Zuppa Toscana is a comforting Tuscan-style soup that’s become wildly popular, especially in its Olive Garden–inspired form. Rich, creamy, and hearty, it features Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, bacon, and garlic in a luscious broth. It’s the kind of soul-warming one-pot meal that works perfectly for cozy dinners, meal prep, or family gatherings.
People love Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe for three big reasons:
1. Comfort-Food Flavor
Zuppa Toscana is rich, creamy, savory, and perfectly balanced.
The combination of spicy Italian sausage, soft potatoes, garlic, and buttery cream hits every comfort-food craving. It’s warming, filling, and satisfying.
2. Simple 1-Pot Meal
Everything cooks in a single pot — meat, potatoes, kale, broth, and cream.
There’s no complicated technique, and it’s ready quickly. Home cooks love fast, hearty meals that don’t create a mountain of dishes.
3. Restaurant-Quality Taste at Home
People love Olive Garden’s version, and this tastes like the same comforting bowl — but fresher, richer, and cheaper.
It feels “fancy,” but it’s actually very easy and uses affordable ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (about 450 g) Italian sausage (mild or spicy, your choice)
- 4–6 slices of bacon, diced (optional but adds great flavor)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4–5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes
- 6–8 cups (about 1.4–1.9 L) chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for a lighter version)
- ~5 cups kale (destemmed and chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano, thyme, and basil)
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, if you like a little heat)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Instructions :
To get the best Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe you need to follow these instructions ;
- Cook the sausage and bacon
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Break it up as it cooks so it’s in small crumbles.
- If you’re using bacon, add the diced bacon too and cook until it’s crisp. Remove most of the fat, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons in the pot.
- Sauté aromatics
- Add the chopped onion to the remaining fat in the pot, and cook until it becomes translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Then stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly (1 minute) until fragrant.
- Add broth and potatoes
- Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (if using), stirring once or twice.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the cubed potatoes. Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes (depending on the size of your cubes).
- Add kale and finish with cream
- Once the potatoes are just cooked, stir in the chopped kale. Let it simmer for another 4–5 minutes, until the kale wilts but still retains some color.
- Turn off or lower the heat. Stir in the heavy cream (or half-and-half) slowly, so the soup becomes creamy but doesn’t boil violently.
- Return the cooked sausage (and bacon, if set aside) into the pot. Stir gently to combine everything. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve & garnish
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Optionally, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
- Serve it hot, ideally with crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the rich broth.
Tips & Variations
- Thicker texture: If you prefer a thicker soup, you can whisk a simple slurry of cornstarch + water or cream and stir it in at the end. (Some recipes do this.)
- Lighter version: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream, or even substitute some of the sausage with white beans to reduce fat.
- Dairy-free: Use coconut cream or cashew cream, but temper it first by mixing a little hot broth in, so it doesn’t curdle.
- Flavor boost: Some versions simmer a Parmesan rind in the broth for extra umami.
- Storage: The soup keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days; reheat gently, adding a splash of broth if it’s too thick.
- Freezing: You can freeze it, though the texture of potatoes and kale might change slightly.
Recipe Card :
Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb about 450 g Italian sausage (mild or spicy, your choice)
- 4 –6 slices of bacon diced (optional but adds great flavor)
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 –4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 –5 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2- to 1-inch cubes
- 6 –8 cups about 1.4–1.9 L chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for a lighter version
- ~5 cups kale destemmed and chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or a mix of dried oregano, thyme, and basil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes optional, if you like a little heat
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the sausage and bacon
- In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, brown the Italian sausage over medium heat. Break it up as it cooks so it’s in small crumbles.
- If you’re using bacon, add the diced bacon too and cook until it’s crisp. Remove most of the fat, leaving about 1–2 tablespoons in the pot.
- Sauté aromatics
- Add the chopped onion to the remaining fat in the pot, and cook until it becomes translucent, about 4–5 minutes.
- Then stir in the minced garlic and cook briefly (1 minute) until fragrant.
- Add broth and potatoes
- Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes (if using), stirring once or twice.
- Pour in the chicken broth, then bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Add the cubed potatoes. Let the soup simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–20 minutes (depending on the size of your cubes).
- Add kale and finish with cream
- Once the potatoes are just cooked, stir in the chopped kale. Let it simmer for another 4–5 minutes, until the kale wilts but still retains some color.
- Turn off or lower the heat. Stir in the heavy cream (or half-and-half) slowly, so the soup becomes creamy but doesn’t boil violently.
- Return the cooked sausage (and bacon, if set aside) into the pot. Stir gently to combine everything. Taste, then season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve & garnish
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Optionally, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
- Serve it hot, ideally with crusty bread or garlic bread to soak up the rich broth.
Notes
And also here is a wheatless and gluten-free recipes if you want more glutten free recipes and you Looking for more delicious Recipes. Check out our Buckwheat Galettes with Eggs, Cheese, and Ham recipe for a savory twist .” https://wheatlessrecipes.com/buckwheat-galettes-with-eggs-cheese-and-ham-wheatless-gluten-free/ Millet is an ancient grain rich in protein and fiber source. Coconut flour is a popular gluten-free alternative for baking source. for more recipes : home – Delishplates.com
