Zuppa Toscana Soup

The Recipe Rebel / Dinner

written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 40 votes

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6 servings

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Last updated on February 1, 2024

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This Zuppa Toscana is the perfect hearty dinner that’s ready in just 30 minutes! It’s packed with Italian sausage, potatoes and kale, and parmesan cheese!

Serve this soup with your favorite crusty bread or a slice of homemade garlic bread!

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (2)

What is Zuppa Toscana?
Ingredients needed:
How to make Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana FAQs
Variations
Serving suggestions
More soup recipes
Zuppa Toscana soup Recipe

I firmly believe that one can never have too many soup recipes. Soup is always easy to make, usually made in just one pot, AND it hits the spot every single time!

This Zuppa Toscana soup recipe is one of my all time favorites and it checks all the boxes! It’s ready in 30 minutes, dirties just one dish, and will most definitely hit the spot. Plus since it’s packed with protein, veggies, and carbs, this Zuppa Toscana makes a complete meal all on its own!

Prefer to make it in your crockpot? Check out my slow cooker Zuppa Toscana instead!

Some of our other favorites are this Cheeseburger Soup, this creamy Potato Soup and this Easy Minestrone Soup!

What is Zuppa Toscana?

Zuppa Toscana literally translates to Tuscan soup. Classic Tuscan soup is made with veggies, cannellini beans, kale, and potatoes and served with a side of Tuscan bread.

This version of Zuppa Toscana is an Olive Garden copycat version. It’s creamier, cheesier, and bulked up with Italian sausage! And it’s SO GOOD!

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (3)

Ingredients needed:

You don’t need much to pull off this rich and flavorful soup recipe!

Italian Sausage: you can use hot or mild depending on your spice preferences.
Onion: sautéed with the Italian sausage to add sweet, caramel-y flavor.
Garlic: freshly minced or pre-minced garlic will work.
Seasonings: you’ll use a simple blend of Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to kick the flavor of the soup up a notch. If you don’t like spice you can omit the red pepper flakes.
Chicken Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth so I can control the saltiness of the soup. If you use regular chicken broth you’ll want to add less salt yourself.
Potatoes: I use either Russet or gold potatoes, but other varieties will work as well.
Kale: chop the kale before adding it to the soup so you don’t end up with big clumps.
Cream: you can use half-and-half or heavy cream. Avoid low fat dairy because it has a tendency to curdle when added to hot liquid.
Parmesan Cheese: I recommend shredding your own parmesan cheese for the best flavor and texture.

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (4)

How to make Zuppa Toscana

This Zuppa Toscana recipe makes the perfect easy dinner. It takes just 30 minutes to throw together!

Cook meat, aromatics, and seasonings: In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage and onion. Add garlic and seasonings and cook.
Add broth and potatoes: Stir in the broth and potatoes and simmer until the potatoes are tender.
Finish and serve: Add in kale, cream, and parmesan. Let the soup warm through, then serve!

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (5)

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (6)

Zuppa Toscana FAQs

How do you thicken Zuppa Toscana?

Zuppa Toscana is meant to be somewhat brothy. However, if you do prefer a thicker soup, you can mash some of the potatoes or make a cornstarch slurry. To make a slurry, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Once the mixture is smooth, whisk small amounts into the soup until thickened to your liking.

How long is Zuppa Toscana good in the fridge?

Leftover Zuppa Toscana will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave or warm on low on the stove until heated through.

Can you freeze Zuppa Toscana soup?

You can store this soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Keep in mind that the texture of potatoes does change with freezing, so if that is something that bothers you, it’s best not to risk it. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm on the stove or in the microwave.

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (9)

Variations

Use another meat. You can swap the Italian sausage out for ground beef or even ground turkey if preferred. Keep in mind that Italian sausage is pretty heavily seasoned, so if you use another meat you will want to add more seasonings yourself!
Add more veggies. Feel free boost the nutrition of this soup with even more veggies. You can sauté peppers, mushrooms, or any softer veggie with the onion and Italian sausage OR you can add veggies with more structure such as broccoli, cauliflower, or carrots when you add the potatoes.
Make it low-carb. For a lower carb option, swap the potato out for cauliflower.
Add bacon. A lot of Zuppa Toscana soup recipes include cooked and crumbled bacon. Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana actually does not, and I prefer without. If you want to add a smoky crunch, feel free to add some bacon bits to your soup.
Make it vegetarian. Classic Zuppa Toscana is made using cannelloni beans. Make a meat-free soup by swapping the beef out for those!

Serving suggestions

I love to serve this soup with a chunk of crusty bread to sop up the broth! You can also serve it with a side of garlic bread, homemade breadsticks, or roasted green beans.

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written by Ashley Fehr

5 from 40 votes

This Zuppa Toscana is the perfect heart dinner that's ready in just 30 minutes! It's packed with Italian sausage, potatoes and kale, and parmesan cheese!

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Review

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Ingredients

▢ 375 grams Italian sausage (without casings) mild or spicy (¾ lb, about 3-4 sausages)
▢ 1 small onion, finely diced
▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
▢ 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper
▢ 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional – for extra spice)
▢ 3 cups low sodium chicken broth
▢ 1½ lbs Russet or gold potatoes (about 4 medium, peeled and chopped)
▢ 2 cups chopped kale
▢ 3/4 cup cream 10-30% will work fine
▢ 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

In a large dutch oven or soup pot, brown the Italian sausage with the onion over medium-high heat (4-5 minutes). If there is a lot of fat in the pan you can drain it or soak it up with paper towel.
Add minced garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and pepper flakes and cook 1 minute.
Add broth and potatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender (about 10-12 minutes).
Once potatoes are tender, stir in kale, cream, and Parmesan. Let heat through before serving.

Notes

*If you want to thicken the soup, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of corn starch to the cream before adding to the soup.

Storage:

Leftover Zuppa Toscana will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, microwave or warm on low on the stove until heated through.

You can also store this soup in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Keep in mind that the texture of potatoes does change with freezing, so if that is something that bothers you, it’s best not to risk it. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight and warm on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Keywords zuppa toscana

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Meet Ashley

My name is Ashley Fehr and I love creating easy meals my family loves. I also like to do things my way, which means improvising and breaking the rules when necessary. Here you will find creative twists on old favorites and some of my favorite family recipes, passed down from generations!

Reader Interactions

Comments

Lindi says
November 19, 2023 at 9:24 am
Made this soup last night for guests and everyone raved about it. The whole pot got eaten!
Reply
carl says
November 3, 2023 at 8:44 pm
i love this soup! me and my boyfriend have now made it 3 times and it always makes us so happy and full 🙂 i add extra broth because i like it extra soupy
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  November 16, 2023 at 10:38 pm
  Glad you enjoyed it!
  Reply
Jennifer says
August 25, 2023 at 6:26 pm
YUMM!! Easy and delicious !! Definitely one to keep on our rotation. Portions are very filling yet low calorie which is great for my weight loss journey. Husband also enjoyed it 🙂
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  See Also
  Cast Iron Skillet Cookie - The Recipe Rebel
  August 27, 2023 at 9:36 pm
  Hi Jennifer! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
  Reply
Shauna Pope says
July 1, 2023 at 7:44 pm
This was delicious!! I used sweet Italian sausage, baby kale, and cut corn from 2 ears.
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  July 5, 2023 at 10:11 pm
  Hi Shauna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
  Reply
Tina H says
June 23, 2023 at 9:58 am
Today is the third time I’ve made this recipe! My husband loves it! The only changes I’ve made are adding more Kale or a combo Kale and Spinach. Plus I add 9oz Italian sausage stuffed tortellini. Takes over the top!
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  July 5, 2023 at 9:24 pm
  Hi Tina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
  Reply
Brenda says
January 6, 2023 at 7:29 am
Ashley, I love this recipe; however, I did make a couple of changes and I hope it does not disappoint you. I used chopped cauliflower instead of potatoes and fresh chopped Spinach instead of Kale. This soup was absolutely awesome and had plenty left over to put in quart freezer bags. Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes!
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 10, 2023 at 8:01 pm
  Glad it worked out for you Brenda!
  Reply
Nikki says
November 7, 2022 at 11:10 pm
Looks amazing what can I substitute cream for dairy free milk? As my husband needs to eat dairy and gluten free
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  November 19, 2022 at 8:29 pm
  Hi Nikki! You likely could, it’s just not something I’ve tested out. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
  Reply
Jonathan says
August 3, 2022 at 8:30 am
Yet another amazing recipe! We actually used cannellini beans instead of the sausage and for us “almost always vegetarians” it was excellent. I cubed half the potatoes as shown but thinly sliced the other half which provided nice varying textures plus some of the thinner potatoes dissolved to make the soup a little thicker. Even before we were finished with our first bowl my wife added this recipe to our official “List of Regular Meals.” Thank you Recipe Rebel, you are the best!
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  August 4, 2022 at 10:36 am
  Hi Jonathan! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Kara says
March 9, 2022 at 1:34 am
Wish I could give this recipe more than 5 stars – it’s that good! With a family of four to feed I doubled the recipe (well, almost doubled it), and thankgoodness I did because all went back for seconds. I also added a can of cannellini beans – next time I will omit, as it was just as good without.
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  March 9, 2022 at 10:18 am
  Hi Kara! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
  Reply
Deirdre says
February 21, 2022 at 9:20 pm
This was delicious, so tasty and warming. My husband made it and there were no leftovers
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  February 23, 2022 at 8:40 am
  Hi Deirdre! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Jen says
January 18, 2022 at 10:09 pm
One of my all time favorite soup recipes! SO GOOD.
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 24, 2022 at 5:07 pm
  Hi Jen! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Kristyn says
January 17, 2022 at 7:03 pm
One of the best soups out there!! Love the flavor & how hearty it is!
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 18, 2022 at 5:03 pm
  Hi Kristyn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Deanna Striver says
January 17, 2022 at 7:02 pm
We love this soup so much! I just wish I made a double batch, it’s THAT good!
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 18, 2022 at 5:03 pm
  Hi Deanna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Kathy Preston says
January 11, 2022 at 3:04 pm
Made it last night. My husband and I loved it! Also used spinach instead of Kale.
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 12, 2022 at 5:22 pm
  Hi Kathy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
brenda calandrillo says
January 11, 2022 at 2:54 pm
This is a keeper! I swapped out the kale and used spinach. Really tasty with the added parmesan.
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 12, 2022 at 5:22 pm
  Hi Brenda! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
  Reply
Opal Mills says
January 4, 2022 at 6:27 pm
This looks so yummy! I just love soup any time of year. Especially comforting during a snowy winters day. Thanks
Reply
- The Recipe Rebel says
  January 5, 2022 at 11:44 am
  Hi Opal! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the feedback!
  Reply

Zuppa Toscana Soup - [VIDEO] The Recipe Rebel (2024)

Table of Contents

What is Zuppa Toscana?

Ingredients needed:

How to make Zuppa Toscana

Zuppa Toscana FAQs

Variations

Serving suggestions

More soup recipes

Italian Sausage Soup

Sausage Potato Soup with Kale

Smoked Sausage Minestrone Soup

The BEST Sausage Tortellini Soup