Easy Zuppa Toscana is a simplified version of the famous Olive Garden recipe – made in just 20 minutes or less.
Pair this soup with Italian Bruschetta and an Italian Salad for a complete Italian-inspired meal.
Easy Zuppa Toscana
Inspired by the popular 20-minute Chicken Parmesan Soup and Chicken Tortilla Soup, I’m introducing an Easy Zuppa Toscana, ready in just 20 minutes.
This quick and effortless recipe delivers all the traditional flavors using time-saving tips and tricks.
If you’ve ever tried Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, you know how flavorful it is. This copycat version is just as amazing and will satisfy any craving you have for the Olive Garden soup—without leaving your house!
Ingredients
- Olive oil: Used for sautéing onions and garlic, and browning sausage.
- Onion and garlic: Add foundational flavors in this Easy Zuppa Toscana.
- Italian sausage: Make sure to remove the casing before cooking.
- Red pepper flakes and fennel seeds: Adjust the amount to control the spiciness of the soup.
- Diced hashbrowns: You can add straight from frozen.
- Chicken stock: Use low-sodium chicken stock if you’re watching your salt intake.
- Bacon: Adds a smoky, crispy texture and flavor.
- Kale: To save time grab a bag of pre cut and washed kale.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds creaminess and richness to the soup.
How To Make Easy Zuppa Toscana
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot, heat olive oil and sauté onion and garlic.
- Cook Sausage: In a skillet, brown sausage with seasonings. Add bacon to skillet and cook until crispy.
- Simmer Potatoes: Add hashbrowns and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are tender.
- Combine Ingredients: Transfer cooked sausage and bacon to the pot. Add kale and heavy cream. Stir well.
- Season and Serve: Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with optional Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon.
Storage
Storage
- Storage Tips: Avoid freezing Easy Zuppa Toscana due to heavy cream, which can cause a grainy texture upon thawing, and hashbrowns that may become mushy.
- For reheating, gently warm the soup in a pot, stirring often, without boiling to prevent ingredient separation.
More Popular Soup Recipes
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup
- Creamy Vegetable Soup
- Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Lentil Soup
- Pasta e Fagioli
Easy Zuppa Toscana
Easy Zuppa Toscana is a simplified version of the famous Olive Garden recipe - made in just 20 minutes or less.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 cup pre-diced yellow onion*
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 pound Italian sausage fresh, not smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 package (32 ounces) frozen diced hashbrowns (just plain potatoes, no added ingredients)
- 2 containers (32 ounces EACH) chicken stock
- 5 slices bacon (See Note 1)
- 1-2 cups pre-chopped packaged kale
- 1 and 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- Optional: freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- PREP: Set a large stockpot and a large skillet on the stove top.
- POT: Starting with the stockpot, heat over medium-high heat and add in 1 tablespoon olive oil, the pre-chopped onion, and minced garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes. Increase heat to high, add in the diced hash browns and give them a quick stir (1 minute). Pour in all of the broth. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, cook just until the hash browns are fork tender (~3-5 minutes; basically as soon as your sausage is browned and bacon is crispy!). Once hash browns are tender, remove the lid and reduce the heat to a simmer.
- SKILLET: Meanwhile, in the large skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, the sausage, red pepper flakes, fennel, salt and pepper (to taste; I add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper) over medium heat. Begin to brown the sausage and break it up (~4 minutes). Before it's cooked through, press the sausage to one side of the skillet and add the bacon slices (See Note 1) to the other side of the skillet. Continue to cook and break up the sausage until no longer pink and flip the bacon as needed.
- BACON: Remove the bacon to a paper towel lined-plate. Coarsely chop or crumble the bacon.
- FINISHING: Drain the sausage and add to the stockpot, along with the kale and heavy cream. Stir to combine. Add in half the bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings to preference (more red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, etc.).
- SERVE: Ladle out soup and serve individual bowls topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and remaining bacon. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Alternatively, use pre-cooked bacon (microwaveable). Microwave the bacon and then coarsely chop. This saves some mess and a few minutes of prep time.
*The 20-minute prep time is dependent upon buying and using the listed ingredients -- prepared onions and pre-minced garlic, the frozen hashbrowns, and pre-shredded kale (grocery stores generally have a large bag of pre-shredded kale for super cheap).
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 526mg | Potassium: 269mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1420IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have been using this recipe for YEARS! It is one of my favourites to make on a rainy fall day, and it leaves me with lots of leftovers for the week. Thank you for sharing!!
So happy to hear that! 🙂 Thank you so much Jocelyne 🙂
I want to make this, but I have a sensitivity to heavy cream, I still want it to taste great though, any suggestions on what I can use instead of heavy cream? Thank you!
I’m trying to do a vegetarian version. What can I use instead of sausage?
Chelsea: This soup was amazing! Family loved it. Keep posting your recipes, I have made 5 of them and every one of them was terrific. Already planning my next one!
This seriously made my day! Thanks so much for your comment and I’m so glad you guys enjoyed! 🙂
This is SO GOOD!! We used a little more kale (85g), and I used spicy italian sausage so omitted the red pepper flakes. Using the frozen hash browns is such a genius shortcut. Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! Love hearing that 🙂 Thanks for the comment Sara!
I made this without the bacon and with turkey sausage (because of food sensitivities in my house) and it turned out really delicious! The flavors are great and it’s super comforting. Definitely making it again!
So happy to hear this was delicious! Thanks for the comment Peony 🙂
This was so good I have made it twice in the past 7 days!!! Crowns or tater tots work instead of the has browns too!! YUMMY!!!
So happy this has been a hit!! Thanks for the comment Beth 🙂
This is delicious! I used some extra fresh potatoes in addition to the hash browns so it wasn’t 20 minutes. But I would make this again no matter how long it takes.
So happy you enjoyed this soup! Thanks for the comment Kathryn 🙂
Hi Chelsea. This Tuscana soup looks delicious! I tried pinning this recipe and it brings up a picture of one pan sausage, broccoli, Parmesan past. It was also in the link of my email. I was wondering if you needed to know?….
Thank you so much for letting me know Alison!! I figured out what happened and fixed it; I appreciate the heads up!
Hey girl- this looks amazing!