Zuppa Toscana is a creamy soup with tender potatoes, spicy Italian sausage, crispy bacon, and bright kale. It is easy to make and packed with rich, savory flavor.
Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana is a flavorful, creamy soup that is super easy to make. It's one of my favorite soups to use for meal prep because the ingredients are so simple, and you can even change them up for variety (or for special diet requirements. More on that in a minute, though).
You may have heard of this soup from Olive Garden. This version is just as good, and in my opinion, even better.
It is so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients, including sausage, bacon, onion, garlic, and potatoes. Plus, you can make it one pot!
Is Zuppa Toscana Healthy?
It depends on your diet, but yes it can be. A large serving is less than 500 calories is more than hearty enough for a meal.
To increase nutrients, I will often opt to use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients, and when boiled, as in a soup, they do not take on the same super-sweet quality as a baked sweet potato.
You can also make this recipe dairy free by using full fat coconut milk (the canned stuff) instead of cream.
You can even easily adapt your soup to be keto. Use diced radishes or cauliflower florets instead of potatoes.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana Thicker
Zuppa Toscana is a rich soup, but not necessarily a thick soup.
If you're a thick-soup person, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Add 2 tablespoons cornstarch to a small bowl with 2 tablespoons water, and stir to combine. Then pour the cornstarch mixture into the soup and stir to combine.
Heat and stir for about 10-20 minutes to allow the cornstarch to incorporate and cook through, while thickening the soup.
What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana
I love soups as meals, and this Zuppa Toscana has the 3 main meal qualifiers in it already: 1. Sausage for protein, 2. Potatoes for starch, 3. Kale for vegetables.
A meal in a bowl!
On the side, serve a fresh green salad and a piece of warm crusty bread. You can also serve it up with your favorite cold or toasted sandwich.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana
In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add Italian sausage, bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to pot.
Add chicken broth and diced potatoes. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Reduce heat. Add cream. The reheat to steaming, but not boiling. Stir in kale, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
More Warm Soup Recipes You'll Love
- Copycat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup - creamy soup with juicy chicken, soft gnocchi dumplings, and spinach.
- Split Pea Soup - creamy and delicious, and packed with bacon and ham.
- Homemade Vegetable Soup - tons of veggies in a zesty tomato broth.
- Butternut Squash Bisque - creamy and sweet with just a little pop of spicy.
- Southwest Bean Chowder - this soup gets its creaminess from pureed white beans with lots of southwestern flavors.
Zuppa Toscana Video
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (hot or mild)
- 6 slices bacon diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 6 medium garlic cloves minced
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 4 medium Russet potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 bundle kale leaves stripped and chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add Italian sausage, bacon, onion, and garlic. Cook until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to pot.
- Add chicken broth and diced potatoes. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
- Reduce heat. Add cream. The reheat to steaming, but not boiling.
- Stir in kale, and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve warm with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
Notes
- If you want your soup to turn out like Olive Garden's, opt for the spicy Italian sausage.
- This recipe is gluten free. Be sure to check the ingredients in the sausage to make sure.
- To make dairy free, use full fat coconut milk instead of cream.
- To make keto, omit the potatoes, or use diced radishes instead.
- Do I have to use cream? Cream really adds to the richness of the soup. But in a pinch, you can use half-and-half instead.
- What can I use instead of kale? If you don't have kale, or you just don't like it, substitute spinach or Swiss chard.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in a large pot and heat over medium heat. For a single serving, place in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave until warmed through.
- Freezer Directions: Prepare soup according to recipe instructions. Allow to cool. Then transfer to a freezer dish or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a large stockpot over medium heat.
Nutrition
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krissy says
My family's favorite! Loved that I could make this in my DO on the stove.
Mairead says
Soup has been on our menu many times this week. This creamy soup is truly perfect comfort food for cold winter evenings.
Tara says
Such a creamy and comforting soup! I absolutely love the addition of the Italian sausage and bacon. So much flavor!
Andrea says
Oh my goodness does this look delicious! I can't wait to make this for my family. Yum!
Beth Sachs says
Such a filling and comforting soup! Perfect for lunch with some bread!
Toni says
This recipe is SO good! I used spicy Italian sausage and my family all had seconds.
Kim says
Tasted great! Love making this on cold nights for the entire family.
Anjali says
This soup is so hearty and satisfying!! It was the perfect dinner for our family on this cold winter evening!