Ultimate Olive Garden Copycat Soup (Zuppa Toscana) Recipe

BY Emily Parker November 28, 2025

This comprehensive guide shows you how to recreate the famous Italian restaurant experience at home. This savory, creamy, and deeply satisfying bowl of comforting goodness is the ultimate Olive Garden Copycat Soup. It features a flavorful broth, tender potatoes, rich Italian sausage, crispy bacon, and fresh kale.

After testing this recipe multiple times, this method consistently delivers the perfect balance of smoky, salty, and savory notes, capturing the authentic Zuppa Toscana flavor profile you love. It’s a reliable, one-pot meal that has become a staple in professional kitchens for its simplicity and depth of flavor.

Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Copycat Soup

Achieving the authentic taste of the Olive Garden Copycat Soup requires using high-quality components. Every ingredient serves a crucial purpose, from providing the initial richness to adding necessary texture and color.

The Foundation: Meats and Fat (Sausage and Bacon Selection)

Italian Sausage: Use a mild or hot Italian sausage (beef, turkey, or plant-based) removed from its casing. The fat from the sausage is essential for developing the deep, foundational flavors of the soup.
Bacon: Thick-cut bacon adds a smoky richness that defines the soup’s character. Reserve some of the rendered fat (lardons) to sauté the aromatics.
Aromatics: Yellow onion and fresh garlic are non-negotiable for building a savory base.

Building the Broth Base

Broth: Use high-quality chicken or vegetable broth. Low-sodium broth allows you to control the final seasoning level more precisely.
Heavy Cream: This is responsible for the signature creaminess. Using cream, rather than milk or half-and-half, ensures a luxurious mouthfeel and prevents the soup from curdling when simmered.
Seasoning: Red pepper flakes add a subtle warmth, while salt and black pepper bring the entire dish into balance.

Starches and Greens (Potatoes and Kale)

Potatoes: Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes are ideal. Russets offer a slight starchiness that helps thicken the soup, while Yukon Golds hold their shape well and provide a buttery flavor.
Kale: Use Tuscan kale (lacinato) or curly kale, ensuring the tough center stems are removed before chopping. Kale provides a necessary green, slightly bitter contrast to the richness of the cream and meat.

Professional Method: How to Prepare Your Olive Garden Copycat Soup

This expert-driven technique focuses on building layers of flavor through proper browning and simmering times, resulting in a complex and satisfying broth.

Step-by-Step Preparation

Render the Bacon: In a large Dutch oven or pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
Brown the Sausage: Add the Italian sausage (removed from casing) to the pot. Brown it thoroughly, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Drain off excess fat, reserving about one tablespoon in the pot.
Sauté Aromatics: Add the chopped onion to the pot and sauté in the remaining fat until softened and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Simmer the Potatoes: Add the chicken broth and cubed potatoes to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, typically 15-20 minutes.
Finish the Soup: Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the heavy cream and the cooked Italian sausage. Do not let the soup come to a rolling boil after the cream is added.
Add the Greens: Stir in the chopped kale. Cook just until the kale wilts (2-3 minutes). Stir in the reserved crispy bacon just before serving.

Expert Tip: The Flavor-Boosting Deglaze

Based on professional culinary techniques, a critical step often overlooked is deglazing. When the sausage is browned, rich, dark brown bits (fond) stick to the bottom of the pot. As soon as you add the cold broth in step 4, use your wooden spoon to scrape all those flavorful bits up into the liquid. This concentrated essence of browned meat is crucial for the deep, complex flavor of the Olive Garden Copycat Soup broth.

Customizing Your Zuppa Toscana: Variations and Substitutions

One of the benefits of a homemade recipe is the ability to adapt it to dietary needs and personal preferences while maintaining the core flavor.

Meat and Vegetarian Swaps

Beef/Turkey Sausage: If Italian sausage is unavailable, seasoned ground beef or ground turkey can be substituted, though you may need to add extra fennel, oregano, and basil for the Italian flavor profile.
Plant-Based Option: For a meatless version, use a plant-based Italian sausage alternative and smoked paprika or liquid smoke to mimic the bacon’s flavor. Skip the bacon rendering step and begin by sautéing the aromatics in olive oil.

Cream Alternatives for a Lighter Broth

If you seek a lighter soup, you can substitute the heavy cream with full-fat coconut milk (for a subtle, almost undetectable sweetness) or evaporated milk.

After testing with various dairy alternatives, note that using evaporated milk or half-and-half requires closer monitoring of the temperature, as these lighter dairy products are more prone to separating or curdling when exposed to high heat. Always reduce the heat to low before incorporating.

Potato Varieties for Texture Control

While Russets and Yukon Golds are standard, sweet potatoes can be used for a slightly sweeter, nutrient-dense variation. If using sweet potatoes, adjust the cook time, as they typically soften faster than white potatoes.

Serving and Storage Recommendations

Proper serving and storage ensure your homemade Olive Garden Copycat Soup maintains its quality and flavor for days.

What to Serve Alongside the Soup

This rich soup pairs perfectly with light, fresh, and slightly acidic side dishes to cut through the richness of the cream and meat. A simple pasta salad offers a delightful, chilled contrast to the warm, hearty soup. Crusty bread or homemade breadsticks are also traditional companions, perfect for soaking up the remaining broth.

How to Safely Store and Reheat Leftovers

Refrigeration: The soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The kale will soften further upon storage, which is normal.
Freezing Notes: The soup does not freeze well due to the potato and heavy cream content. Freezing causes potatoes to become grainy and the cream to separate upon thawing, affecting the texture. If you plan to freeze, prepare the soup up to the point of adding the potatoes and cream. Thaw the broth base, and then add fresh, cooked potatoes and cream just before reheating and serving.
Reheating: Reheat gently over medium-low heat on the stovetop. Avoid vigorous boiling, which can cause the cream to separate. If the soup has thickened significantly overnight, stir in a splash of water or broth while reheating to restore the desired consistency.

Troubleshooting and Culinary Science Q&A

Preventing Curdling: The Role of Acidity and Temperature

When dairy products like heavy cream are exposed to high heat or high acidity (which is low in this recipe, but important generally), they can curdle, resulting in a grainy texture. To prevent this:

Lower the Temperature: Always remove the pot from direct heat or turn the burner to the lowest setting before stirring in the heavy cream.
Use Full-Fat Cream: Full-fat heavy cream is more stable than lighter dairy options.
Avoid Boiling: Once the cream is added, do not allow the soup to return to a rolling boil.

Nutritional Overview and Disclaimer

This rich, protein-filled soup is a satisfying meal. The inclusion of kale adds essential vitamins A, C, and K, while the potatoes provide complex carbohydrates.

This content is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional dietary or medical advice.

Quick Answers to Common Questions

Can I make this soup vegetarian? Yes, substitute the Italian sausage with a plant-based Italian sausage alternative, use vegetable broth, and omit the bacon (or replace the smoky flavor with smoked paprika).
How should I store leftover Zuppa Toscana? Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
What are some good substitutions for the kale? Fresh spinach or Swiss chard can be used. If using spinach, add it just before serving, as it wilts much faster than kale.
Can I use a slow cooker for this recipe? Yes. Brown the meat first, then transfer all ingredients (except the cream and kale) to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 2-3 hours. Stir in the cream and kale during the last 30 minutes.
Why is my soup base curdling? Curdling usually happens when the cream is added to a base that is too hot or is subsequently boiled. Ensure the heat is very low when adding the cream, and avoid aggressive boiling afterward.

Ultimate Olive Garden Copycat Soup (Zuppa Toscana) Recipe

Essential Ingredients for the Perfect Copycat Soup