Indulge in the savory taste of this incredible Easy Zuppa Toscana Recipe. Made with sausage, turkey bacon, potatoes, veggies, and more, this recipe blends undeniably delicious flavors. It's a soup the entire family will love!

A Quick Look

Recipe Name: Easy Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Ready In: 60 minutes
Serves: 12 cups
Main Ingredients: olive oil, ground sausage, turkey bacon, yellow onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flake
Why You'll Love It: Indulge in the savory taste of this incredible Easy Zuppa Toscana Recipe. Made with sausage, turkey bacon, potatoes, veggies, and more, this recipe blends undeniably delicious flavors. It's a soup the entire family will love!

Delicious and easy zuppa toscana soup recipe

There's nothing quite like a warm bowl of soup served up at your favorite restaurant... until now. This at-home and easy-to-make copycat Olive Garden zuppa toscana is a must try! From the creamy base to the delicious and hearty sausage and veggies, this dish has it all.

This is one of my favorite copycat recipes because it's just so easy to prepare. It's a one pot recipe, meaning less dishes and faster cleanup! Zuppa toscana is a great meal for an autumn gameday, but it's also quick and easy enough to work well as a weekday dish.

Ingredients in this easy zuppa toscana recipe

To make Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana soup right at home, you will need an assortment of seasonings, sausage, bacon, onion, potatoes, and a few other mix ins. Everything is listed below, along with measurements.

Olive oil: First up for zuppa toscana is 2 tablespoon of olive oil. This will be used to cook the sausage.
Sausage: As for the sausage, use 1lb ground. You can use pork, chicken, beef, or Italian sausage.
Turkey bacon: Add some nice bacon flavor with 6 slices of turkey bacon, diced into small pieces.
Onion: Next up, add an entire yellow onion. It should be diced prior to using in the recipe.
Garlic: Add flavor with 3 cloves of minced garlic. If using garlic powder, use a total of ¾ tsp.
Seasonings: For seasonings, use 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes.
Chicken broth: Create the soup consistency by adding 6 cups of chicken broth. If your box contains 5 cups and you don't want to have to open a second container, you can use 1 cup of water for the 6th cup.
Yellow potatoes: Thicken up the soup by using 2.5lbs of yellow potatoes, diced into cubes.
Heavy cream: 1 cup of heavy cream will make the soup nice and creamy.
Milk: Follow the heavy cream with 1 cup of milk (or another cup of cream).
Kale: Sneak in some veggies with 6oz of kale.
Topping: Last but not least, top each bowl of soup with some more cooked bacon and parmesan cheese.

Tools used to make easy zuppa toscana

Kitchen tools are kept to a minimum for this recipe. You'll need a dutch oven and spatula, along with some measuring cups (½ tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, and 1 cup).

Photo of ingredients for Easy Zuppa Toscana Recipe with labels.

How to make this easy zuppa toscana recipe

Let's get started! You can expect this one pot zuppa toscana recipe to require about 40-50 minutes of total prep time and cooking time combined.

Begin by heating a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and adding the oil. Once hot, add the sausage and break it up into small pieces as it cooks. Sauté until fully cooked, and then use a slotted spoon to transfer to the cooked sausage another bowl, leaving the oil behind.

Add the bacon and let it cook for 3-4 minutes or until it begins to brown, and then add the onions and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Next, add the garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook for another minute.

Add the potatoes to the onions and bacon, and then pour in the chicken broth. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil and cook for another 12-14 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Once the potatoes are tender, add the cream and the milk, and then add back in the sausage. Bring it to a light boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Add the kale and simmer the soup for another 10 minutes to let the flavors combine and the kale soften.

Serve with cooked bacon and parmesan cheese!

What should I serve with zuppa toscana?

This dish pairs nicely with some breadsticks and a side salad! Try it alongside Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, Kale Superfood Salad, Fall Harvest Salad, or Cashew Crunch Salad.

Storing leftovers

Have leftovers? Extra zuppa toscana soup should be placed in an airtight container and refrigerated. When ready to eat, remove from the fridge and reheat on the stove. Enjoy within 2-3 days.

Freezing is also an option. To do so, transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and enjoy within 1-2 months.

Recipe Tips

What does zuppa toscana mean in English?

Zuppa toscana translates to Tuscan soup.

What are the ingredients in zuppa toscana soup?

Recipes vary, but this one includes olive oil, sausage, turkey bacon, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, chicken broth, potatoes, heavy cream, milk, kale, and parmesan.

Why is it called zuppa toscana?

This recipe is called zuppa toscana because it is a Tuscan soup recipe! The dish originated in Italy, particularly in the Tuscany area.

Can I use beef or chicken in this recipe?

Sure can! You can use chicken or beef in this recipe.

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Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa

Erin Antoniak