This easy Zuppa Toscana Soup is inspired by the version served at Olive Garden. This is an easy soup recipe that you can make in one pot. It has sausage, potatoes, and kale in a flavorful creamy broth. It’s so hearty and comforting.
During my college years, I was a frequent Olive Garden customer. And like many others, I was there mainly for the zuppa toscana soup and breadsticks.
It’s been many years since I last visited, but I still love the flavor of Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana soup, and luckily I can make this copycat recipe at home.
Ingredients
- Water
- Chicken bouillon cubes
- Red pepper flakes
- Italian sausage
- Diced onion
- Minced garlic cloves
- Diced potatoes
- Heavy cream
- Roughly chopped kale
Substitutions
I used chicken bouillon cubes with water to create the soup base. However, you can also substitute with chicken broth or chicken bone broth.
I think fresh kale works best in this zuppa toscana recipe, but you can use frozen kale, too.
You can omit the red pepper flakes and use spicy Italian sausage.
For the potatoes, you can use peeled russet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes. If you use the gold ones you don’t need to peel them. Just make sure the skins are washed.
Add some grated Parmesan cheese for garnish if you want it a little cheesy.
Recipe Steps
Remove the sausage from its casings and cook it in a pot. Break it up into crumbles and once it’s cooked through take it out of the pot.
Drain all but one tablespoon of the grease in the pot and then add the onions and garlic. Cook them for a minute or so.
Add the water, chicken cubes, and potatoes to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer the soup until the potatoes are tender.
Adjust the heat to low and stir in the cream, kale, cooked sausage, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until the kale is tender and then it’s ready to serve.
Side Dishes
The soup is hearty enough to serve as a meal, but I like to add bread on the side. My no-yeast bread or garlic knots are really good with it.
Or you can serve it with low carb soup crackers and a salad on the side for something lighter.
I love the taste of this soup – it’s a cozy meal for a cold day. If you’re looking for more ideas, be sure to check out more of my soup recipes.
More Soup Recipes
- Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
- Low Carb Zuppa Toscana with Cauliflower Florets
- Hot and Sour Soup
- Creamy Avocado Soup
Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 cubes chicken bouillon
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 lb ground Italian pork sausage
- 1 small white onion diced
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups roughly chopped kale about 1/3 of a bunch
Instructions
- Cook and crumble sausage in soup pot until it is fully cooked. Remove sausage and set aside. Drain out oil but leave behind about 1 tbsp. Add in diced onions and saute. Once onions are translucent, add in garlic and cook another minute.
- Add in water, chicken cubes and potatoes and bring to medium-high heat to bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Keep lid on so that water does not evaporate.
- Reduce heat to low and add in heavy cream, kale, sausage and red pepper flakes and cook until kale is just tender. Serve warm.
Notes
- Adapted from All Recipes
- I used chicken bouillon cubes with water to create the soup base. However, you can also substitute with chicken broth or chicken bone broth.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
