Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Flavorful Zuppa Toscana Soup tastes even better than the Olive Garden original! Italian sausage is simmered with spinach, bacon and fragrant herbs in a creamy broth.

Bake up a batch of Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks to make soup night even better. Serve with our favorite olive garden salad recipe for a night in.

Bowl of zuppa toscana soup with shredded parmesan cheese on top.


Why Make Zuppa Toscana Soup

Looking for the perfect copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe? I’ve got you covered.

  • This soup is made from scratch with fresh ingredients for amazing flavor.
  • Every bite is loaded with zesty Italian sausage and smoky bacon.
  • Heavy cream makes every bite rich, thick and hearty.
  • Zuppa Toscana is ready in about 40 minutes with only 10 minutes of active prep time!

If you want a low carb version check out our keto zuppa toscana soup.

Important Ingredient Notes

Ingredients needed to make zuppa toscana soup.
  • Sweet Italian sausage. Using this makes the Zuppa Toscana soup taste most similar to the Olive Garden original. You can swap it for a spicier sausage if you want some kick to your soup.
  • Parmesan cheese. Buy fresh blocks of parmesan and shred it yourself for best results. Do not use the parmesan that comes in a shaker.
  • Bacon. If you prefer your bacon to be crispy at the end, cook it first and add right before serving.

How to Make Zuppa Toscana Soup

Step by step photos showing how to make zuppa toscana soup.

Brown the meat.

Cook sausage and diced bacon in a medium sauce pan or Dutch oven over medium heat until browned. Drain all but one tablespoon of the grease.

Saute onion and garlic.

Cook the onion and garlic in the remaining grease until softened and fragrant. Add the browned sausage and bacon back to the pot, along with beef broth and potatoes.

Step by step photos showing how to make zuppa toscana soup.

Simmer.

Simmer the soup on low heat for 15 minutes.

Add Cream.

When the potatoes are fully cooked, add the spinach, cream and all but 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese. Heat for about 5 minutes until spinach is wilted and the cream is warmed.

Soup pot with zuppa toscana soup and a ladle.

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze leftovers?

Yes, this Zuppa Toscana Soup is freezer friendly! It should keep well frozen for about 1 month.

What side dishes go well with Zuppa Toscana?

We love this soup with a crusty loaf of bread for dipping. Garlic Bread is always a good idea!
A salad of mixed greens with Italian dressing would also be a great complement to Zuppa Toscana.

Can I use frozen spinach instead of fresh in this recipe?

You sure can! Thaw and drain the spinach, then squeeze out excess water over the sink.

I don’t have heavy cream. Can I use regular milk instead?

You can, but you won’t get the same results. Heavy cream is what makes this Zuppa Toscana so. . . well, creamy!

More Dinner Recipes

Zuppa Toscana Soup

5 from 7 votes
By: Aimee
Flavorful Zuppa Toscana Soup tastes even better than the Olive Garden original! Italian sausage is simmered with spinach, bacon and fragrant herbs in a creamy broth.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 pound Sweet Italian Sausage removed from the casings
  • 5 slices Bacon diced
  • ½ White Onion diced
  • 3 cloves Garlic peeled
  • 32 ounces Beef Broth
  • 2 White Potatoes diced (no peeling necessary)
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 3 cups Spinach fresh
  • 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream
  • 1 cup Parmesan Cheese shredded and divided
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Instructions 

  • Brown sausage and diced bacon in a French oven over medium high heat until fully cooked. Drain all but one tablespoon of oil. Sauté onion and garlic in remaining oil for about 2-3 minutes. Add back the sausage and bacon. Add beef broth, potatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
  • Reduce to low and cover. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are fully cooked.
  • Add fresh spinach, cream and 3/4 cup parmesan cheese. Heat over medium until warm (about 5 minutes). Serve with a sprinkle of extra parmesan on top. ENJOY.

Notes

  • Storing. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Store in the fridge and enjoy within 3 days.
  • Kale option. Swap the spinach for kale or your other favorite leafy greens in Zuppa Toscana.
  • Make ahead option: If you’re making this ahead of time, wait to add the spinach until you reheat the soup. This keeps the spinach from getting mushy.
  • See blog post for more recipe tips and tricks.

Nutrition

Calories: 506kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Sodium: 1642mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 3g
Course: Soups and Stews
Cuisine: Italian
Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

Now you can make delicious Zuppa Toscana in your own kitchen–just like Olive Garden’s. Skip the restaurant and enjoy a warming, hearty bowl of homemade soup tonight!



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About Aimee

Aimee is a dessert lover (specifically rice krispie treats), workout enthusiast, self-taught foodie, and recipe creator.

Learn more about Aimee.

Affiliate Disclosure:**There may be affiliate links in this post! By clicking on them, or purchasing recommended items I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I love! Thank you for supporting Shugary Sweets! See my disclosure policy for more info**

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Posted on March 12, 2024

Comments & Reviews

  1. This zuppa toscana looks SO COMFORTING! I have been craving a soup like this for a long time and I just got a bunch of fresh spinach from the farmers market! I think it’s meant to be!

  2. Tasted great, mom would make this but she never wrote down the recipe so this was a great guide for me to get close to hers. I used hot Italian sausages and added carrots to it. I hand-shredded the kale and put it in my bowl then  added the soup, I find putting it in the pot makes it mushy if there’s leftovers. Also made some macaroni for it since my brother isn’t a big fan of kale which tasted pretty good too.

  3. The recipe was really good. I used Johnsonville Italian sausage and better than bullion beef broth, thus omitted the salt. If it needed salt, always good to suggest to add it gently to the end to taste.

  4. I tweaked this recipe foe chicken and it came out delicious. I used rotisserie chicken (without the skin) and chicken broth instead of beef and WOW.

    Thank you for posting this!

  5. Zuppa toscana is my husband’s favorite! I need to make this for him soon!

  6. I think I’m the only person who hasnt had the real deal but no worries, I can just make yours now 🙂 pinned

  7. AAAAAAH THAT IS MY FAVORITE SOUP FROM OLIVE GARDEN!! I can make it at home now?!? Aimee I could kiss you! Except that would be weird to do through my computer (and in general) so instead THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

  8. I do believe you have nearly recreated the entire Olive Garden menu! That and Panera 🙂 I’m not complaining though! I could definitely make a meal of the apps – why do they think we need a meal? Their breadsticks are so.good.

  9. I’m a fan of the zuppa toscana for sure! Just had it on my blog several months ago. Always a favorite in our house. Your version looks terrific.
    Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

  10. Oh my sister and my mom love getting this! I’ll definitely have to try this one! Gorgeous photo!

  11. There’s nothing better than a bowl of soup for lunch. This soup looks amazing! It’s nice to be able to recreate the good food you taste at a restaurant.

      1. I HAVE A 15 BEAN SOUP WITH SMOKED TURKEY AND HAM HOCK RECIPE THAT SAYS–HEY SOUP–I WIN–GREENS, STEWED TOMATOES, VEGGIE STOCK, ONIONS, CARROTS AND SOME OTHER THINGS

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