprika for that sausage flavor, or use 1 lb turkey sausage if you want it leaner, or 1 lb plant based sausage for a vegetarian option (brown before adding).
• Bacon: Use 4 to 6 oz pancetta or prosciutto, chopped and crisped, or skip the pork and stir 1 tbsp olive oil with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika for a smoky note, or just add extra sausage.
• Russet potatoes: Replace with the same amount of Yukon Golds for a creamier texture, or use 3 cups diced sweet potato for a sweeter, earthier soup but cook a little less since they soften faster.
• Heavy cream: Use 1 cup half and half to lighten it, or fold in 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt thinned with 1/4 cup milk added off heat so it doesn’t curdle, or 1 cup canned coconut milk for dairy free (gives a hint of sweetness).

Pro Tips

1) Crisp the bacon all the way, then pour off most of the fat but leave a couple tablespoons in the pot for flavor. Browning the sausage in batches helps it get those little brown bits that taste amazing, don’t crowd the pan or it’ll steam instead.

2) Cut the potatoes all about the same size so they cook evenly. If you want a thicker soup, mash a few against the pot side or puree a cup of the cooked potatoes in a blender, its an easy way to add body without flour.

3) Treat the kale right: strip the stems, pat or spin it dry and add it near the end so it keeps some texture and color. For extra flavor, massage a little olive oil and lemon into the leaves first or briefly blanch the tougher stems.

4) When you add the cream, temper it by whisking in a ladle of hot broth first then stir it into the pot and keep the heat low, don’t let it boil hard or it can separate. Finish and salt at the end, and a Parmesan rind simmered in the broth earlier gives a deeper savory note.