Zuppa Toscana is creamy, rich, and packed full of Italian sausage, tender potatoes and plenty of garlic! Make this easy soup on your stove, Instant Pot, or slow cooker and dip out a big bowl of Italian-American comfort food! Instructions for all 3 methods included.
Zuppa Toscana:
A restaurant favorite that we all know and love now made easy right at home! Zuppa Toscana is an Italian soup that literally translates to “Tuscan soup”. A popular favorite at Olive Garden, this from scratch version is even better because it is fully loaded with crispy bacon, Italian sausage, garlic, onion, kale (or spinach), tender potatoes, and of course that classic decadent creamy broth. It’s a super simple recipe to toss together and the seasonings can easily be adjusted to your taste. This one packs a punch with really minimal ingredients used for a ton of flavor! Even better, it can be made on the stove top, the slow cooker, or your Instant Pot and it turns out perfect no matter which way you go!
For more copycat soup recipes try the whole rotation with Chicken Gnocchi Soup, Pasta e Fagioli, and Minestrone Soup!
What is Zuppa Toscana Soup Made of?
This rich and creamy soup is a combination of bacon, Italian sausage, onions, garlic, lots of amazing seasonings of course! Then we use flour, broth, potatoes, cream, cream cheese, parmesan, and spinach or kale. You can find the full ingredient list below in the recipe card!
How To Make Zuppa Toscana
- Fry. Cook the chopped bacon in a deep soup pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon but leave the grease in the pan. Set the bacon on a paper towel lined plate.
- Cook. Add the sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings to the pan, breaking up the sausage and cooking it until all of it turns a dark brown color.
- Add the flour. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir to combine. Let it bubble and fry for a few minutes before gradually stirring in the chicken broth, stirring the entire time.
- Add the potatoes. Once fully incorporated, add the cubed potatoes and stir.
- Boil. Bring the soup to a low boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low medium and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Stir. Pour in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and softened cream cheese. Stir until fully melted.
- Add the spinach. Toss in the spinach or kale and cover with a lid.
- Remove. Take the pan from the burner and let it sit for 5-8 minutes, or until the spinach or kale has softened a bit.
Storing Zuppa Toscana
Leftover zuppa toscana can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Because of the cream, potatoes, and cream cheese, this soup does not freeze well. It just doesn’t hold up well in the freezing/defrosting process.
Ingredient Notes for Zuppa Toscana
Spinach – Traditionally this soup calls for kale, but I use spinach most often. You can use either one depending on your tastes. I usually buy a package of spinach and just give it a rough chop. If you use kale, make sure you remove all of the stems first.
Bacon – For me, the bacon really makes this soup extra and I love it! If you don’t like bacon, leave it out and just use some butter or olive oil instead when cooking up your sausage and veggies.
Italian Sausage – You can use sweet, mild, or hot depending on your taste buds! If you like a nice spicy soup use the hot sausage along with extra red pepper flakes.
Yellow Onion – White onion is great too. Use what you’ve got on hand to make it easier.
Garlic – You can always add more garlic, I like to start with 5 cloves and go from there.
Seasonings – Dried basil, oregano (or your favorite Italian seasoning blend), red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Be careful adding salt to this soup at first because the bacon and sausage are already salty. I add a pinch of salt and pepper, then add more to taste once the soup is done cooking.
Flour – A little flour sprinkled in will help thicken the soup just a touch.
Chicken Broth – I like to use low sodium chicken broth. You can swap it for vegetable broth as well if you’ve got it.
Potatoes – I tend to just use Russet potatoes, but red or yellow potatoes work fine here too. Use what you have on hand to keep it easy!
Heavy Whipping Cream – You could use half and half as well, it may not turn out quite as rich and creamy.
Parmesan Cheese – You’ll need about half a cup for the soup itself and more for a garnish. We always need more parmesan cheese.
Cream Cheese – Softened to room temperature!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Best Ever Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 8 Slices Bacon Chopped
- 1 Pound Ground Italian sausage
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion Minced
- 5 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- Pinch Salt and Pepper
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 5-6 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 4 Medium Russet Potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1/2 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese plus more to taste
- 4 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 Cups Spinach or Kale chopped with the leaves removed from the stems
Instructions
STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS:
- Cook the chopped bacon in a deep soup pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon but leave the grease in the pan.
- Add the sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings to the pan breaking up the sausage and cooking it until all of it turns a dark brown color.
- Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir to combine.
- Let it bubble and fry for a few minutes before gradually stirring in the chicken broth stirring the entire time.
- Once fully incorporated, add the cubed potatoes and stir.
- Bring it to a low boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low medium and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft.
- Stir in the heavy cream, parmesan cheese and cream cheese until fully melted.
- Then stir in the spinach kale and cover with a lid.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for 5-8 minutes, or until the spinach or kale has softened a bit.
- Serve with cooked bacon bits and freshly grated parmesan.
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS:
- Set the instant pot to sauté mode and cook the bacon until crispy.
- Then remove it with a slotted spoon and add the sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings and stir and cook until the sausage is browned.
- Turn the instant pot off and add the potatoes and chicken broth, making sure to fully submerge the potatoes in the broth.
- Cover it with the lid, seal it and set it to manual for 4 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure nozzle and let it release fully before removing the lid.
- Stir the flour into the heavy cream and pour it into the soup along with the parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
- Let it sit for a few minutes to allow the cream cheese to melt fully then gently stir until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
- Add the spinach or kale and stir to combine then close the lid back on the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes to let the kale soften a bit.
- Serve with crispy cooked bacon and freshly grated parmesan.
SLOW COOKER DIRECTIONS:
- Add the bacon to a large frying pan over medium heat and cook until crispy.
- T hen remove it with a slotted spoon and add the sausage and cook until browned.
- Add the sausage, onion, garlic, seasonings, cubed potatoes and chicken broth to the pot and cover with the lid.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or until the potatoes have become fork tender.
- Stir the flour into the heavy cream and stir it into the soup along with the parmesan cheese and cream cheese.
- Cover and cook for another 30 minutes on high.
- Remove the lid, stir and add the kale and stir again to combine.
- Place the lid back on the pot and let the kale soften a bit.
- Serve with crispy bacon pieces and freshly grated parmesan.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Followed recipe exactly exactly except omitted the cream cheese. Delicious! Everyone loved it. This recipe is replacing my old version!
I usually make a similar version that doesn’t have cream cheese or flour. This is my new favorite and so much better than O. Garden. Thanks for putting this out there!❤️
I made this soup, used turkey bacon instead, an chive cream cheese.Omg it is amazing
Do you drain off the grease once the sausage is finished?
No, do not drain 🙂
Yum! Using bacon is a game changer for recipes like this. That smoky umami is delicious.
This Zuppa Toscana looks irresistible and so flavorful! I cannot wait to try it! Perfect timing, it’s getting cooler here!
I love creamy soups and this zuppa Toscana sounds super creamy with the parmesan, cream and cream cheese. A warming bowlful of delishness!
I am a huge fan of having soup in every meal, and this one is really delicious. Mouthwatering!
I do love this soup and usually order it, so thanks for posting the recipe so I can make this at home.
Oo, I have to try this, it looks amazing! So delicious, my mouth is watering!