Creamy Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa toscana made in one pot with Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, and kale in a creamy broth. This Olive Garden copycat is ready in 55 minutes.
This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy.
Zuppa toscana was the only reason I ever went to Olive Garden, and it turns out the whole thing comes together in one pot on a Wednesday night. Spicy Italian sausage and crisp bacon go in first, thin rounds of russet potato simmer in the broth until they’re soft enough to break with a spoon, and a cup of heavy cream at the end turns everything creamy without making it heavy. Kale goes in last so it keeps a little bite.
Slicing the potatoes thin is the quiet trick in this soup. Quarter-inch half moons cook through in about 13 minutes, and as they soften they release starch straight into the broth, which is what gives zuppa toscana that slightly thickened body before any cream shows up. Thick chunks take twice as long and leave you with a watery broth and undercooked potatoes.
I use hot Italian sausage because the heat is half the point, though the mild kind works fine if you’re feeding kids. Either way, cook the bacon first and use its fat to brown the sausage and soften the onion. That one pot picks up layers of flavor before a drop of broth goes in.
Why You’ll Love This Zuppa Toscana Recipe
- Genuinely one pot. Bacon, sausage, potatoes, and the broth all happen in the same Dutch oven.
- Creamy without being heavy. One cup of heavy cream at the end is enough to soften the broth without turning it into a chowder.
- Restaurant flavor at home. Spicy sausage, smoky bacon, and kale hit the same notes as the Olive Garden bowl for a fraction of the price.
- Ready in under an hour. Fifty-five minutes start to finish, and most of it is the potatoes simmering.
Zuppa Toscana Ingredients
Russet potatoes are the right call here over waxy reds or Yukon Golds. Russets are high in starch, so they break down slightly at the edges and thicken the broth on their own, which is the texture the restaurant version has.
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 lbs russet potatoes, scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan, for serving
Recipe Variations
- Use mild Italian sausage and skip the red pepper flakes for a version kids will actually eat.
- Swap the kale for 4 cups of fresh baby spinach, stirred in during the last minute since it wilts almost instantly.
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter bowl. The broth won’t be quite as silky, so keep the heat low so it doesn’t curdle.
How to Make Zuppa Toscana
- Crisp the bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until crisp. Scoop it out onto a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pot.
- Brown the sausage: Add the Italian sausage and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned with no pink left and an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but about a tablespoon of the fat.
- Soften the onion: Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Simmer the potatoes: Pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, add the potato slices, and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, until a fork slides through a slice with no resistance.
- Add the sausage and kale: Return the sausage to the pot along with the chopped kale. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the kale wilts and softens but still has some texture.
- Stir in the cream: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Warm for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it boil, since a hard boil can cause the cream to separate.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top each one with the crisp bacon and a shower of grated parmesan.
Recipe FAQs
What Is Zuppa Toscana, Exactly?
It translates to Tuscan soup, and the American version most of us know is the Olive Garden one: Italian sausage, potatoes, kale, and bacon in a creamy chicken broth. The Italian original is usually a rustic bread and vegetable soup, so the two aren’t quite the same dish.
Can I Use Ground Pork or Ground Turkey Instead of Italian Sausage?
You can, but season it. Ground Italian sausage brings fennel, garlic, and heat that plain ground meat doesn’t. Add 1 teaspoon fennel seed, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and paprika per pound. Ground turkey needs to hit 165°F since it’s poultry.
Why Did My Soup Curdle?
The cream boiled. Once the cream goes in, keep the pot on low and warm it gently. Acid from the broth combined with high heat is what makes dairy break, and it can’t be stirred back together once it does.
Can I Make This in a Slow Cooker?
Yes. Brown the bacon, sausage, and onion on the stove first, then move everything except the cream and kale to a slow cooker with the broth and water. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours, then stir in the kale and cream in the last 20 minutes.
How Do I Keep the Kale from Getting Slimy?
Add it near the end and give it just 3 to 4 minutes. Kale simmered for half an hour goes drab and soft. Strip the stems too, since they stay tough no matter how long they cook.
Cooking Tips
- Slice the potatoes no thicker than a quarter inch. It’s the difference between a broth that thickens on its own and one that stays thin while the potatoes are still hard.
- Don’t drain every bit of the bacon fat. That tablespoon left in the pot is what browns the sausage and onion and carries smoke through the whole soup.
- Taste before you add the salt. Chicken broth and Italian sausage are both salty, and brands vary enough that the soup may already be where you want it.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The potatoes soak up broth as it sits, so it thickens overnight.
To freeze: Freezing isn’t the best fit for this one. Both the cream and the potatoes suffer: the broth separates and the potato slices go mealy after thawing. If you want to freeze it, leave out the cream and stir it in fresh when you reheat.
To reheat: Warm on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often, with a splash of broth to loosen it. Keep it below a boil so the cream stays smooth.
How to Serve Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa toscana is filling enough to be dinner on its own, and a crisp green salad with Italian dressing is all it really needs alongside. Roasted broccoli or sauteed green beans work if you want something warm on the plate. Our Lasagna Soup is the other cozy pot on this site that gets requested by name once the weather turns.
Loved This Recipe?
Zuppa toscana gives you the Olive Garden bowl you actually go back for, made in one pot in under an hour.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Creamy Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage casings removed
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 lbs russet potatoes scrubbed and sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 cups chopped kale stems removed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan for serving
Instructions
- Crisp the bacon: Cook the chopped bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until crisp. Scoop it out onto a paper towel-lined plate and leave about 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pot.
- Brown the sausage: Add the Italian sausage and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned with no pink left and an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but about a tablespoon of the fat.
- Soften the onion: Add the onion to the pot and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
- Simmer the potatoes: Pour in the chicken broth and water, scraping the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, add the potato slices, and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes, until a fork slides through a slice with no resistance.
- Add the sausage and kale: Return the sausage to the pot along with the chopped kale. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, just until the kale wilts and softens but still has some texture.
- Stir in the cream: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Warm for 2 to 3 minutes without letting it boil, since a hard boil can cause the cream to separate.
- Serve: Ladle into bowls and top each one with the crisp bacon and a shower of grated parmesan.
