One-Pot, Zuppa Toscana Recipe (Better than Olive Garden!)

This one-pot, Zuppa Toscana recipe is chock full of hearty sausage, tons of bacon and potatoes, healthy kale, and finished off with an exceptionally good amount of heavy cream. This heavenly One-Pot Zuppa Toscana recipe will knock your socks off when you realize it is indeed BETTER THAN OLIVE GARDEN!

**This recipe does include affiliate links. You can read my wonderfully boring disclosure policy HERE.**

What is Zuppa Toscana Soup?

Well, it literally just means, “Tuscan Soup” and is traditionally made with kale, zucchini, cannellini beans, potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, tomato pulp, extra virgin olive oil, salt, powdered chili, toasted Tuscan bread, and rigatino (an Italian bacon).

However, this “Olive Garden” or Americanized version is a bit different, and a highly sought after Olive garden copycat recipe.

What’s in this one-pot, Olive Garden copycat Zuppa Toscana Recipe?

For starters, I will tell you that this recipe ISN’T skimpy on the ingredients.

If you’ve ever eaten at Olive Garden and had their Zuppa Toscana soup, you know that it does taste yummy indeed, however, you usually have more broth than anything else. Maybe a few potatoes, pieces of kale, and a tiny piece of sausage here and there, but not this Zuppa Toscana recipe, my friend!

This Olive Garden copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe consists of:

• Bacon
• Italian Sausage
• Onion
• Garlic
• Chicken Broth
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• …and then topped of with fresh parmesan cheese!

Is this Zuppa Toscana recipe easy to make?

Once you make this easy Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana recipe, you won’t be able to spend money at Olive Garden again, because you can easily make it at home, but better!

Before we jump to this easy, one-pot, Zuppa Toscana recipe that’s better than Olive Garden, let’s talk options!

1. Carton Chicken broth or Homemade Bone Broth?

This is a total preference here.

If you want your easy Zuppa Toscana copycat recipe to be more healthy, then I hands down say, “Use homemade bone broth!”.

Or you can purchase delicious Bone Broth like this Kettle & Fire brand found HERE.

If you’re not down with Bone Broth, then you can very easily use a carton of chicken broth, or whatever chicken broth you have on hand.

I’ve even used this organic chicken soup base from Costco, which you can also get HERE.

2. Spicy or Not Spicy Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana?

Typically, the Zuppa Toscana made and served at Olive Garden uses a spicy Italian sausage and also consists of red pepper flakes.

However, my family personally doesn’t like spicy foods, so we don’t use a spicy Italian sausage like they use in the restaurant.

We are kind of wimps. But you could use spicy Italian sausage in yours if your family enjoys a bit of heat.

3. This recipe makes a lot of soup, can you freeze Zuppa Toscana?

Even if you have a small-sized family, do not let this huge recipe scare you away.

Yes, it makes a ginormous pot of soup, but you can freeze it in mason jars or glass containers for a quick meal later on.

How to Freeze Zuppa Toscana –

Just pour it in mason jars once cooled (leaving a few inches for expansion) , or place cooled zuppa toscana soup in a glass container and then freeze.

Pull out of the freezer: Thaw, Heat and then serve for a nice homemade meal in a jiffy!

Here are some great options for freezing your Zuppa Toscana soup in:

4. Can I mess up this one-pot, Zuppa Toscana recipe?

This copycat Zuppa Toscana (Better than Olive Garden) recipe I can literally make without using any measurements.

With that being said, if you are a few potatoes short, or don’t want to add as much heavy whipping cream that the recipe calls for, it will be fine!

It is really hard to mess this up.

5. Is Kale or Spinach used in Zuppa Toscana soup?

At Olive Garden, they put kale in their Zuppa Toscana recipe, however, I have heard of people using spinach instead.

Honestly, though, we LOVE kale in this one-pot Zuppa Toscana recipe, so it’s what we use!

6. Heavy Cream or Half and Half in this easy copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe?

Do yourself some serious justice and make this Zuppa Toscana recipe using heavy whipping cream.

I’ve heard of recipes trying to “lighten up” Zuppa Toscana, however, just don’t.

Trust me! That heavy whipping cream will not kill you.

Now, I have an obsession with heavy whipping cream, but for the sake of not scaring people away from this Zuppa Toscana recipe, it only calls for 2 cups of heavy whipping cream.

But personally, I usually use around 4 cups or more.

>>Heavy whipping cream obsessed!!<<

Honestly though, the more, the better, so don’t skimp out!

7. Is there a way to make this Olive Garden copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe, Keto, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30 friendly?

Most definitely!

Keto-Friendly Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Just omit the potatoes in this recipe and this Zuppa Toscana recipe is easily Keto-friendly.

Leave out the potatoes and this recipe makes a great, Keto Zuppa Toscana recipe!

Gluten-Free Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Being that this recipe is naturally gluten-free, this Zuppa Toscana is a YES for those who need to eat a gluten-free diet.

However, always double-check the ingredients in your Italian sausage, bacon, parmesan cheese, and chicken broth just to make sure. 

Paleo and Whole 30 Approved Zuppa Toscana Recipe

To make this Zuppa Toscana recipe Paleo and Whole 30 approved, omit the cheese and heavy cream, and then make sure to use approved bacon and Italian sausage.

How to Make One-Pot, Zuppa Toscana (Better than Olive Garden)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pound Bacon (diced)
• 1 Pound Mild Italian Sausage (or spicy if you enjoy the heat)
• 1 Medium Onion (diced)
• 6 Medium- Sized Potatoes (I like Yukon gold, but you can use Russet)
• 2 Garlic Cloves (pressed)
• 1 tsp Salt 
• 8 Cups Chicken Broth
• 1-2 Bunches of Kale (chopped)
• 2-3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• Parmesan Cheese (for garnish)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. On medium heat, add diced raw bacon, diced onions and Italian sausage to your large soup pot. Mix all together, breaking up the ground sausage until meats are almost cooked. DO NOT strain the grease and juices!

2. Once bacon and sausage are almost fully cooked, add your diced potatoes and two pressed garlic cloves to the pot and stir. This helps the potatoes get nice and flavored.

3. Add your 1 tsp of sea salt and carefully pour in all of your chicken broth. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil.

4. Once Zuppa Toscana soup is boiling, turn the heat down to medium and let the soup simmer until potatoes are almost cooked.

5. Once potatoes are almost cooked, add in your chopped kale and carefully stir. Bring back to a simmer.

6. When kale is cooked, finish the soup by adding in the heavy whipping cream. Bring back to a simmer for a few minutes.

7. Serve with parmesan cheese as a garnish.

Here’s a quick recap of how to make Zuppa Toscana soup

1. Dice onions and sautee bacon and Italian sausage.

Dice up bacon and onion. Saute Italian sausage, bacon, and onions together until the bacon and Italian sausage are almost fully cooked.

DO NOT STRAIN OUT THE GREASE!

2. Add Diced Potatoes and Pressed Garlic

Dice up potatoes (I like to leave my potatoes fairly chunky for my one-pot, Zuppa Toscana recipe). Add the potatoes and pressed garlic cloves to the sautéed onions, bacon and Italian sausage and stir.

3. Add chicken broth

Add your chicken broth to this easy Zuppa Toscana recipe and bring to a boil.

4. Add chopped kale

One the potatoes are almost finished cooking, add the chopped kale and let it continue to simmer.

5. Finish off with heavy cream and parmesan cheese

Finally, once the kale and potatoes are cooked, add the heavy whipping cream.

Bring once again to a simmer until soup is heated through and it’s ready to serve!

Garnish with fresh parmesan cheese!

Okay, now as you wipe off your drool, here is the printed One-Pot, (Better than Olive Garden) Zuppa Toscana Recipe.

Be sure to serve this soup with my delicious, easy, no-knead bread recipe.

Here is my favorite soup pot I love to use for this copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe, and all my soup recipes!

If you love this recipe, click on the 5 stars above (on the printed recipe portion), and share this copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe with your friends!

I’d Love to hear from you! 😀