Zuppa Toscana Soup

Craving comfort, try this Zuppa Toscana Soup for dinner tonight. A easy Zuppa Toscana soup that is loaded with Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale. This simple and Italian soup recipe is going to be a hit in your home.

Make in the crockpot or stovetop! Directions for both are below.

Zuppa means soup, while Toscana means Tuscan. This is a Tuscan soup that is hearty, comforting and a winter soup recipe to try out.

This crockpot soup is a popular Olive Garden Soup! Now, you can cook this on the stovetop, which we share directions for that below as well. But the slow cooker recipe gives you a hands off approach.

This Zuppa Toscana Recipe Is…

• Stovetop or Crockpot Recipe
• Italian Sausage and Bacon
• Reheats Nicely
• An Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat

Want more Olive Garden soup recipes? Try our chicken gnocchi soup or our Pasta E Fagioli soup.

Ingredients Needed For Recipe

• Italian Sausage – You can use hot or mild for your Zuppa soup. It is all about your personal preference if you want some spice.
• Small Onion
• Salt and Pepper
• Oregano
• Better than Bouillon (or do chicken broth or bouillon cubes)
• Garlic – Minced fresh or jarred will work.
• Diced Bacon – We recommend quality bacon as it is going to be a stand out flavor in the soup.
• Heavy Cream
• Kale – Fresh kale that you have rinsed and prepped is best for this recipe.
• Water

Variations

Here are a few simple changes to the Italian crockpot soup or stovetop method, that you can make to alter the flavor a bit.

• Feel free to use chicken broth if you would like. We were out that day so we improvised.
• Swap the kale for fresh spinach that you mix in at the end and let wilt a bit.
• Top with some parmesan cheese if you would like and more diced bacon.
• Leave out the bacon if you want.

How to Make

Step One: Saute your Italian sausage and bacon and cook until all the way cooked and no longer pink.

Step Two: Toss in the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes to soften. Then mix in the garlic for just a minute until fragrant.

Step Three: Add in the water, seasonings and better than bouillon, potatoes, and stir well.

Step Four: Cover and cook on high for 3 hours, and the last 10 minutes toss in your chopped kale and the heavy cream. Stir and cover and cook as directed.

Step Five: Now dish up your slow cooker Zuppa Toscana soup and enjoy with some extra bacon, parmesan cheese, or serve alone.

Helpful Tip: We use our Instant Pot Slow Cooker as it has a built in saute feature so this is a one-pot dinner! No needing to saute the meat on the stovetop!

Storing Leftovers

If you happen to not eat all the soup, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-4 days. The kale will become softer as it sits, so it is best to serve this comforting soup warm and fresh. But it does reheat pretty well.

For freezing you will find due to the heavy cream used and the kale, it does not thaw well once frozen.

What to Serve With

Not sure what to serve with this soup recipe? Pair with some buttered crusty bread, salad. Also pair this soup with Olive Garden breadsticks they are so easy to make at home.

Practical notes

Is Zuppa Toscana Italian?

Zuppa Toscana is truly an Italian soup that is loaded with Italian sausage, bacon, kale, potatoes, and served in a creamy broth.

Can you freeze Zuppa Toscana soup?

The texture of the soup will become a bit different once you thaw from being frozen. The kale breaks down and becomes mushy and the base can curdle due to the heavy cream used. It is recommended to not freeze your soup.

How long is Zuppa Toscana good for in the fridge?

This Italian soup can store anywhere from 1-4 days. We find to eat within the first 2 days is best, as it provides the best flavor.

Can we use bone broth instead of chicken stock?

If you want to add more nutrients to the soup go right ahead and use a bone broth. It will add a richer flavor and provide more nutrients for your body. Win-win!

Ingredients

Makes 6 -8 servings

• 1 pound ground Italian Sausage
• 6-8 slices bacon, diced
• 3-4 Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 4 teaspoons better than bouillon
• 1 bunch of kale chopped
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 7 cups filtered water
• Parmesan cheese – Optional topping

Equipment

• Garlic Press
• Ground Meat Chopper
• Better Than Bouillon Organic Reduced Sodium Roasted Chicken Base, 16 OZ
• Instant Pot Aura 10-in-1 Multicooker Slow Cooker, 10 One-Touch Programs, 6 Qt, Silver (AURA 6Qt)

Method

1. Start by cooking your Italian sausage and diced bacon until fully cooked. If you have a lot of grease you can drain it off. We left the grease in our slow cooker to help add flavor to the soup.
2. Next, you will add in the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes to allow it to soften. Then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. Add in the seasonings, better than bouillon and water. Mix well until all combined.
4. Stir in the diced potatoes, and cover and cook on high for 3 hours.
5. 10 minutes before the 3 hour mark, toss in the chopped kale and heavy cream. Stir well and continue to cook the full 10 minutes. This will wilt the kale a bit.
6. Spoon up the Zuppa Toscana soup and pair with crusty bread, breadsticks, etc.

Kitchen notes

Stovetop Directions

• Cook the sausage and bacon until fully cooked. Add in all the ingredients but the cream and kale.
• Cook until the potatoes are tender. Then stir in the heavy cream and kale, and let the kale wilt.
• Serve and enjoy.

Kale –

If you don’t want to use kale you can swap with spinach leaves. Italian Sausage – It is up to you on if you want mild or hot sausage. Storage – You can store your soup for 2-4 days in the fridge. Then reheat in the microwave or on the stove. Stir often to prevent burning.