Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copy Cat Recipe

This Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana Soup is full of hearty gluten-free ingredients like Italian sausage, kale, bacon, potatoes and red peppers. You won’t believe how easy it is!

Olive Garden is well known for its soup, salads, and breadsticks. There are four different types of Olive Garden soups: Chicken & Gnocchi, Pasta e Fagioli, Minestrone and Zuppa Toscana.

Did you know that Zuppa Toscana is Olive Garden’s most popular soup? From the spiciness of the peppers and sausage to the creaminess of the broth, it’s a match made in heaven… or at least Olive Garden! At around 500 calories per bowl, this substantial soup can be enjoyed alone or with its classic counterpart – Olive Garden Salad and Salad Dressing and some Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks for dipping!

Want other warm, delicious soups to try? Try my Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup or my Creamy Cabbage & Bleu Cheese Soup!

WHAT IS ZUPPA TOSCANA SOUP?

“Toscana” refers to the Tuscany region of Italy. “Zuppa” means soup in Italian. Therefore, “Zuppa Toscana” translates to “Tuscan soup”.

This wholesome, warm soup is naturally gluten-free and grain-free. The flavors are creamy yet subtly spicy. Trust me – from the moment the Italian sausage starts to brown with the red pepper flakes, to sautéing the onion, garlic and bacon, your tummy will begin to growl! Best yet, this is a freezer-friendly recipe so you can take leftovers to lunch with you. 

Looking for more copycat dishes to make at home? Try my Copy Cat Taco Bell Enchirito Recipe, Cinnamon Honey Butter – A Texas Roadhouse Copycat Recipe or Cincinnati Chili | Skyline Chili Copycat!

INGREDIENTS FOR COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN ZUPPA TOSCANA

• Italian Sausage: Italian sausage is preferred for this dish to add to the peppery flavors. 
• Red Peppers: Used to give the soup an extra kick of spicy heat.
• White Onion: Helps balance the heat in this dish.
• Bacon: For this recipe, I bought the real bacon pieces in the salad section to prevent bacon grease.
• Garlic Puree: Garlic purée can be used in place of fresh garlic in all dishes and can be stored easily.
• Water: Used to prevent soup from being too thick and incorporated with the bouillon cubes to make broth. 
• Chicken Bouillon: When paired with water, these cubes can be dissolved to make chicken broth.
• Heavy Cream: Used to prevent the soup from curdling. It also freezes and defrosts better.
• Russet Potatoes: Uses about 3 large potatoes – sliced with skins left on.
• Kale: Combined with the soup’s other ingredients, the kale takes on delicious flavors, without kale’s usual bitterness when eaten raw.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE ZUPPA TOSCANA

PREP

Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, and refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients. 

In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions, and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.

MIX

Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon, and garlic. Bring to a boil.

COOK

Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour. Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in the sausage.

SERVE

Add kale just before serving. Enjoy!

STORE

Make sure the soup is fully cooled before storing. To freeze: Store the soup in a freezer-friendly bag or container for up to 3 months. In the refrigerator: Store in an airtight container and consume within 5 days.

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OTHER RECIPES YOU WILL ENJOY

• Philly Cheese Steak Soup (pictured above)
• Potato, Green Bean & Bacon Soup
• Honey Bourbon Glazed Beets with Crispy Kale
• Sauerkraut, Bratwurst and Potato Soup
• Cheesy Corn Chowder
• Easiest Lasagna Soup Recipe + Video
• Polish Sauerkraut Soup (KAPUSNIAK)
• How to Make Turkey Stock
• Italian Chicken Noodle Soup
• Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup

Skip the hassle of crowds and waiting in line and host Olive Garden Night at Home, it’s one of our family’s favorite meals! So, in addition to this Zuppa Toscana, here is the salad and dressing recipe as well as the breadstick recipe to make a night out of it!

Let’s make some Zuppa! 

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Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden Copy Cat Recipe

This Olive Garden copycat Zuppa Toscana Soup is full of hearty gluten-free ingredients like Italian sausage, kale, bacon, potatoes and red peppers. You won’t believe how easy it is!

 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Keyword: recipe for Zuppa Toscana Olive garden Soups Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana zuppa toscana recipe zuppa toscana soup recipe zuppa toscana copy cat, Soup, zuppa, Zuppa Toscana Soup

Servings: 8

Calories: 485kcal

Author: Michaela Kenkel

Equipment

• Lodge 6 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. Classic Red Enamel Dutch Oven (Island Spice Red)
• 12-Piece Black Sharp Knife Set with Covers, Cutting Board and Sharpener

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground Italian sausage
• 1½ tsp crushed red peppers
• 1 large diced white onion
• 4 Tbsp bacon pieces I bought the REAL bacon pieces in the salad section, worked great and not as much grease
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 10 cups water
• 5 cubes of chicken bouillon
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb sliced Russet potatoes or about 3 large potatoes (sliced with skins left on)
• ¼ of a bunch of kale chopped I used my kitchen shears

Instructions

• Sauté Italian sausage and crushed red pepper in a large pot. Drain excess fat, refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
• In the same pan, sauté bacon, onions and garlic for approximately 15 mins. or until the onions are soft.
• Mix together the chicken bouillon and water, then add it to the onions, bacon and garlic. Cook until boiling.
• Add potatoes and cook until soft, about half an hour.
• Add heavy cream and cook until thoroughly heated.
• Stir in the sausage.
• Add kale just before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 803mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g

This recipe was originally posted on October 17, 2011. It has been updated to improve user experience and re-shared on April 10, 2022.