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Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe (Easy Olive Garden Copycat)

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This cozy Zuppa Toscana Soup is a hearty, creamy Italian classic loaded with spicy sausage, tender potatoes, kale, and smoky bacon. It’s a quick, comforting one-pot meal that’s perfect for chilly nights and sure to please the whole family.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb hot or mild Italian sausage
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium Russet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs), sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 4 cups kale, chopped, tough stems removed
  • 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 cup half-and-half or heavy cream
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
  • Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add Italian sausage and chopped bacon. Cook, breaking up the sausage, until browned and cooked through (8–10 minutes). Drain off most fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
  2. Add diced onion and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in sliced potatoes and pour in chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 12–15 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart.
  4. Add chopped kale and simmer uncovered for 2–3 minutes, until wilted and bright green.
  5. Lower heat to medium-low. Pour in half-and-half or heavy cream and stir gently to combine and warm through. Do not boil after adding cream. Season with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.
  6. Ladle hot soup into bowls. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

For a lighter soup, use turkey sausage and whole milk. For dairy-free, substitute coconut cream. Yukon Gold potatoes or cauliflower can be used instead of Russets for different textures. The soup is naturally gluten-free if you use gluten-free sausage and broth. Leftovers taste even better the next day. If freezing, omit cream and add after reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: zuppa toscana, olive garden copycat, Italian soup, sausage soup, potato soup, kale soup, comfort food, easy soup recipe, gluten-free soup

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