Better Than Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana

Published Jan 16, 2025 By Elle Ann

Image Credit: Chef Jean-Pierre via YouTube

Whenever we have a family dinner at Olive Garden, one dish that will surely never go missing from our orders is their famous Zuppa Toscana. It’s a super simple but very special and creamy soup that originated in Italy, and it basically consists of potatoes, kale, and sausage.

This soup is great to serve on the side of any dish and is guaranteed to make every mealtime better, but you can also enjoy it as is. Learn the secret to making Zuppa Toscana as good as those from Olive Garden, if not better, with this recipe by Chef Jean-Pierre on YouTube.

Ingredients for Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana:

½ pound of bacon
1 pound of Italian sausage, casing removed
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp or 6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp of fresh thyme, rosemary, or oregano, to taste
80 oz of chicken stock
3 large potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
3 cups of kale, stems removed, leaves tom, and chopped
1 cup of heavy cream
¾ cup of grated parmesan cheese, for serving
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cornstarch slurry, optional

How to Make Olivan Garden Zuppa Toscana:

Ingredients for Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana — Image Credit: Chef Jean-Pierre via YouTube

Step 1

Place a large pot on a stove over medium heat, then cook the bacon until crispy, and then add the ground beef. Break it apart and cook the meat until browned, then add the onion, and cook it for about 5 minutes or until softened.

Step 2

Add the minced garlic, then cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant, and stir in the fresh herb. Pour in the chicken stock, then bring it to a simmer, and add the potatoes and kale.

Step 3

Let them cook for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the kale has wilted. Reduce the heat to low, then pour in the heavy cream, and give them a good stir to combine.

Step 4

Heat the soup until thickened or add some cornstarch slurry, then add more salt and pepper if needed, and turn off the heat. Ladle the soup in a serving bowl, then top it with grated parmesan cheese, and serve. Enjoy!