Zuppa Toscana is probably one of the richest, most hearty soups out there, and definitely one of my favorites. This creamy soup with tender potatoes and flavorful Italian sausage is modeled after the famous Zuppa Toscana from The Olive Garden restaurant, but I threw in my own personal twist. I’ve added an extra budget-friendly ingredient and lightened it up just a touch so I can slurp up a giant bowl without feeling too full.
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What is Zuppa Toscana??
If you’ve never been to Olive Garden or had Zuppa Toscana anywhere else, I’d describe it as a creamy potato soup loaded with flavorful Italian sausage, kale, and bacon. The original version uses heavy cream, bacon, and a whole pound of sausage, but I decided to try to lighten it up a bit. I used half and half instead of heavy cream, subbed half the sausage for white beans, used smoked paprika for smokiness instead of bacon, and then loaded up on potatoes and kale. The result? Still totally creamy and chock full of flavor, plus a hefty dose of vegetables. I’m probably going to eat nothing but this soup for the next four days straight (it has kale, so it’s okay, right?).
Ingredients for Zuppa Toscana
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make this homemade Zuppa Toscana:
- Italian Sausage: You can use hot, mild, or sweet Italian sausage for this soup, although I prefer hot because I love the combination of spicy with the creamy broth. Buy loose ground Italian sausage rather than sausage in casings.
- Onion and Garlic: These aromatics provide a deep base flavor for the soup.
- Great Northern Beans: These mild white beans add bulk to the soup without adding a lot to the total cost of the recipe. The flavor blends seamlessly and you get a lot more fiber and nutrients in every bowl! If you don’t like beans, you can leave them out and add more sausage or potatoes.
- Chicken Broth: The base for this soup’s broth is chicken broth, which adds both flavor and salt. Make sure to get a really flavorful broth or else your soup will be lacking. I like to make my broth using Better than Bouillon because it’s inexpensive and super flavorful.
- Half and Half: This is what makes the broth rich and creamy. If you don’t have half and half, you can substitute with an equal mix of whole milk and heavy cream.
- Red Potatoes: Potatoes add a lot of bulk to this soup which helps you feel full and satisfied. Their tender texture is also great with the creamy broth and they soak up tons of flavor.
- Kale: Dark green kale adds a ton of texture and color to the soup and really helps round it out to make the soup a full meal in a bowl. If you don’t like kale, you can toss in a couple handfuls of spinach at the end of the recipe and just stir it in until wilted.
- Spices: The Italian sausage and chicken broth bring a ton of flavor to the soup already, so all we need to add is a little smoked paprika (to mimic the smoky flavor of bacon), some crushed red pepper, and freshly ground black pepper!
make it vegetarian
The sausage in this recipe is responsible for adding a lot of flavor to this soup, so if you plan to skip the sausage you’ll need to ramp up the seasoning. I suggest adding a tablespoon or so of Italian seasoning blend to make up for the spices that are found in the Italian sausage. You may also want to add an extra can of beans to bulk up the soup a bit.
What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana
This is truly a meal in a bowl with the starchy potatoes, protein-filled Italian sausage and beans, and veggilicious kale, but if you want something on the side I’ve got you covered. Garlic bread would probably be my first pick, or you can do something simple like No-Knead Bread or Soda Bread. Or maybe you want to go a little lighter and add a simple side salad to really make you feel like you’re at The Olive Garden!
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. Italian Sausage, hot or mild ($1.75)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.32)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 15 oz. can Great Northern beans ($0.49)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 3 cups chicken broth* ($0.39)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
- 2 cups half and half** ($1.49)
- 1 lb. red potatoes ($1.29)
- 1/2 lb. kale, chopped ($1.50)
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional ($0.02)
- freshly cracked black pepper, optional ($0.05)
Instructions
- Add the sausage to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. The sausage should contain enough fat to keep it from sticking, if not add a touch of olive oil. It’s okay if a small amount browns on the bottom of the pot.
- While the sausage is cooking, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and sauté until the onions are softened. The moisture from the onions should help dissolve any browned bits of sausage off the bottom of the pot.
- Drain and rinse the can of beans. Add the beans, smoked paprika, chicken broth, one cup water, and half and half to the pot. Place a lid on the pot and let it come up to a simmer over medium heat.
- While the pot is heating, cut each potato into quarters lengthwise, then slice across into thin, 1/8-inch thick slices. Add the potatoes to the pot along with the pre-chopped kale. The kale will fill the pot when it’s first added, but the heat from the liquid will wilt it within a few minutes. Stir it occasionally to help the wilting process.
- Let the pot simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Season with red pepper flakes and freshly cracked black pepper if desired.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Chef’s Knife
Notes
Nutrition
Video
Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Zuppa Toscana – Step by Step Photos
Add 1/2 lb. Italian sausage to a large soup pot and sauté over medium heat, breaking it into chunks as it cooks. I didn’t use any extra oil because sausage tends to be pretty fatty. It’s okay if a little sticks to the bottom of the pot because it will dissolve off in the next steps. While the sausage browns, dice one yellow onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and continue to sauté until the onions are soft.
Drain and rinse one 15oz. can of Great Northern beans, then add them to the pot with 1/2 tsp of smoked paprika. The smoked paprika will give that smoky hint that the bacon would have supplied. Sneaky, right?
Next add 3 cups of chicken broth, 1 cup water, and 2 cups (one pint) of half and half. If you’re not from the U.S., “half and half” is like a lighter version of light cream. Read about it here. Put a lid on the pot and let it come to a simmer over medium heat.
While the pot is heating up, wash and slice one pound of red potatoes into 1/8-inch thick slices. Slicing them thinly helps them cook faster, plus makes a great texture in the soup. Add the potatoes to the pot.
Instead of buying a regular bunch of kale, I bought this bag of pre-chopped kale (it’s actually less expensive than regular bunches at my local store). This is a 12oz. bag, so I just used about 2/3 of it. If you are buying your kale in a bunch, use about one bunch. Make sure to remove the stems and tear the leaves into 1 to 2-inch pieces.
Add the kale to the pot and it will likely fill it up to the top. Let the heat from the liquid begin to wilt the kale. Give it a stir occasionally to help it contact the hot soup and wilt.
After a few minutes, it will have wilted down into the soup nicely. Let the soup simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
I like my soup spicy (and had used mild Italian sausage), so I seasoned it with a pinch of red pepper flakes. A little freshly cracked black pepper is also nice. Depending on what type of broth you use, you may need to add a little salt (I did not add any).
And that’s it!! The potatoes and beans help thicken the broth up nicely, without having to use heavy cream.
Absolutely deserving of all the internet hype. SO. GOOD.
My husbands favorite soup is the zupa
Toscana. I made this and it was fantastic. I did not have half and half so i used one and a half cups of heavy cream thinned with a half cup of water. Hubby said best soup I have ever made. We have been married 48 years. That is a lot of soup to beat.
I love this recipe!! Very yummy, but I tend to get a gut ache after. Might just be me.
I would like to point out that the online recipe says this makes (8) 1.5 cup servings and that is quite literally impossible.
I make this at least twice a month, and each time measure out portions using a 1/2 cup ladle. I get 5 servings every time.
I also agree with others- there is something weird about putting the cream in prior to boiling the potatoes. Maybe that is the source of my gut ache.
Made some substitutions (and also read most of the comments). Used heavy whipping cream (it’s what I had on hand), Russet potatoes (peeled, again what I had on hand), some kale and Rainbow Chard and did not use the sausage. I threw a TON of Italian seasoning in, along with some red pepper flakes… and then threw some Bacon Bits in at the end.
This was awesome. I did need to let it simmer (I was afraid of the dreaded curdle) longer than 15 minutes… more like 30 minutes total– BUUUT it was awesome!
My partner just made this for us and I was panicked to come into the kitchen to the soup boiling with cream in it and the cream separating. He doesnโt make soups often and put everything in at once – I discovered the recipe told him to do that. NEVER I mean NEVER put your heavy cream in at the same time as the broth, because when your soup gets too hot (which is inevitable when cooking things like potatoes) and boils, it will curdle and separate the cream.
IMPORTANT REQUEST TO AUTHOR: Please I am begging you to fix the recipe and tell people to add the cream at the end after soup has been taken down from a boil and is on low heat. It should NOT go in same time as the broth. A poor lady down below thinks that she messed up the recipe herself when she did nothing wrong and the recipe is bad. If you google when to add cream to soup, itโs not debatable to add it at the end and to NEVER boil it. Thank you in advance for revising – if anyone else sees this, please revise your approach unless you want to be fighting your soup instead of working with it. At cream at end.
Yep, I am looking at a pot of very separated soup because I forgot again, not the first time. Definitely a problem with the recipe, wish I remembered from the last several times I’ve done it lol.
Hey, Gabi! Oh no! I’m sorry you had this experience. Our recipe does not call for a boil on this soup, but a consistent simmer only over medium heat. You are totally right; a high heat boil on this soup would certainly result in curdling milk!
I wanted to let you know, I did add a note about tempering the milk first as an extra precautionary measure.
Thanks for your feedback.
My family does not like leafy greens in their soup. Is there something else I could substitute for the kale, like broccoli, carrots, or green beans???
I think broccoli would be your best bet or just omit! You could add a little diced carrot as well.
I made this today and it’s so good! I am not a kale fan so I dropped it and added my dry mixed veggies stuff. Hubby tasted it and said we’ll keep that recipe. Coming from him, that’s high honors! He isn’t a fan of soups.
Any tips on making this in a slow cooker??
This isn’t tested, so you’d be the guinea pig! But, I would still brown the sausage, onions and garlic then transfer to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients, adding the kale in at the end. I’d also maybe try to cook on low so that the half and half doesn’t curdle. Good luck!
I canโt get great northern beans where I am. Any other bean that would be similar?
Any white bean variation would be fine!
This was bangin! I love budget bytes. Made the crockpot potato soup last that was amazing too. I used sweet sausage cuz I don’t like overly spicy and with the red pepper flakes at the end it had the perfect spicy kick
I have made this recipe as written several times and it is always a hit! Some changes I do based on what I have on hand are: yukon gold potatoes for the reds, Italian kale instead of the curly leaf, and adding a teaspoon of fennel seeds to boost the sausage flavor.
Today, I changed out the potatoes for cubed butternut squash! (My guests were over during Thanksgiving and I served the original version of the recipe and did not want to duplicate it!) It is a hit. Butternut squash is sweet with the salty sausage and the kale. Hooray and Happy New Year!
Made this for dinner & it was a m a z i n g! Reading some of the other comments, I was concerned my half & half would curdle, but I just followed the directions of not turning the heat up too high & it worked out perfectly!
I failed miserably. My medium was too high and the whole thing curdled. Not worth adding in the half and half with heat on. Hopefully I can pull myself up to make this again.
It is not your fault, the recipe is written poorly. You should always add half and half or heavy cream at the end after youโve taken the soup down from a boil to low heat. You canโt reasonably cook potatoes through correctly and also avoid curdling cream (at least without much finesse and babysitting!) – next time (and with similar recipes), add at the very end, and you will be much happier! I have asked the author to revise the recipe.
Sooo good!! I did a couple modifications to make the recipe vegan, if anyoneโs interested:
I used a plant based sausage (field roast) with oil, for broth I used the better than bouillon thatโs vegetarian โchickenโ flavor, and I made cashew cream in place of half and half. Iโm actually vegetarian so I could use half and half but I just love cashew cream lol. Soak raw cashews in boiling water for 20 minutes while you prep the vegetables, drain, throw them in a blender with an equal part non-dairy milk (I used almond) and some salt/pepper.
Thank you!
Why did my half and half curdle? Should i add it at the end instead of with the chicken broth
Was the soup boiling hard instead of simmering, maybe? Sometimes if the heat is too high it can cause curdling. You can add it at the end, but that does make it taste just a little sweeter, IMHO.
You can also temper your half/half by whisking in little bits of the hot liquid to bring up the temp slowly, and then add it to the soup.
Love this recipe! My family doesn’t like beans and I like my soup a little heartier, so I removed the beans and doubled the sausage and potatoes. I had to add salt (I used low sodium broth). I also found that the consistency is a bit creamier than the Olive Garden version, so I added an extra cup of broth.
This soup is incredible, I’ve been making it for years! I’ve never tried, but I am wondering if it would freeze well? Or would the half and half not take to that well?
It freezes well without any special prep. I split a double batch of soup up into single serving containers and froze several. Itโs a good alternative to keeping a store-bought soup mix.
One of my favorite soups! Always delicious and quick. Leftovers are great too!
I made this for the first time tonight, used spicy sausage so didn’t add any red pepper. I definitely had to add salt but I used low sodium broth. This is one of the most delicious soups I’ve ever made and so easy! I will definitely make it again.
Used ground Italian turkey sausage, and spinach instead of kale. Excellent as leftovers.
We have made this more than a dozen times and itโs always amazing. A family favorite. We add spicy Italian sausage and use warm ciabatta to soak up all that delicious broth. Itโs beyond a perfect recipe!!!
I find that every time I make one of your recipes that it is a hit! This one is no exception. Iโm not a big fan of kale so I used spinach. Thank you for all your great recipes.
Can I use russet potatoes instead of red for this? Would it make a huge difference?
You can definitely substitute with russets, but it will change the texture of the soup slightly. Russets have a more mealy texture and will break down more when cooked than red potatoes. They also have thick skins that should be removed before slicing. On the other hand, red potatoes have a more waxy/smooth texture and the skins are thin enough that you don’t need to peel them first. ~ Marion :)
Hi there, I made your Zuppa toscano soup รขne itโs lacking something, what can I add to spice it up .
Hi, Denise! You could use an extra hot/spicy Italian sausage to kick it up a notch. I would also suggest adding 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or even a 1/2 tsp!) instead of a pinch, as suggested in the recipe. You might also try just adding a bit more salt and pepper! We use Better than Boullion to make our broths, and it tends to be a bit saltier than regular boxed broth. Since there are a lot of other liquid ingredients in this recipe, and potatoes can really take a lot of salt — it could just be one of those cases where it needs a bit more salt to bring out the flavors of the other ingredients! ~Marion :)
Really delicious and came together quickly. I cooked a pound of chicken Italian sausage and used half for a couple pizzas and saved the other half for this soup a few nights later. Only change I made was adding a slurry of cornstarch and about an extra half cup of milk at the end to thicken it a bit more.
Served with garlic bread.
Yummy comfort food for a winter evening.
Delicious! I didn’t have any white beans so I used pinto beans instead, and it was wonderful. Will make again!
A winter warmer, one of my favs. I do substitute undiluted evaporated milk for the cream, upping the protein, lowering the cost, and lowering the saturated fat. It is still creamy and my poor Covid “infused” relatives say it helps them–note: they recovered, due to this soup?
I made this last night and my kids went nuts over it! Even my veggie-hating 12-year-old ate every drop, greens and all, with enthusiasm. Easy, affordable, and delicious, this one is becoming part of my regular dinner rotation!
One of my favorite recipes, ever. I add parmesan (about 1/2c) which makes it even better, but it’s great as-is. I go back to this every winter!
I love this soup. When Iโm constructing this dish I make a few modifications. I donโt drain/rinse the beans, I use chicken base with water instead of stock, and I add a 1/2 tablespoon of purรฉed Calabrian chiles. Turns out great!
This is a new family favorite. I used hot Italian sausage. The flavor was excellent and it made great leftovers.
I love this soup. Unfortunately, the budget prices have changed drastically in the past several months.
I love this recipe. We make it so often, it is literally taped to the cabinet next to the stove! Works perfect every time. I occasionally swap cannellini beans for the great northern if I cannot find them. Other than that, it’s so perfect!
I love this recipe, only change would be the process of adding dairy to a soup pot and boiling. ย My half and half curdled after cooking the potatoes and kale for 15-20 mins.
Itโs delicious! Zuppa Toscana is my favorite soup in the world (itโs my โdeath rowโ meal of choice, haha!) and this is a great healthy copycat!
If I wanted it creamier, and used heavy cream instead of half and half, what would be the measurements?
We love this recipe and keep coming back to it over and over again. We use Italian chicken sausage, 3/4 tsp smoked paprika, added two chopped carrots, and added two chopped celery stalks. Iโve also experimented with skim milk (instead of half and half) and a slurry of cornstarch to thicken up the soup. So many amazing recipes on this site. Thank you!
I’ve made this many times, and always enjoy it; such a keeper. I’m diabetic and need to watch carbs so I’ve started reducing the potatoes by half (to 8 oz); since this means less starch, the soup is probably a bit thinner but not that noticeable. I think spicy sausage really ups the flavor as does 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper. I increase the heat with 1/4 teaspoon cayenne rather than crushed red pepper, and add both the black pepper and cayenne with the smoked paprika.
Amazing recipe. My husband made this while I napped away a headache! A little too hot for my husband with the amount of red pepper flakes, as we also used hot sausage. I found it perfect! We used spinach instead of kale.
I make this recipe often, using either spinach or kale and Italian sweet sausage. The mild sweetness of the sausage, paired with the spices , helps to reduce the spiciness of the original soup recipe. A topping of crumbled bacon with each serving, truly enhances the original recipe’s great flavor. Through past experience with adding any CREAMS to soups, I always add them about 5 minutes out with doneness. If cream is added during any boiling or rapid simmering stages, separation occurs and the creaminess is noticeably reduced. All-in-all, Beth’s original recipe is a hit!
Super yummy! Only substitute I made was unsweet almond milk in place of the half and half to help reduce calories, and I added some extra dried herbs. Made a double batch for lots of leftovers during the week!
ย I have made this several times and it is always, always good. This time I didnโt have half & half so I subbed evaporated milk. And it still tasted amazing. Itโs not quite as rich, but it definitely works. I just saw someone else commented about using oat milk; I might have to try that next time.ย
Ok, this is my new favorite soup. Love, love, love it! And so easy!
WOW! We’ll be adding this to our meal rotation! I did what another commenter suggested: Used Oatmilk instead of Half and Half and it turned out great! Very easy and tasty!
I have made this recipe for years
You can not got wrong just as written but judge for yourself….I find this soup to be filling and most delicious Thank you eth
This soup is incredible!! The flavor combination is unbeatable and itโs so rich, creamy, and filling. Itโs definitely a satisfying soup that eats like a meal. I highly recommend going for the spicy Italian sausage over the mild if you can, it makes a big difference in the flavor profile.
I used plant based hot Italian sausage and full fat coconut milk instead of half and half. Turned out great. Good soup!
Omgeee this is so deliciousย
Very good! Iโve never had it before but I know my aunt makes it A LOT, and her whole family loves it. I wish I had read the recipe more thoroughly and known I could use bacon instead of the Italian sausage. Iโm not a huge fan of Italian sausage. I did substitute spinach for the kale, because I just cannot stand the taste of kale.ย
Iโd like to know if you can freeze this?ย
I have to limit my dairy intake so I made this but used oatmilk instead of half and half and it came out great! Thanks for a great recipe.
Oops, totally didn’t mean for this to be a reply… Just a comment.
This was so good! I had some bacon that had gotten too crispy for my liking leftover from breakfast and added that and it was so a yummy addition! Thinking of adding some shaved Parmesan next time too!
This soup is just amazing. Sometimes I use cabbage instead of kale – still as good as ever.
This soup is on the regular meal rotation in our house, and I look forward to eating it each and every time! My husband and kids prefer soup light on the broth, so I typically double the sausage, beans, and potatoes to thicken it up. We also enjoy tossing in a cup or two of frozen corn kernels to add some sweet, crunchy contrast.
This is SO good, a big hit with everyone!
Good soup! I used ground turkey and added Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, had no onion so that was left out. I added more smoked paprika and too much crushed red pepper so it was a tad spicier than I would like but still very good and I will make it again for sure! Garlic bread is fantastic dipped in it. Great recipe!ย
Oh yeah, I added garlic powder and celery salt as well for a deeper flavor. ย Better than bullion would have been better than the boxed broth as it has more flavor on its own. Cook and learn ๐
So it’s the pandemic, and my freezer had no sausage! I made this recipe and subbed in a generous cup of rotisserie chicken chopped up, 1/2 tsp fennel seeds and a generous pinch of red pepper flakes. It was pretty good. Everyone liked it and ate it up! We are socked in again in the PNW, and I am making this soup tonight, using your recipe with the Italian sausage I thoughtfully froze a few weeks ago! Subbing spinach for the kale this time, stores are out of everything!
This is my favorite soup recipe, I make it a couple times a month. The only changes I make are increasing the garlic and paprika. I also add the half & half at the end when the potatoes are cooked through and let it warm through for a few minutes, because otherwise I’ve had trouble with it curdling. I’ve also taken to using fat free half & half (whatever that means).
I’ve tried this with pre-chopped kale and there was such an unpleasant metallic taste. I’d recommend a fresh bunch of kale, it gets a lot more tender and tastes better than the bagged kale for some reason.
Delicious! And a appreciate Beth finding a way to lighten up the recipe. With all that kale and the beans- this feels like a healthy potato soup!
I made this tonight without any sausage, and it turned out great. I used the can of Cannellini beans and added a can of dark red kidney beans and a good dash of fennel seed. I used about 2 tsp Italian seasoning from Penzey’s Spices (Tuscan Sunset), and a squirt of Liquid smoke too. The flavors melded really well and frankly it let the kale shine so bright. I finished it off with 1/2 cup heavy cream, since the half and half split while the potatoes cooked, and the texture improved a lot.ย
Although I love the traditional Zuppa Toscana suffuse with sausage flavor, the all-bean replacement was so good that I’m sure I will make it again that way! Thanks for the great recipe!ย
Absolutely perfect and so delicious! ย I did sub cannellini beans (cooked from scratch) instead of Great Northerns, and added maybe 1/2 tsp of Italian seasoning. ย I always love your recipes and this one is going to be another favorite โ thanks!
Iโm about to make this for the second time but I only have about a cup of half & half but Iโll be doubling the recipe. ย Can I substitute milk? The entire family loved this and I made it extra hearty so this was a dinner stew that was served with crusty bread. ย Perfect for cold days.ย
You should be fine replacing it with milk, it will just be less rich. You can try and balance it a bit by substituting the water used in the recipe (1cup), with milk as well.
Can’t do dairy, so I replaced the half and half with coconut milk. I had turkey sweet italian sausage instead of pork.
Still tasted perfect. Even more delicious on day 2.
I use the JennyO Italian ground turkey sausage and it turns out sooooo good! I do add some olive oil for the onions and garlic after I brown the meat. I donโt really like soup but this stuff is YUMMY! Thank you so much Beth!
I’ve made this recipe quite a few times! I’m vegetarian and I have made this with veggie italian sausage (a la tofurky) and I just cooked the sausage before I added the onions so it got a nicer texture! I have also made this with no sausage, added a bunch of italian spices and it’s stl delicious! I like to add tortellini to bulk it up too!
I made the highly questionable decision to make this right before a heat wave hit…So delicious but it’s been too hot to eat the leftovers. How long does this keep, and can I freeze it? If it is freezable, up until how long after making it is it safe to put in the freezer for later consumption? Thanks!
This will stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days, and yes, it is freezable. It’s always best to freeze your food sooner than later. The longer you wait, the closer it is to spoiling and the lower the quality will be. Unfortunately there are no hard lines when it comes to this because there are so many variables from the conditions within your refrigerator, freshness of ingredients, method used to cool the soup, etc. But it’s always better safe than sorry!
Thank you for anticipating my “Can I make this vegetarian?” question!!
Really simple and yummy. I followed the recipe to a T but at the end I added an extra teaspoon of chicken bouillon bc I wanted a little extra flavor/salt. (My guy liked it the way it was.) I think if I made it again I would drain the fat off the sausage. Lots of orange fat floating in the soup, which tastes good but looks a little unappetizing. I also added shredded parmesan to my reheated leftovers, and that was the perfect touch. Makes me think it would be even better if the broth was simmered with a leftover parmesan rind in it, but I didn’t have any this time. Thanks for all the great recipes, I’m obsessed with this website!
Iโve made this soup three times now, and wanted to add my thoughts:
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika is, imho, WAY too much. The first time I didnโt have any, the second time it was literally all I could taste. The third time I added just a lil bit and it was perfect. I also added more garlic than called for (Iโm Italian, 2 cloves is never enough!) and some Trader Joeโs โumami powderโ in addition to a bit of cayenne. We served topped with black pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Made the vegetarian version of this and it was SO GOOD. I used to eat Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana when I still ate meat and have been craving it but worried how it would turn out with no sausage for flavoring. Using the suggestion to add 1tbs of italian seasoning made a big difference. I also used more garlic than the recipe called for because I love garlic. Lastly, I made a white bean puree and added that to the soup at the end to thicken it and add a bit of bulk. Also, red pepper flakes are a must for it, in my opinion! I can’t stop eating the soup now, its so good! Thanks so much for this recipe!
Just made it and WOW itโs amazing how much flavor a few ingredients can make. ย Definitely will make again!!ย
Delicious soup! I used 1.5 hot italian sausages, 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and 1/2 lb of frozen kale. Went together easily and super tasty! I think a key is to slice the potatoes thinly. I have made this before and the potatoes were too thick and it didn’t turn out quite as well. I think the consistency of the soup is improved if some of the potatoes and beans break down to thicken the broth.
Made this in the Instant pot, during our Stay-At-Home orders, so I substituted Bockworst sausage (plus a generous pinch of fennel seed and red pepper flakes) for the bulk Italian sausage we love. Also subbed a can of coconut milk for the half and half. Had kale, homemade broth, spices, potatoes, canned beans and onions on hand. Hearty and satisfying!
(6 minutes pressure, 6 minutes natural release, added kale and coconut milk after the time was up)
Thanks for the coconut milk idea!
I’ve made this recipe a bunch of times and it’s SO good. I wanted to comment with a substitution in case anyone finds themselves in the same situation I was.
I had this recipe on my meal plan for this time of semi-quarantine. Of course the day AFTER we did our big grocery shopping trip to last us a couple weeks, I realized that the half and half for this recipe didn’t make it onto my list at all. I looked online for substitutions, and the internet suggested using 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon butter for every cup of half and half. So I used 2 cups of 1% milk and 2 tablespoons butter. I also smashed some of the potatoes and beans at the end of the simmering time to help thicken it up. And it worked great! Certainly not as thick and creamy as usual, but still very tasty. I contemplated adding some parmesan, but I don’t think it needed it. Thanks for all your recipes Beth, they’ve been a real lifeline for us!
Thank you so much for adding this tidbit of info! With social isolation we are fresh out of half and half so I will try the milk and butter.ย
Also, I agree, thank you Beth for all of your recipes. Iโve always enjoyed them but now in these strange times you are my kitchen lighthouse!ย
I second that. I’m in NYC and I dont feel totally comfortable ordering from restaurants. Beth, your recipes have helped me tremendously. I dont know what I would’ve done without your website with all of its delicious and affordable recipes
When I make this I sub gnocchi for potatoes. It turns out great, thanks so much for the recipe.
Beth, first, you rock! Second, your recipes rock and this is quickly becoming one of me and my wife’s favorite recipes. Soooooo good!
Yummy! Not a dish to eat every day, but definitely tasty. Came together exactly as in the recipe; I just had to keep an eye on the simmer as it tended to boil up and curdle the cream. Easy enough to skim off, and made no difference in the final dish!
Thanks for the note Cora!
What’s the best substitution to make it dairy free? (Anaphylactic allergy). Dairy free milk, or canned coconut milk maybe?
I’d suggest canned coconut milk.
We used almond milk instead of the cream and sliced radishes instead of red potatoes to fit my husband’s needs. It was probably not as creamy but we absolutely loved it. We are only on the second night of the No Pasta, No Rice meal plan but so far we love it. Subbing dairy and using low-glycemic substitutions are not difficult and the variety of the new meals make dinnertime much more fun. Thanks so much!
Good grief this was so good. And 3 out of 4 of my kiddos asked for seconds (there’s always one…eye roll emoji)
I’ll take 3 out of 4 anytime!
Thanks for this recipe! I have made a similar version through a lot of trial & error, but I am eager to try yours since I know that virtually all of your recipes are winners.
Below are just a couple of tidbits I would like to share based on a few of the questions & comments I’ve seen here.
1. For those who are blessed with a Wegmans in the neighborhood, you have three fantastic ingredients for this recipe available to you: FYFGA Turkey Sausage (not Italian sausage, but still packs a great flavor–and you’ll have the other half-pound to enjoy in a quiche or other recipe), Organic FYFGA Super Greens (mix of baby kale, spinach, & chard), and Nibbles Potatoes (adorable teensy weensy potatoes that are ready to go).
2. If you are freezing the soup or if your family has different tastes cream-wise, you can leave this out until you serve the soup. I add my cream (or half ‘n’ half or evaporated milk or whatever is on hand) just before serving. This both reduces the amount that I use and brings the soup to a perfect eat-me-now temperature.
Oh great tips Lori! That’s a really great one about adding the cream at serving. Thank you for taking the time to share!
During the 15 min simmer process is the lid supposed to be on or off? I might have missed it :o
Lid off. :)
Even though my family is not into soups I decided to make this recipe anyways. I’m happy to report that it was hit! Thank you so much for the recipe ๐
I have some soup nay-sayers as well! I’m happy to hear this one was a hit for you!
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Unfortunately I haven’t tried that, so I’m not sure how it would turn out.
I’ve done it in a crock pot and it turned out really good! I’ve made it three times-each time in a crock pot.
Thanks for sharing Elizabeth!
How long did you leave it in the crockpot? E.g. On high for 4 hours? Or low for 8 hours?
So excited to try this. Could you freeze this recipe? Any tips for that? Thank you!
Iโm not sure how this one would freeze because of the cream. It *should* freeze fine, but not sure if there will be any separation. Some people donโt like the texture of potatoes after theyโve been frozen, but Iโve never been able to tell a difference
Thank you! I thought about only cooking potatoes until they are barely soft and adding in the cream after reheating. I’ll update if I try it!
It tasted fabulous after freezing, but visually the dairy looked just slightly grainy. I couldn’t taste it at all though so I would definitely recommend freezing!
I made this recipe today for supper, supermarket did not have ground sausage out, so used Jimmy Dean hot sausage and added a few italian spices to the sausage, and used heavy cream instead of half and half. It was a big hit!!! loved it!!! had garlic bread on the side. would definitely make again!!! thanks
Yum!! Thanks Patricia!
your dishes are glorious. we mortals can’t compete. you should charge $1000 to fedex dinners to us losers.
Ha!!
Fabulous and so smart substituting beans for more expensive sausage. I adore the Trader Joe’s kale an broccoli slaw, but it’s too much for the two of us to eat, so I just saved some for this soup. Delish! Very adaptable recipe for sure.
Thanks Kitty!
Used 1 lb of sausage and no beans (not a huge bean fan) and it was perfect! I didn’t want to buy the expensive hot sausage so I just cooked the normal sausage with about 2 teaspoons of red pepper. Turned out perfect! This recipe made a TON. I am grateful that I’ll be eating this for a week! :)
This is an amazing recipe. I get requests from our friends for me to make it. I am a vegetarian, I substituted sausage with mushrooms and kale with spinach. It tasted wonderful with mushrooms with spinach. Thank you for the recipe, it is so delicious!ย
Thanks for the mushroom tip, I am vegetarian as well. Though I stuck with kale because I eat a Mediterranean diet and have spinach with lemon juice and olive oil a lot. tasted great.
I really want to try this, but donโt eat pork. Any recommendations for what to substitute for the sausage?
I have made so many recipes from your website and they are all excellent!
Sometimes you can find Italian turkey sausage in the stores, I’d look for that. Or get some ground turkey and season it with a LOT of Italian seasoning blend. :) The seasoning in the sausage is what adds a lot of flavor to this soup, so you don’t want to miss that.
Wow! So delicious. Thank you so much for this recipes.ย
Field Roast makes an awesome vegetarian Italian sausage! That’s what I’m going to use.
Okay so what does one do with a recipe they want to use and only have one of the ingredients? After work and tired, and I saw there was nothing to pack for lunch the next day. I seriously only had the smoked paprika. So (fingers crossed)I made ground turkey into sausage, used broccoli for the kale, veg broth for the chicken, grainy Idahos in place of the silky reds๐ซ, and finally coconut milk for the 1/2 1/2. I always add liquid aminos for umami. ย Happily, it was not a clusterf, and is actually very good. Soo glad to have you to inspire. I wouldnโt have tried it without this recipe. You make me brave.ย
Great improvising! I find that some of the most delicious discoveries come out of just throwing together what you have. :) And it’s always awesome to use what you have instead of letting it go to waste. I applaud you!
Husband loved as much as the Olive Garden version, super cheap, and really tasty. Loved how quick it was to make too. I took the advice of another reviewer and added the half and half later, and it turned out perfectly. I’ll have to brainstorm some other veggies I can add into it!
Subbed 2% for half and half and frozen spinach for kale and it still turned out amaaaaazing. Adding this to our usual rotation for sure.
I first found this recipe here and then ended up modifying it. To start, I do add the half and half (or heavy cream) near the end, when the potatoes are tender, as it blends smoothly into the soup and doesn’t cause curdling. But here’s how I ended up changed the recipe. I eyeball it a good bit, sorry!
– I use a half package of bacon! Slice it up into 1-inch bits and saute in the same pot you’ll be cooking the soup in. Drain on a paper towel and reduce or discard the drippings (I don’t discard any of it – mmmm bacon).
– Saute the *entire pound* mild or sweet italian sausage in the bacon drippings. Add the onion and garlic. Saute til onions are soft.
– Add 3 to 4 cups of chicken broth, paprika, red pepper flakes. (I nix the pepper usually cause sausage tends to be spicy on its own)
– Add *either* the GN beans or the red potatoes (I prefer beans only) and bring pot to good simmer.
– Add half and half, or cream, to taste, bring back to simmer while stirring.
– Toss the bacon back in the soup, wilt a ton of kale into the pot, and DONE.
Super family hit. The bacon adds a yummy depth to the broth imo, which the potatoes tend to absorb up and leave the rest of the pot tasting slightly bland. Try it out :)
I love almost all BB recipes, but unfortunately this was a huge miss for me. To Beth’s credit, I did use spinach rather than kale, so maybe that’s what messed it up?
It just had no flavor at all. I didn’t measure but I ended up adding more boullion, italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and finally another 1/2lb of hot italian sausage for it to taste alright. I’ve never had the original at Olive Garden so maybe my expectations were set incorrectly, but this just didn’t work for me.
It’s my favorite soup at Olive Garden. It’s a good thing that they offer endless bowls. ๐
Loved this one – and it was crock pot friendly, too! Cooked on high for 4 hours, and added the 2 cups of cream during the last 15 minutes.
This was a great recipe for cleaning out my fridge – I was able to use up my spinach, kidney beans, and half and half with this one.
I haven’t made this yet but would like to today…what’s the likelihood that this would be tasty without the sausage?
The sausage actually provides a lot of the herbs and spices for the soup, so I don’t think it would be nearly as flavorful without it.
This soup was delicious!
I couldn’t find Italian sausage in my supermarket and ended up using chorizo instead and I added soybeans at the very end but it ended up great.
Thank you for this recipe, it goes straight to my favorites!
This was absolutely fantastic! I used turkey instead of sausage and just seasoned it Italian style myself. I also only used a small bit of half and half and almond milk instead since I cannot tolerate much dairy. Definitely making this again!
The half and half curdled on me. I think I might use heavy cream next time, but it tasted great. Any thoughts? Thank you!
Hmm, I’m not sure why yours may have curdled, but you can also try adding the half and half at the end so it isn’t exposed to as much heat, and hopefully won’t curdle.
My making of this recipe was a train wreck from start to finish, but it still came out so good! I had russet potatoes on hand, so I subbed those in for red potatoes (just cut them a little larger since I think they break down more). No kale at the store this week, so I subbed in some spinach that was on its last leg (put it in after the potatoes had boiled). Trying to measure out the paprika, I dumped in what looked like half the bottle. Found out that I only had 3/4 cup of half and half, so I used milk to make up the rest and put in a slurry of cornstarch to help thicken it just a bit. My large pot (4 qt) was also way too small to handle the volume and boiled over.
Going through all of that, I STILL ended up with a tasty soup that the family really liked. It’s a pretty good comfort type food that doesn’t feel too heavy. And it’s obviously able to handled adaptations like a champ.
The recipe is a little confusing in terms of how much kale to add. Could you update the list to either say 1 bunch of kale or “cups of chopped kale”? 1/2 lb of kale is not the same as 2/3 of the 12 oz bag. The 12 oz bag is a volumetric measurement, not weight!
Dry ingredients, like vegetables, use weight ounces on packages, not volume ounces. Only liquids list volume ounces on packages. Hopefully that makes it easier for you! :) Another way you can tell is that if it’s volume ounces it will list “fl oz.” not just “oz.” on the package.
Overall it went well but I thought adding the cream at the beginning seemed odd. Shouldn’t the cream be added towards the end of the recipe to prevent curdling? I definitely had some unattractive floaters.
Delicious. Like another commented above, I substituted Original Field Roast brand vegetarian Italian โsausageโ, and veggie broth (Knott brand). It was a wonderful soup.ย
Would it work well with turkey broth? I still have a freezer full from thanksgiving!
Sure, I think that would work well. :)
This is my favorite soup in the world and I’ve always wanted to make it – can’t wait to try! Do you think it could be frozen?
I make this all the time- it freezes pretty well!
This was pretty good. The only changes I made was to use vegan italian sausage, and a little extra red pepper flakes, salt , and pepper.
Absolutely delicious! Beth, you rarely (and I mean very rarely) fail me.
Wow! Made this tonight, using Field Roast vegan Italian sausage and vegetable broth. Absolutely delicious. Very hearty and filling, but not heavy, thanks to the half & half and broth. It did need some extra salt, and I seasoned each addition with freshly cracked black pepper and Tony Cachereโs seasoning {I put that stuff in everything!}. Hubby said this soup is in his top five faves that Iโve made. Served with cheese biscuits, and will definitely make it again.ย
Please don’t call it Zuppa Toscana!!!
No half and half or chicken broth… Anyway!
If you want I can explain you the real recipe.
Xoxo from Tuscany!!
What do you mean by real recipe?
Delicious! My kids hate kale with the fire of a thousand blazing suns, so I subbed diced fresh broccoli florets and it was a hit.
Iโm thinking of trying this in the instant pot tomorrow. My thought is: cook sausage, onion, garlic as you said. Then, add beans, spices, broth, and potatoes. Cook on high for 6 minutes, QR, add half and half and kale and let simmer on sautรฉ mode till the potatoes are tender enough and half and halfโs warmed up. Does that sound right?
That sounds like it would work. :)
I made this today and it was really delicious. ย A couple of things I noticed. ย It could easily take a whole pound of sausage if you wanted to do that. ย The other thing is after a put the lid on to “simmer” it actually ended up boiling and broke the half and half so it looked weird although didn’t affect the flavor. ย I just wouldn’t cover it next time to make sure it stays in a simmer.
I did the math – sharing for those who’d like this info:
CALORIE COUNT: BUDGET BYTES ZUPPA TOSCANA
WHOLE RECIPE: 2460 CALORIES
PER SERVING: 410 CAL/SERVING IF PORTIONED INTO 6 SERVINGS
308 CAL/SERVING IF PORTIONED INTO 8
Your calories may vary slightly based on chosen ingredients, size of ingredients and adherence to recipe
I made this last night subbing out the meat ingredients for vegetarian “no chicken” broth and veggie sausage, both of which I use frequently and love. I still thought the soup was pretty bland. I added salt (why there’s no salt in the recipe to begin with is odd to me) and pepper, more garlic, some basil, and the red pepper chili flakes. I also topped it with an Italian cheese blend. The addition of more spices definitely improved the flavor, but it still didn’t wow me.
There’s no salt in the original recipe because the meat sausage is salty enough. Veggie sausage doesn’t have the same salt content, so yours needed some.
Excellent point. Easy to forget.ย
Made a vegan version of this tonight and it was really good. Used 2 tofurkey italian sausage links, veg broth for the chicken broth, and made half and half using cashew cream mixed with almond milk. Turned out great!
This was fantastic! ย Do you think it would still be tasty if I substituted condensed milk for the half and half? ย
That might work okay. I think that substitution sometimes work in a pinch, but it’s never quite as creamy as the half and half.
I know but my parents are coming to visit and my mom is the cholesterol police. ย Iโll let you know how it goes.
I highly recommend this recipe! The flavour was outstanding, and the soup is very hearty and filling. Using what I had on hand, I had to substitute spinach for kale, but it was amazing!!
Do you have a suggestion for another green to replace the kale with? For some reason it always upsets my stomach. Spinach is my go-to for soups but I was wondering if there might be something else out there. Thanks!
You can definitely do spinach in this soup (and that would be my first choice alternative) but I would add it at the very end so that it doesn’t over cook. Just stir it in at the end until it’s wilted. :)
I used baby spinach instead of kale…it was outstanding!
Nice!! :)
You can also use Tatsoi, an asian spinach like green, it is a lot firmer and holds up better to cooking.
This is a winner! I can’t believe it took me so long to try this, but it’s definitely in our rotation now that fall is here. Plus it’s got kale in it, so it’s healthy right…? I think for future versions I might add a pinch of red pepper flakes and ~ 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper right to the pot while simmering, since my boyfriend and I both added them to our bowls. I made this with your Homemade Garlic Bread which is also awesome.
Can I just say that using Better Than Bouillon has changed my life??? I’m so glad you brought it to light in your recipes!ย
It is June 6th in Massachusetts, and the weather is unseasonably cold and gross. This soup was the perfect warm and hearty meal to chase away the wet and cold! We used spicy Italian sausage, it was the perfect amount of heat. Followed the recipe exactly, and it came out perfect! I’ve never had this in Olive Garden, but my boyfriend says it’s a faithful replica taste wise! A little garlic bread sent this meal over the top! Thanks for another winner!
Cooking this as we speak.. Followed your recipe with the addition of onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, and a little salt. Tastes reeeeeaaally good so far. Can’t wait to serve it!! Thanks for the recipe! I’m so glad to have a new and delicious soup to add to my rotation!
Holy cow I just had this! Was my first time tasting this soup and I wasn’t sure I’d like it: it’s my new favorite soup!!! And Beth- no changes. Made it EXACTLY to your recipe and our whole family loved it. Big hit! Definitely repeating. I especially loved how little smoked paprika gave a ton of flavor. Also wasn’t sure about the kale before tasting but I really liked that the taste reminded me of spinach but with a much better texture in soup. Thanks for an amazing dinner!
this recipe was delicious!!! my bf and i loved it. i have been making your stuff for a while now and this is my first time commenting. thank you so much for sharing :)
Great recipe! Can you freeze this?
I’m not sure how this one would freeze because of the cream. It *should* freeze fine, but not sure if there will be any separation. Some people don’t like the texture of potatoes after they’ve been frozen, but I’ve never been able to tell a difference.
This is SO good! I pureed some for my baby and she liked it too! Ha ha!
Okay, I am a long time stalker and user of this website but I have never commented before. This soup was SO good that I literally found myself needing to comment! I doubled the meat but I didn’t change anything else on the recipe. My husband doesn’t love the idea of soup for dinner so I doubled the meat to make it a little more hearty and he has already been telling this morning how much he loved dinner last night. He said it was much better than Olive Garden’s version. I think that the smoked paprika was key for the flavor on this soup. I also made sure to add the red pepper flakes as both my husband and I like a kick. This will be doubled next time so we can have more leftovers!
Awesome!! I’m so glad it was such a hit! :)
Zuppa Toscana is one of my all-time favorite soups from the Olive Garden, so I was looking forward to making this recipe for dinner. I found some kale at the supermarket for $.98 instead of paying four dollars and some change for a bag of kale. I used four small red potatoes instead of three, because of the size. The soup is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I’m excited to have left overs for dinner every night this week. Thank you so much, Beth!!!
Made this meat-free and dairy-free and it was GOOD! Tofurky Italian Sausage and used this instead of cream: http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/sauces-syrups-spreads/sauces/cashew-cream. Put the cream in at the end when soup was done.
First time visitor to your page–and WOW, am I glad I found you and your wonderful recipes. I’ve just spent two hours not doing chores, just sitting here, reading, drooling and imagining the flavors. Plus it’s budget! I love it. Many thanks for your creative and interesting recipes. I’ll be trying lots of them, real soon!
Patty
Hahaha, sorry I distracted you from your chores! :)
This stuff is AMAZING, like I could eat this every day amazing. Only edit I made is I used a 50/50 mix of heavy cream and 2% milk since that’s what was in my fridge. Beth, you’ve been feeding me since I moved into my first apartment and your recipes have never left me down!
This was delicious! My changes: I used turkey Italian sausage instead of regular, ~8oz fresh spinach (sliced) instead of kale, and lactose-free whole milk instead of half and half. Didn’t modify the order or cooking times at all, and it turned out great!
This is a great not-so-heavy version of one of my favorite soups. Thank you!
Tasted great but my half and half cuddled during the last 15 minutes. Was the temperature too high?
Curdled not cuddled
Yes, I’d try using a lower temperature next time.
I made a fairly successful vegetarian version tonight. Italian flavored tofurkey instead of the sausage, veg stock instead of chicken. It’s not quite as nice as the meat version, which I’ve made before, but it’s very good! I think the meat one is a bit richer and sweeter, which you could probably balance by using heavy cream in the veggie version. :)
Try it with field roast vegetarian sausages if you can find them. They have an Italian flavored sausage that I’ve used in this recipe multiple times, it is delicious! Tastier than the tofurkey sausage, in my opinion. :)
Hi – I’ve used Trader Joe’s “Italian sausage” and it works BEAUTIFULLY in place of traditional sausage. Used it in Beth’s stuffed zucchini recipe all the time. And I’ve found veggie stock (not broth) to be a heartier substitution.
Had this for lunch today. Substituted frozen spinach for kale as I didn’t have any.
Pretty good soup, Thanks for publishing this recipe.
This was delicious! Although I’ve never had this type of soup before, it looked so good I had to try it. I also liked that it seemed relatively healthy. I added the half and half toward the end of the recipe, as others had suggested (to prevent curdling). I had a delicious bowl of it last night and then had leftovers for lunch today. In addition, my coworker had a bowl of it and loved it–she requested the recipe. I will definitely make this again. It wasn’t too difficult to make and didn’t take too long.
Used spicy Italian sausage, and only 1 link because that is all I had. Also subbed broth for water (why not, a carton has 4 cups, might as well use it all). Red pepper flakes are a must. Next time I would hold off on adding the half and half until the end like I normally do with these types of soups. Very nice flavor.
I’m a vegetarian – this looks great, but the sausage doesn’t work for me obviously. How do you think it would be without that?
The sausage actually provides a lot of the flavor here because it’s so heavily seasoned. I think you could do a vegetarian version, but you might want to add a hefty dose of Italian seasoning blend.
Pretty good! I’m not a fan of kale usually but I followed the recipe to the letter to see what all the fuss was about. It was very good but I think next time I’ll sub in some fresh spinach. Solid 4/5 stars!
This is delicious! thank you so much for sharing! I love how you added the beans. Question: does this freeze well?
I haven’t tried freezing this one so I’m not sure. Creamy sauces are kind of hit or miss when it comes to freezing. This one doesn’t have a flour/roux thickener, so it might be okay.
Did you end up trying to freeze it? I’d also love to know if freezes well!
We made this tonight and it was amazing! Followed the directions, but went ahead and left out the crushed red pepper. It was delicious! We appreciate these great recipes, Beth.
We love this recipe and make it often. I recently got an Instant Pot (pressure cooker) and have been trying to learn how to use it, so tonight I attempted to convert this recipe and it was successful. Using the saute function (our PC is electric), I browned the onion, meat and garlic – didn’t cook the meat all the way through, just browned. Added spices, stock and potatoes (cut slightly thicker than for stovetop recipe) and cooked on high pressure for 8 minutes. Did a quick release and checked to make sure the potatoes were cooked (they were). Added the 1/2 and 1/2, beans and kale and kept warm til dinner time. Since I’m new to the whole Instant Pot craze I wasn’t sure the meat texture would hold up under pressure and I can be a bit of a flavor snob, but it all worked well!
The only thing we usually change is bulking up the meat and adding extra beans and kale – ours is definitely more “stoupy” (Rachel Ray’s word for thick soup), but we like it that way. :)
Awesome, thanks for sharing!!
I walked away from this for a few minutes and when I came back, the cream had curdled. I suggest adding at the end of the recipe just to prevent thisโI’m not saying the original recipe is wrong but better safe than sorry! This soup is delicious and definitely worth a try.
This has happened to me when making this soup too. I now add the dairy later. The one time I did curdle the soup from inattention, I strained it (took out potatoes/meat/onions) and blended the broth/dairy liquid to get it to re-mix. It wasn’t perfect but I saved the soup from being wasted!
I made this I tonight and It was god but mine was super bland. I ended up adding a lot of salt and pepper- what could I have done wrong? Thanks! Love you recipes!
I think a lot of the flavor depends on the chicken broth, so if you’re using a brand that’s not very flavorful or a low sodium version, the soup as a whole will be more bland.
this was super good! I used canned evaporated milk instead of half and half and a head of kale rather than bagged. going to experiment with coconut milk next time
Ooh, coconut milk sounds intriguing! Did you ever end up trying it with that substitution?
I just made this soup and it turned out amazing! I followed the directions exactly as written, with one change that I had to make because apparently my eyeballs are terrible weighing devices…I realized I only had just over a lb of red potatoes, so I sliced up a russet with my fancy finger-guillotine/mandoline. The russet slices just fell apart after simmering for a while and didn’t hold their shape as well as the slices of red potato, so I definitely don’t recommend it. I got 6 lunch-sized containers out of this recipe for my husband and I to take to work this week with some crackers or rolls.
Beth, I have a question- my friend and I like to get together and batch cook multiple recipes at the same time and split everything up so we get more variety to our meals. She doesn’t eat pork, but I think she would love this recipe otherwise. Do you think there’s another meat I could substitute with success (chicken sausage?) or should I just double up the beans? Thanks!
I think I would suggest doing a chicken or turkey sausage. The spices in the sausage account for a lot of the flavor in the soup, so I wouldn’t suggest substituting with a plain ground meat. :)
I made this the day you posted this recipe. So good! Making it again tonight but adding some extra ingredients like shrimp and maybe some rice or pasta to add calories for my kids.
I’ve tried different Zuppa Toscana recipes before and while they’re closer to the Olive Garden recipe, they’re always so rich my husband never likes them. Made yours tonight and he loved it! I loved the budget-friendly aspect and also felt it was healthier. Thanks as always!
I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing! I don’t like kale, but it takes on a whole new flavor in this soup. Loved it! Thank you Beth!
I LOVE, LOVE this recipe!! I made the mistake of bringing some to work in a little crock pot for myself that all of my co-workers were asking try some. Will make more next time. I spoiled myself with this recipe that when I returned to Olive Garden, I preferred this recipe over the original. How about that?!?!
Yay!!! :D Thank you!
Will this all still work out okay if I swapped the Half & Half back out for Heavy Cream, or would I need to modify it extensively? I have leftover heavy cream from another recipe and figured this might be a good use for it before it goes bad…
I would think so. And if it gets too thick for you, you can thin it out with a bit of broth or water.
This was amazing. Just made this today but I added extra garlic powder and paprika.
Made this for some friends the other night and they loved it! Certainly going to be a repeat recipe! Might add some sweet corn next time as an additional flavor boost.
This recipe was another winner for me! I made it in the slow cooker because I don’t have a pot big enough to hold the full recipe. I tossed everything in except the half and half, kale, and beans. I added the final three ingredients about 20-30 minutes before serving. YUM! This will definitely be in regular rotation at my house from now on. I served it with your homemade freezer garlic bread, which was also a big hit. Thanks for the delicious recipes – keep ’em coming! :)
How long did you cook it in the slow cooker? That would make it a bit easier for this busy mom. :)
Just made this again! A head’s up. If your family is large like mine(6-7 people on average to feed!), even if it serves 8, double the recipe! I guarantee people are going to want seconds or people are going to want the leftovers. This is still a very affordable meal and cost me around $19 to triple the recipe for my large family/leftovers for days. Costs will obviously be a lot cheaper for a smaller group.
Make this!
This soup is sooooo good. I used spicy Italian sausage, Dino kale, and little less half and half and just added more water. It’s heats up like a dream, I couldn’t wait to eat it the next day!
Ok, this is pretty spectacular.
Call me a snob, but I don’t go to the restaurant that uh, features this soup. I stay away from Pinterest too. So I for one never would have known about this recipe if you hadn’t featured it!
I did increase the liquid ingredients for the broth and the amount of garlic but otherwise made this to your specs and this was amazing. Thanks for posting Beth.
Loved your comment. I, too, would never have tried this soup had I not seen it here. I hear people talk about this dish by name, as if it is something exotic. Not so. And (bonus!) we get to enjoy this lower fat version. ;-) I use Italian-seasoned lean ground turkey in any recipe calling for sausage … great taste with much less fat.
Made this with quartered chicken sausage instead. This soup is delicious. I can’t stop recommending it to everyone I know. It’s absolutely going into the meal rotation. Add some nice bread to sop up the broth and you’re set.
OMG! Delicious soup! I can’t stop eating it. It makes great leftovers and reheats well. It goes great with sourdough bread for dipping too.
I just made this, and it is so delicious! As suggested by another reviewer, I used field roast Italian sausage to make it vegetarian (not budget friendly, but still yummy). I think the sausage was too mild for my taste so I would add extra red pepper flakes. Thanks for sharing another awesome recipe!
Very good recipe. I have a recipe for this which is much more creamy/fatty. We LOVE it, but always avoid making it. I was glad to find this version which is quite a bit healthier!
This is a keeper for sure. Unfortunately my freezer did not have all of the kale the recipe called for, but it still turned out great. It has been way cold here in Pennsylvania and this hit the spot. Like others I have not had the original.
Beth, I meant to ask you. Can you think about doing a couple basic tutorials on how to cut vegetables?
I think i’ve mastered how to dice an onion, but for some reason, I’ve never managed to figure out the best way to cut potatoes! This recipe only reinforced my ignorance. haha.
It seems like such a simple thing, but some people might not know basic knife practices and it could be helpful for people new to cooking.
Yes, that’s a fantastic idea! Thank you! :)
So I wanted to update you with my thoughts on this soup. I’ve made it three times since you’ve posted it. haha!
It’s a great recipe as is…so if anyone is curious..if you follow it to the t, you’ll have a great soup.
I’ve tweaked it some, and make mine extra brothy (basically 4 1/2 cups of broth and about 1/4 cup extra half and half). The reason I did this is because after I made it the first time, the potatoes had soaked up so much broth that i ended up with a thick thick soup. I also added a ton extra red pepper flakes, garlic powder, black pepper, and because i couldn’t figure out that there was something missing, I added a bit of salt and it did the trick.
A note about the kale…it’s great in the soup, but I only did about half of what you call for, and I bought the same exact brand you did. I ended up breaking up the leaves a lot more, and ripped off the hard stems that were in some of the leaves. The first time I made it, it was just SO much kale and it was a little hard to eat and we ended up fishing a lot of it out. I made 1 regular batch and 2 double batches with that whole bag.
also, i’m happy to report that it freezes great. I froze a few of those pint chinese food soup containers and it thawed fine, and was delicious.
I made this for a dinner party for 4 of us along with some gourmet grilled cheese and it was a HUGE hit. My boyfriend (minutes after saying “I’m not generally a huge soup fan”) literally snuck an extra bowl of it before even sitting down at the table! We ate the whole pot even though we’d had the sandwiches. I did add a few cranks of salt, pepper, & red pepper flakes to the whole pot & then we each added grated Parmesan to our bowls.
Especially with the sub-zero Chicago temperature last night, it was the perfect meal. Thank you, Beth!
I have been craving soup for days now, and with the temps dropping down to -25 degrees Celsius, no wonder! So, I liked the look of this, and decided to try it since I had some kale I needed to use up. Since we are vegetarian, I had to make a few modifications to make this meatless. I obviously did not add sausage, but did add 1/4 tsp both of fennel and anise seed, to mimick the spices in the sausage. i also added the smoked paprika, per recipe, as well as 1/4 tsp garlic salt. I used veggie stock instead of chicken, but other than that, followed the recipe. It turned out hearty and wonderful! Even a vegetarian version of this dish tastes great, and I will definitely be making this again and again!
This is a great recipe! I made a double batch and froze it in one cup portions, and I’m STILL eating it almost every single day. It is fabulous!!
This was great! I’m making it for the second time tonight. The only thing I’m going to change is to season the sausage a bit as it cooks. It tasted bland to me in the soup. But this soup is a winner!
i like zuppa soup ever !
most like zuppa soup chicken and corn.
but this is the good food and recipe. Thank you.
Yumm!!! Just made this and the kid and I just loved it. I subbed collard greens for the kale because the store had pre-chopped, and for cheaper than kale. Also subbed black beans. I don’t have smoked paprika, I think I’m going to buy some but not until I use up my regular paprika …I’m kinda thrifty like that…so I used a half teaspoon of regular paprika and also added an eighth teaspoon of curry and chili powder as another poster did…don’t know if this “faithfully” mimics smoked paprika but it sure was tasty. Thanks for this! Love your site!
I’m trying to cut dairy out during the work week. Is there any way that I could substitute the half and half for full fat coconut milk?
Hmmmm… I’m not sure how that would taste, but yes, you can do it. The only thing you want to do differently is add the coconut milk at the end because it can curdle when boiled.
Never had the Olive Garden version, but I am a sucker for soups. This one is a keeper for sure! I used hot italian turkey sausage and a can of evaporated skim milk + half and half to make up the amount needed. It was perfect.
Just made this for the family, everyone loved it, including picky eaters. We didn’t have smoked paprika(will buy next time!)so we subbed a pinch of chili powder(for color, couldn’t taste it) and a pinch of yellow curry powder for some warmth. It tasted pretty darn close to the restaurant version! It cost us $3.75 to make a big pot of it and save for the kale, we have enough ingredients left over to make it again! This soup is very coupon/sales friendly. Cheap, filling, tasty. What more could you want? This is a keeper.
This was our first time eating kale, very tender like spinach leaves. This soup rocks! Thank you for adding this recipe, as your cooking blog is the only one I follow.
This was SO good. I made it vegetarian with Trader Joe’s soy sausage and Better than Bouillon “No Chicken” broth – yummy. I also didn’t pay enough attention and curdled the broth a bit – oops. Next time, I’ll turn the heat lower earlier, but it was still delicious (I just whisked it back together). Thanks for another great recipe!
Can’t believe you hadn’t tried this til now. It’s cheap and yummy. I also just added white beans to my most recent version, and it was great. This is my favorite way to eat kale.
This recipe was amazing!!! I live in SW GA and cannot get many of the ingredients you cook with. I love your recipes and use substitutions. I have never had this soup before and my husband doesn’t like soup, but he does love Great Northern Beans. I used smoked venison sausage (we were out of fresh) and turnip/mustard green mix. He ate 4 bowls!!! My friend who eats at Olive Garden (a lot) said it was really good as well. I am making more now to last for the week. I hope it will freeze well Thanks again for all your recipes!!!
Made this tonight for dinner with a friend… SO good! Oh my gosh, it was hard to stop eating bowl after bowl after bowl… Didn’t even need to add any extra spices or salt or anything! Thanks for the delicious, hearty soup recipe.
Do you think I can sub spinach instead, maybe adding it last so it doesn’t completely break down to nothing??? Thanks
Yep, I think spinach would be great in this! And you’re right, just add it at the very end just before serving. Stir it in until it wilts and you’re good to go.
Made this tonight and it was soon good! I used 1 pound of hot sausage’ fat free 1/2 and 1/2 and the whole carton of chicken broth (4 cups)-sprinkled the finished soup with parm cheese…thank you so much for the recipe!
Subbed bacon for the sausage and whole milk for the half + half. YUM.
I made a few changes based on budget and current pantry holdings. I used ground beef with homemade Italian sausage seasoning instead of the sausage and frozen mustard greens instead of the fresh kale. It still turned out awesomely! Thanks!
I love the zuppa at Olive Garden; I will be hanging onto this recipe–need to do some shopping–but wanted to say that Heather’s idea of adding cauliflower sounds like a winner!
I made this recipe two nights ago, and I’ve been enjoying the leftovers ever since! I was worried there was too much fat left from the sausage after the onions finished cooking, so I added a few tablespoons of flour and cooked it for a couple minutes more. This also thickened it considerably, which I love for winter soups. Thank you for the great recipe, I’ll definitely be coming back to this one often!
5 stars, will keep this recipe for cold winter nights!
Never had the original, but this soup was delicious! I was feeling lazy and got kale from the salad bar (the only way I will get kale from now on). My boyfriend had 3 serving of the finished soup! Next time I think I’ll double the meat and add carrots or cauliflower. This cost me a little over $11 to make. Thanks!
Great soup. I doubled the meat and used spicy chicken sausage. I used baby kale and only cooked it about 5 minutes. Terrific taste. Thanks!
Made this tonight. Exactly as is. Turned out absolutely fantastic. Husband does not like soup usually,but he loved this. It was so easy and came together quickly.
Hello,
I want to try this! Husband doesn’t like Kale though, do you think spinach would work?
Yes, but I would stir it in at the very end because spinach is very tender and wilts fast.
Perfect! Will definitely give this a go!! Can’t wait! Every recipe I have made from your site has been awesome!
I used leeks instead of kale because that’s what I had on hand. I added them with the onions. Turned out really well.
I really want to try this out. However I cannot get Half and Half where I live, just higher-fat cream options.
I wonder if getting a higher fat option and diluting it with 1% milk would work?
Many versions of this recipe use a higher fat cream, so you can use it in place of the half and half with no problems. Or, you can try adding less of the cream to cut back on the fat. I wouldn’t bother trying to dilute it because it will work just fine either way.
Looks like it doesn’t matter since the store decided to make a liar out of me! Saw Half and Half there for the first time in the two years I’ve been living up here. So I’m good to go.
I’ll probably make it tomorrow night, though I have another question: Would this freeze at all well, or would the cream be an issue there?
I suspect the cream would be an issue, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Made a modified version of this last night and it was amazing! I’ll admit I was a little afraid because I used habanero chicken sausage instead of italian since I had that in the freezer…. annnnnd a bit of cream cheese in place of the the half and half (improvizing quite a bit, I know!). I followed the rest of the recipe though and it was actually wonderful. I can’t wait to try this with italian sausauge next time though as I am sure it will be delicious!
I love Olive Garden’s soup. and I’ve been wanting to make a version of it for a while now and this just gave me incentive.
Love the addition of beans. I think that’s a nice touch.
My mom was telling me the other day that she has been running out of recipes for soup for my dad (he likes a lot of soup in the winter and my mom isn’t a big soup person so she struggles with ideas). Maybe I’ll make some and put in individual containers so she can freeze it.
Do you think it would freeze ok or maybe not with the cream added to it?
The cream does make me hesitant, but I haven’t tried it to know for sure.
you can freeze milk so I wouldn’t think it would matter, but try freezing one serving for a couple days and see what happens
Thanks Janie!
Italian sausage makes my husband sick for some reason. Any suggestions on how to make this without the sausage?
Thanks!
Try with chicken or add another can of beans.
Perhaps he would like a chicken sausage? I made this recipe last night with habanero chicken sausage I had in the freezer from Costco and it was delicious!
Hmm, I think you’d have to pinpoint which spice in the Italian sausage (or is it the pork?) that makes him sick and then add all the other spices except that one. The sausage definitely provides a lot of the flavor for the soup, so it just wouldn’t be the same if it was left out.
sounds delicious! we dont have the olive garden in the UK so ill have to try it at home!
One of my favorite soups! I’m definitely going to try this recipe out as soon as possible!!
Thanks for sharing!
I made this recipe last night and it was AMAZING! My potatoes were slightly larger and I used slightly more kale so it reminded me more a stew than soup, but the flavors were amazing and the crushed red pepper flakes give it such great heat! LOVE your recipes Beth, I usually make 1-2 every week for dinner :)
I have a WW recipe that is very similar to this that I made earlier this week. I used poultry sausage. The recipe also has you lightly mash the potatoes with a masher to act as a thickener rather than using cream… I think the beans are a good addition.
Made this tonight – sooo good! I threw in the whole package of kale as I would otherwise be likely to let it go bad, and slightly more beans because I was working from dry and they expanded more than I expected. Absolutely delicious! I’m looking forward to having this for lunch all week and this will be going in my regular rotation!
Holy. Cow. I made this tonight because I’m running out of soup ideas and this was incredible. The only thing I changed was Navy Beans because it’s what I could find. Insanely good and filling! I’d also recommend that you chop the kale very small or you get huge chunks of it in your soup and your kids may freak out…okay, wait. Perhaps that’s obvious, but for those of us for whom it’s not….Thanks for sharing Beth!
Will try it this week! I am not an Olive Garden fan, and don’t read many food blogs, so I had no idea this was a popular recipe–so thank you for trying it despite your misgivings. We’re not all as well informed as you are (that’s why you’re the blogger, I guess!)
I will probably add some leeks to boost the vegetable content this time, but I’m sure carrots or mushrooms would be fantastic in this, too…
We try to avoid potatoes – do you think turnips would work?
Yes, that would probably be good. :)
The potatoes in it are SO good. they add such a great rustic flavor….
but with that being said…turnips sound like a GREAT idea. or a mix of rutabaga and turnip. I think it would change the taste of the soup, but i’d take a gander with saying it would make a great version.
I might have to try that myself. :)
Hi!! I absolutely love your site!! Do you think this recipe would work with vegetarian sausage and veg broth?
The veg broth will change the flavor a bit, but vegetarian sausage will probably work well. It’s all about the spices that are in the sausage, so those should be the same whether meat or veg (make sure it’s Italian sausage).
When I’m going to the Olive Garden, Zuppa Toscana is the first soup that I would order, because it is my FAVORITE!! I’m so excited that you’re sharing this recipe, and I’m definitely looking forward to making it-along with some garlic bread!! :-)
I made this for the first time a few weeks ago, and happily ate it for about six meals straight – it’s amazing! I’m going to have to try it with beans and half-and-half though – sounds like a good way to add some extra protein and cut down on the fat!
I tried a dairy free version on Keeza’s Freezer Meals that pureed the can of white beans so that it still seemed rich and creamy. Yummy, and reduces the fat/calories even more!
I made this tonight with Field Roast vegan sausages and veggie broth….it was delicious!
How do you think this recipe would be without the sausage? Is there a good vegetarian substitute?
I think you could just add a lot of Italian sausage spices (google a recipe for Italian sausage) and it would still taste great! The spices in the sausage give the soup a lot of flavor.
oh man, this makes me wish I still ate sausage.
Maybe I could use spices normally found in sausage pull in some of that flavor….
I think that would work well. :)
Can you suggest a protein-rich substitute for sausage? Will tofu work?
I would suggest trying to find a vegetarian Italian sausage substitute because the spices in the sausage are what give this soup most of its flavor. If you sub plain tofu you’ll be missing out on a lot.
To my fellow Canadian residents: coffee cream (10%) works as a substitute for half-and-half (which is about 12% milkfat). Or the stuff sold as “table cream” that is 15%, if you want a slightly richer product.
Question: I’m on a very tight budget, and we buy russet potatoes in 10# bags when they go on sale for $2. Can I use an equivalent amount of peeled russet potatoes (cut into the right size pieces) without damaging the texture of the soup too much (changing, yes, but not making it gross)?
I’ve made Zuppa Toscana before and used russet potatoes – I didn’t have any problems with it!
Maggie, yes. We make this all the time with Russets. It’s still soooooo good. We also use half+half, and we just mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot for extra creaminess. Beth–next time, we will do the beans! Looks so yum!
Yep, russet should work fine! I just tend to like red potatoes, so I bought those instead. :)
Hi Beth, This looks really good and cheap too..
What are the nutritional values in this ?? Such as calories ?? Thanks for your time.. :)
I’m sorry, I don’t have that info. :(
I put it into myfitness pal and it probably averages 326 calories a serving.
Hey Beth,
My wife and I have been making this soup for years as one of our go to cheap meals. We barely use a quarter cup of half and half at the end and about the same amount of sausage (no beans or bacon either) as you do. We really get the sausage charred and then deglaze the pan with cheap red wine when we add the onions in. It’s still creamy but the dominant flavor more sausage and broth. It’s amazing.
*comes more from the sausage and broth.
Ooooh that sounds divine! I’m going to have to try wine (and reduced cream) next time. :)