This hugely popular and easy Zuppa Toscana soup recipe is made with sausage, potatoes, kale, bacon and cream. It’s always a crowd pleaser!

Do you love soup recipes as much as I do? Try my Chicken Tortilla Soup, Creamy Tortellini Soup, Chicken and Dumplings, or Beef Noodle Soup!

A bowl of Zuppa Toscana Soup, ready to enjoy.

We can thank the American restaurant Olive Garden for the namesake of this Zuppa Toscana recipe, which translates to “Tuscan Soup”. As usual, the homemade version is fantastic, healthier than what you’d find at a restaurant, and seriously EASY to make!

How to Make Zuppa Toscana:

Brown Sausage: Cook and stir it until it’s nice and brown and crumbled into pieces.

Ground hot Italian sausage browned and cooked in a large pan.

Add Vegetables: Toss in chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped potato to the pot then add chicken broth and water. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender.

Cooked ground Italian sausage with chopped potatoes, onion, and garlic.

Finish It: Add some cream, cooked bacon, and chopped kale. Season it to your liking with some salt and pepper, then crushed red pepper flakes (if you like a little bit of heat). Serve the Zuppa soup with homemade artisan bread.

Two images showing kale and bacon being added to a soup, then after heavy cream is added.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Homemade Zuppa Toscana soup can be made 1-3 days ahead of time, stored in the fridge.

To Freeze: Make the soup according to instructions but don’t add the cream and don’t cook the potatoes until tender. Allow soup to cool, then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm on the stove, cooking potatoes until tender, and then stir in cream.

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Recipe

A cropped square image of a bowl of Zuppa Toscana soup, ready to enjoy.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 20 minutes
Total 30 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pound hot ground Italian sausage
  • 1 large onion , chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 2 large Russet potatoes , or gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and then chopped in ¼ inch slices
  • 5 slices bacon , cooked and crumbled
  • 4 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cups water
  • 3 cups chopped kale (ribs/stems removed)
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • crushed red pepper flakes to taste, if desired

Instructions
 

  • In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, Add the ground sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, until browned. Remove some of the grease and move sausage to one side of the pan.
  • Add chopped onions, garlic, and potatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Pour in chicken broth and water and allow mixture to come to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium low and cook until potatoes are fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.
  • Stir in the bacon, chopped kale, and cream. Season with salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Cook for 2-3 more minutes or until warmed through.

Notes

Kale: You could also use spinach.
Slow Cooker Instructions: Sauté ground sausage, onion, garlic and potatoes in a pan, then add to the slow cooker with water and broth. Cook on LOW for 5 hours or HIGH for 3, or until potatoes are tender. Stir in cream and season to taste.
Instant Pot: Use the Instant Pot to sauté the sausage, onion, garlic and potatoes on sauté setting. Turn pot off and add water and broth. Cook on High pressure for 4 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release. Stir in kale and cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make Ahead Instructions: The entire soup can be made 1-3 days ahead of time, stored in the fridge.
Freezing Instructions: To freeze Zuppa Toscana, make the soup according to instructions but don’t add the cream and don’t cook the potatoes until tender. Allow soup to cool, then store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm on the stove, cooking potatoes until tender, and then stir in cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 21gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 615mgPotassium: 1092mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3619IUVitamin C: 42mgCalcium: 189mgIron: 3mg

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Recipe adapted from Food.com.

I originally shared this recipe October 2017. Updated September 2020 and September 2023.

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 5 stars
    This is delicious and better than Olive Garden! Was not difficult too make either! Only change I made was cutting the onion portion in half!

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