If you haven’t tried Zuppa Toscana yet, get ready to meet one of your new favorite soups! My sister introduced me to this one last year and I just got around to making it. Needless to say, I’ve made it twice in the last month…it’s that good.
Zuppa Toscana originated at the Olive Garden and quickly became a customer favorite. That spawned multiple copycat recipes (the sincerest form of flattery, right?!). Google it, and you’ll find several versions. I usually try two or three different recipes before landing on a favorite, but felt no need with this one. It’s perfect.
The basis of this soup is simple: garlic, onion, chicken broth, and heavy cream. Add spicy Italian sausage, Yukon Gold potatoes, and hearty kale, and you have a savory, delicious soup that is bound to make it into your rotation of family favorites.
You can also easily veganize the recipe if you’re going the plant-based path. Hubby and I have been mostly plant-based for the past year. We do stray occasionally, like using real Italian sausage for this soup. But we’ve also made it with plant-based sausage and it was delicious, as well.
Like most of the recipes I share, this one is really easy. Chopping the vegetables is the most time-consuming part of the process. Everything else is pretty quick.
Whether you go “original” or vegan, I think you’ll find that it’s simply a delicious soup. Enjoy!
Love soups? Try our classic Chicken Soup or Italian Wedding Soup.
Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden Copycat!)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground hot Italian sausage see Notes for vegan options
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter see Notes for vegan options
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 tbsp. minced garlic about 3 cloves
- 6 cups chicken broth see Notes for vegan options
- 2 cups water
- 1.5 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp. salt use more if needed
- 1 tsp. black pepper freshly ground
- 1 cup heavy cream see Notes for vegan options
- 4 cups chopped kale
- crumbled bacon and/or grated parmesan cheese for topping optional; see Notes for vegan options
Instructions
- Brown the sausage in a large soup pot or Dutch oven, breaking it up as you go. Once browned and no longer pink, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- While the sausage drains, melt the butter in the soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the potatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and boil gently until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the heavy cream, then the kale and sausage. Simmer until the kale is wilted and the sausage is heated through. Adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with bacon crumbles and/or grated parmesan cheese, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Hot Italian Sausage: use a plant-based sausage, like Impossible Spicy Ground Sausage
- Unsalted Butter: use a plant-based butter, such as Myokos European-style Plant Milk Butter
- Chicken Broth: try Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base
- Heavy Cream: make your own by blending 2/3 cup of soy milk with 1/3 cup vegetable oil, or try a dairy-free heavy cream like Silk Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: sub in nutritional yeast, like Bob’s Red Mill
- Bacon Crumbles: I have yet to find a good vegan sub for bacon, so I just skip it. This soup is so amazing, you don’t need it! But if you really want to give it a go, try this recipe from Sam Turnbull – she does great vegan food.