This super quick, copycat recipe has all the flavors you’re craving and more. Here’s my homemade version of Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup!
While I realize there’s a special experience of going out to eat, sometimes it’s not possible. Now that it’s soup season, we’ve been craving Olive Garden’s famous unlimited soup and breadsticks. And guess what? I perfected it at home! Honestly, I think it tastes 1000% better (I may be bias, but seriously… so good!). If you’re in soup-mode too, make sure to check out my Beef and Mushroom Lasagna Soup, this SCRATCH-MADE Cream of Celery, my childhood favorite Easy Chicken Noodle with Lemon and Thyme, and this classic Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons.
WATCH ME MAKE THIS ON THE GRAM!
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE:
While I added a few extra ingredients that aren’t included in the original OG Olive Garden Soup magic… I honestly think these make this bowl of goodness out-of-this-world-better.
- Mild Italian Sausage
- Butter
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Flour
- Chicken Stock
- Baby Yellow Potatoes
- Mustard Powder
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Basil
- Fresh Spinach
- Sun Dried Tomatoes
- Heavy Cream
- Chopped Bacon
- Grated Parmesan
- Fresh Parsley
If you don’t have heavy cream, you can certainly make your own. I used 2/3 cup whole milk and 1/3 cup melted butter. Of course, if I had heavy cream on hand I would have used it. Just wanted to give you the deets if you need to make your own like I did. 😉
WHAT DOES ZUPPA TOSCANA MEAN?
So… “Zuppa” translates to “soup” in Italian. “Toscana” refers to the Tuscany region of Italy (are you visiting there soon? Can I tag along inside your suitcase?). So this combo literally means “Tuscan Soup”. If you add noodles, it would be similar to a white minestrone; which I would be equally excited about.
SHOULD I SERVE THIS WITH SOMETHING?
Duh! While this is a meal in itself, I often serve it with a couple things. Below are some extra yummy ideas!
- Photographed here, I plated ours with crusty ciabatta rolls that I toasted and sliced. However, it would be equally fantastic with my Foolproof Homemade Garlic Bread as well! Any bread for dippin’ is a go-to in my book.
- Soup and salad are always a popular duo! I make an awesome Super Creamy Italian Salad Dressing that you can serve over greens. Or for heartier appetities this Italian Pasta Salad would be a nice addition.
- I also enjoy the soup alongside a sandwich. These Italian BLT Sandwiches with Sun Dried Tomato Mayo are one of my favs.
- Want something easy? Ritz Crackers, Butter Crackers, other crusty breads… anything to dip is always fun!
MORE SOUPS YOU’LL ENJOY:
Seriously The Best French Onion Soup
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon and Thyme
Cheesy Buffalo Blue Lasagna Soup
Crispy Chicken Coconut Curry Ramen
VIEW ALL RECIPES BY CLICKING HERE!
- 1 lb. Mild Ground Italian Sausage
- 1 tbsp. Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire
- 3 tbsp. Flour
- 6 Baby Yellow Potatoes, diced into small cubes
- 7 cups Chicken Stock
- 1 tsp. Mustard Powder
- ½ tsp. Dried Oregano
- ½ tsp. Dried Basil
- 8 cups Fresh Spinach
- ¼ cup Chopped Sun dried Tomatoes
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 6 Bacon Slices, cooked & chopped
- Grated Parmesan
- Fresh Italian Parsley, chopped
- Sauté the sausage in a large stockpot, breaking apart for 8 - 10 minutes until golden and browned. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the butter to the same pot and sauté the onions until softened. Next you'll add the garlic, Worcestershire, and flour. Mix to combine and continue to sauté for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the potatoes, chicken stock, mustard powder, oregano, and basil. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes have softened, about 10 minutes.
- Carefully add the spinach, sun dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and sausage back to the stockpot and bring to a simmer.
- Serve immediately with desired amount of chopped bacon, grated parmesan, and a sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley.
NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
- If you like a spicier soup, you can swap the mild with hot Italian sausage.
- I prefer to add flour to thicken the soup. While this isn’t mandatory, I highly recommend it. You’ll want to make sure to brown it for a couple minutes to get rid of the raw flour flavor.
- This is a hearty and filling soup. To lighten things up, you can swap the half and half for a fat-free version or milk. It won’t be as creamy but it’ll still be delicious.
- While eight cups of fresh spinach seems like a lot, I promise it’s not! It’ll wilt down. If you don’t have spinach available, you could also use kale, Swiss chard, mustard or collard greens here as well. Since those are heartier, I’d reduce it to four cups.
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