What kind of sausage is used in zuppa toscana?

Italian sausage, hot or mild, with the casings removed so it browns in crumbles. Hot Italian sausage is closer to the restaurant version; if you use mild, add an extra half teaspoon of red pepper flakes.

Can I use spinach instead of kale in zuppa toscana?

You can, but add it right at the end and expect it to collapse. Kale is used because it holds its texture in hot creamy broth and its slight bitterness balances the sausage fat.

How do I keep zuppa toscana from being greasy?

Drain off all but about two tablespoons of the rendered bacon and sausage fat before adding the onion. Italian sausage releases far more fat than most people expect.

Can I make zuppa toscana in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the bacon and sausage on the stove first, then add everything except the cream and kale and cook 6 hours on low. Stir in the cream and kale for the final 20 minutes.

Home › Comfort Food › Zuppa toscana

Zuppa toscana

By Ami · September 7, 2026 · ★★★★★ 4.9 from 178 reviews · Jump to Recipe · Print

Zuppa toscana is the Olive Garden soup everyone orders and it's genuinely better made at home — spicy Italian sausage, smoky bacon, tender potato rounds and kale in a creamy broth that comes together in forty minutes in one pot. The restaurant version is good; this one has more sausage in it.

Zuppa toscana in a cream bowl — creamy broth with Italian sausage, sliced potatoes, kale and crisp bacon, easy Olive Garden copycat soup recipe

Four ingredients do all the work here.

Sausage and bacon build the entire base. You render both, cook the onion in the fat, and that's your flavor done. No stock-building, no herbs beyond a pinch of chili — the meat does it.
Sliced potatoes, not cubed. Thin rounds cook in fifteen minutes and their starch thickens the broth slightly, which is why this doesn't need flour like clam chowder does.
Kale actually belongs in it. It holds its texture in hot broth instead of collapsing like spinach, and its slight bitterness cuts through all that cream and pork fat.

Here's what you'll need.

Hot Italian sausage if you like heat, mild if you don't — but buy bulk sausage or squeeze it out of the casings, because you want crumbles, not coins. Russet potatoes sliced about a quarter-inch thick. Lacinato (dinosaur) kale is more tender than curly, though either works if you strip the stems.

Ingredients for zuppa toscana in small bowls — Italian sausage, bacon, russet potatoes, kale, onion, garlic, chicken broth, heavy cream and red pepper flakes

Here's how it all comes together.

Step 1 — Brown the sausage and bacon

Cook the diced bacon in a Dutch oven until crisp, remove it, then brown the Italian sausage in the fat, breaking it into crumbles, about 7 minutes. Drain off all but a couple of tablespoons of fat — there will be a lot.

Italian sausage browning in crumbles with rendered bacon fat in a Dutch oven for zuppa toscana

Step 2 — Simmer the potatoes

Cook the onion in the remaining fat for 4 minutes, add the garlic and red pepper flakes for a minute, then pour in the chicken broth and add the sliced potatoes. Simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender at the edge of a knife.

Sliced russet potatoes simmering in chicken broth with sausage for zuppa toscana soup

Step 3 — Add cream and kale

Stir in the cream and the chopped kale and simmer 5 minutes more, until the kale softens but still has bite. Taste for salt, then top each bowl with the reserved crisp bacon and plenty of parmesan.

Chopped kale and cream being stirred into zuppa toscana soup at the end of cooking

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

Drain most of the sausage fat. Italian sausage renders a startling amount. Leave two tablespoons for flavor and pour the rest off, or the soup develops a greasy slick.
Slice the potatoes thin and even. A quarter inch. Thicker and they're still hard when the kale is done; a mandoline makes this thirty seconds of work.
Kale in the last five minutes. Long enough to soften, short enough to stay green and toothsome. Twenty minutes turns it to slime.
Bacon on top, not stirred in. Stirred into the pot it goes soft immediately. The contrast of crisp bacon against creamy broth is the best part of the bowl.

Make it ahead, or make it your own.

It keeps 4 days and gets spicier. The chili flakes bloom overnight, so day-two zuppa has noticeably more kick. Worth knowing if you're feeding kids.
Slow cooker version. Brown the meat first, then everything except cream and kale goes in for 6 hours on low. Add cream and kale in the last 20 minutes.
Lighter version. Use turkey Italian sausage and swap half the cream for whole milk. It's still creamy and cuts roughly 120 calories a bowl.

Here's what I'd serve with this.

Warm breadsticks, obviously, if you're doing the whole Olive Garden thing.
A big Caesar or simple green salad with lemon.
One pot chicken alfredo pasta for a full Italian-American spread.
New England clam chowder as an alternative pot on a cold night.
Greek yogurt banana bread warm with butter after.

Just in case you have leftovers.

Storing: refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The potatoes soften further and the broth thickens as it sits. Freezing isn't ideal — cream and potato both suffer — but it's tolerable for a month if you don't mind a slightly grainier texture.

Reheating: warm gently over medium-low, stirring, and stop as soon as it steams. A hard boil will split the cream. Add a splash of broth to loosen and finish with fresh bacon and parmesan.

More comfort food recipes...

New England clam chowder — thick, smoky and properly New England

Homemade chicken and dumplings — the coziest pot on the stove

Broccoli cheddar soup — thick, cheesy and ready in 30 minutes

Lasagna soup — all the lasagna, one pot, 40 minutes

Zuppa toscana

★★★★★ 4.9 from 178 reviews — creamy zuppa toscana with spicy Italian sausage, crisp bacon, tender potato rounds and kale. The Olive Garden copycat in 40 minutes, one pot.

Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · Total 40 min · Serves 6 · Category: Comfort Food · Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, diced
1 lb hot or mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 medium yellow onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
6 cups chicken broth
2 lb russet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 cups chopped kale, stems removed
kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
grated parmesan, to serve

Instructions

Bacon. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
Sausage. Brown the sausage in the bacon fat, breaking it into crumbles, about 7 minutes. Drain off all but 2 tbsp of fat.
Aromatics. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes, then the garlic and red pepper flakes for 1 minute.
Simmer. Add the broth and sliced potatoes. Simmer 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Finish. Stir in the cream and kale and simmer 5 minutes. Season, then top with the crisp bacon and parmesan.

Notes: Drain most of the rendered sausage fat or the soup turns greasy. Slice potatoes a consistent 1/4 inch so they cook evenly. Add kale only in the last 5 minutes. Keep bacon on top rather than stirring it in. Slow cooker: brown the meat, then 6 hours on low, adding cream and kale in the last 20 minutes. Lighter: turkey sausage and half milk, half cream.

Nutrition (per serving, estimated): 540 calories · 22g protein · 34g carbs · 36g fat · 3g fiber

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FAQ

What kind of sausage is used in zuppa toscana?: Italian sausage, hot or mild, with the casings removed so it browns in crumbles. Hot Italian sausage is closer to the restaurant version; if you use mild, add an extra half teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
Can I use spinach instead of kale in zuppa toscana?: You can, but add it right at the end and expect it to collapse. Kale is used because it holds its texture in hot creamy broth and its slight bitterness balances the sausage fat.
How do I keep zuppa toscana from being greasy?: Drain off all but about two tablespoons of the rendered bacon and sausage fat before adding the onion. Italian sausage releases far more fat than most people expect.
Can I make zuppa toscana in a slow cooker?: Yes. Brown the bacon and sausage on the stove first, then add everything except the cream and kale and cook 6 hours on low. Stir in the cream and kale for the final 20 minutes.