Zuppa Toscana Recipe
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If you’re a fan of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana, you’ll love this homemade version—loaded with Italian sausage and fresh veggies, it’s satisfying and so easy to make. Perfect for cozy nights in!
This is my take on the famous Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden—a hearty and comforting Italian-inspired soup loaded with savory Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and fresh spinach, all simmered in a creamy, flavorful broth. While you’ll find plenty of versions of this soup online, what makes this one stand out is the slightly thicker broth, thanks to a touch of flour. It gives the soup a more substantial, satisfying texture, turning it into a true main course. Pair it with an arugula salad and some good crusty bread, and dinner is done!
What You’ll Need To Make Zuppa Toscana
- Italian Sausage: Adds protein and rich, savory, and spicy flavor to the soup.
- Yellow Onion and Garlic: These aromatics create a flavorful base for the soup.
- Carrots: Bring a hint of natural sweetness and a bit of color to the soup.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the broth slightly, giving it a satisfying body without being too heavy.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base of the soup, adding richness and savory flavor.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Creamy and tender, these potatoes absorb the broth’s flavors, giving the soup heartiness.
- Salt, Pepper, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: Add balance, seasoning, and heat to the dish.
- Baby Spinach: Adds freshness and a pop of color to the soup.
- Heavy Cream: Adds creaminess to the broth, making the soup comforting and rich.
- Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano Cheese: Adds a salty, nutty flavor that brings everything together.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it browns, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a colander in the sink to drain, leaving some of the drippings in the pot for sautéing the vegetables.
Add the diced onion and carrots to the reserved drippings and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables.
Stir until fully incorporated, about 1 minute. Gradually pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the potatoes, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
While the soup simmers, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. With more paper towels, blot the sausage to absorb any excess grease.
Add the baby spinach and cooked sausage to the soup. Simmer until the spinach is wilted, a few minutes.
Add cream and cheese.
Stir to combine and continue to simmer until everything is warmed through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot, passing more cheese at the table. You can prepare the soup up to 2 days in advance; freezing is not recommended.
Video Tutorial
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Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage (mild or spicy, depending on your preference), removed from casings
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for more heat)
- 2 cups baby spinach, stems removed, packed
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the sausage over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces as it browns, 5 to 7 minutes. Once browned, use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage to a colander in the sink to drain, leaving about 1 tablespoon of the drippings in the pot for sautéing the vegetables.
- Add the diced onion and carrots to the reserved drippings (if the pot seems dry, add a bit of oil). Sauté over medium heat until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Do not brown. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until fully incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate. With more paper towels, blot the sausage to absorb any excess grease.
- Add the baby spinach and cooked sausage to the soup. Simmer until the spinach is wilted, a few minutes. Stir in the cream and cheese and continue to simmer until everything is warmed through. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve hot, passing more cheese at the table.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Just made this soup. I added an extra potato so a little extra broth and cream too. Instead of sausage I made a turkey meatball mix and dropped in tiny meatballs. This soup is divine and I will be making it again. Hubby loves it too. BTW I also have made Jenn’s pasta fagioli soup- we love that one too!
Delicious! I made it with ground turkey sauteed in olive oil.
Absolutely delicious! Made it exactly according to directions and wouldn’t change a thing.
Delicious! I used half sweet and half mild Italian sausage and it was perfect for folks who only want a little heat. One question – does it freeze?
I am sure that kale would substitute well for the spinach.
Thanks again for a recipe that I was sure would be great!
Hi Betsy, so glad you enjoyed it! I think you could freeze it but I’d wait until you’re reheating the soup to add the cream.
Wow! I used spicy sausage and it was amazing! My family loved it more than Olive Gardens. I also added an extra cup of water.
One of your best recipes to date Jen! Made it tonight and it was amazing.
I made it according to the recipe and it was fabulous. I will definitely make it again.
The best part: I had all of the ingredients on hand.
I forgot the cheese and don’t think it was needed.
My only complaint is that it didn’t make a large enough batch for leftovers! lol Definitely a keeper and will be making a double batch next time!!!
This looks great! I wondered if I could substitute something like ground turkey for the sausage. My husband is allergic to garlic, so we can’t use sausage. Thanks.
Hi Kathy, ground turkey will work but if you’d like to substitute something for the sausage, I’d suggest ground pork as it’s richer than ground turkey and would more closely mimic the sausage. If you use ground turkey, I’d add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan to sauté the onion and carrots. Also, just make sure it’s well seasoned as the sausage has a lot of seasoning. Some spices I would add — a bit of oregano, Italian seasoning, whole or ground fennel seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
Hi – is it possible to substitute coconut milk or cream in place of the heavy cream for a dairy free option? thank you!
Hi Gretchen, I would just replace the cream with more broth – it will still be delicious.