This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Bringing back another childhood staple, try my Whole30 Zuppa Toscana, a copycat rendition of Olive Garden’s delicious soup. The only thing that I am missing is the endless breadsticks and salad!
Growing up in Celina, Texas, my friends and I would always drive up to Frisco (the closest city to us) so that we could dine at Olive Garden together. In fact, when I ran cross country back in the day, Olive Garden was our restaurant of choice when we went to big meets out of town. Our Coach would take us to Olive Garden so we could feast before we’d run our little hearts out the next day. We loved it.
Being the soup lover that I am, I loved getting the Zuppa Toscana as my appetizer, even as a child. I loved it’s rich, creamy broth with the chunky potato and sausage filling. It’s one of those soups that really can be full meal.
In this Whole30 Zuppa Toscana recipe, I’ve recreated one of my childhood favorites while also keeping it dairy-free and gluten-free. It’s still simple to make and just as satisfying as it was during my teen years. The flavor from the ground sausage really does all the talking along with the rich and creamy texture of the soup, which is thickened with arrowroot flour and dairy-free creamer!
ingredients:
- Bacon
- Hot Italian Sausage
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Arrowroot Flour
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Italian Seasoning
- Lacinato Kale
- Russet Potatoes
- Dairy-Free Creamer
- Nutritional Yeast
- Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
step-by-step:
step one: cook the bacon
Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is just crispy, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve the bacon fat in the the pot.
step two: cook the sausage
Add the sausage, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with back of spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
step three: build the soup
Add the arrowroot flour and stir until well incorporated. Stirring constantly, slowly pour in chicken broth, then bring the soup to a boil.
step four: add the kale and potatoes
Reduce heat to simmer. Add the Italian seasoning, chopped kale, and potatoes. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
step five: finish the soup
When the potatoes are tender, uncover and stir in the creamer, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes, simmering uncovered, just to let the flavors meld.
step six: garnish and serve
Garnish with the cooked bacon bits, serve, and enjoy!
recipe faqs:
Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving some space for expansion. Label and date the containers before placing them in the freezer.
To thaw, move the container to the refrigerator and let it defrost overnight; for for a quicker option, use the microwave’s defrost setting. Further reheat the soup or stew in a pot on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it reaches a simmer, or microwave it in intervals, stirring in between, until heated through.
You can add 1 to 2 cups more broth to rehydrate the soup, as needed, and get it to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Yes! If you haven’t eliminated dairy from your diet, you could make this with half-and-half or heavy cream.
The hot Italian sausage gives the soup a little bit of a kick, but it’s not too spicy. You could always use mild Italian sausage instead if you’re worried about the heat.
I think this Whole30 Zuppa Toscana is going to be a total crowd-pleaser and I hope y’all enjoy it as much as me and my family do!
looking for more soups recipes? try these!
Chickpea and Farro Soup with Escarole
Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 2 strips bacon, diced medium
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (from about 1 small onion)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups chopped lacinato kale, stemmed (from about 1 bunch)
- 2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes
- 1 cup dairy-free creamer
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is just crispy, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve the bacon fat in the the pot.
- Add the sausage, onions, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat with back of spoon, until cooked through and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the arrowroot flour and stir until well incorporated. Stirring constantly, slowly pour in chicken broth, then bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat to simmer. Add the Italian seasoning, chopped kale, and potatoes. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- When the potatoes are tender, uncover and stir in the creamer, nutritional yeast, and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes, simmering uncovered, just to let the flavors meld.
- Garnish with the cooked bacon bits, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Is there a dairy free substitute you recommend if I can’t get nut pods creamer? Thanks!
This was amazing!!! I ended up using double the amount of broth that was called for here though. But wow, what an excellent remake on a classic. This was my first time trying one of your recipes… now I can’t wait to try many more!
I think it would be just as good without the creamer! to be honest, I may leave it out next time anyway. Yumyum
Thank you for this recipe!! I have horrible morning sickness & this is the first thing I’ve been able to cook and eat in a month. Hit the spot! Really appreciate your work!
Great recipe. Kids loved it and so did I.
WOW! Another absolute winner. This soup is incredibly easy, healthy, and delicious! Everyone in my family absolutely devoured it! MY husband even said: I feel like we could eat this entire pot! I came back today to remake a double batch and had to leave a comment! Love both of your books and make your recipes RELIGIOUSLY in our home! THANK YOU!
Is there a substitute for nutritional yeast if I don’t have it on hand?
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese works! or you can just omit (it’s still great without either).
I just made this and it’s absolutely delicious. Can’t wait to cook my way through your new book. Congratulations on your success.
Making this in my instant pot tonight on the soup/broth feature: high pressure for 15 minutes… we shall see how it turns out 🙂
Would whole milk work as a sub for the creamer?
yes, Heavy whipping cream is the best sub!
This soup is so filling and delicious, but it’s not heavy so you’re full but not weighed down after eating. Will definitely be making this regularly!
Just made this from your new cookbook (The Comfortable Kitchen)! I can’t believe I missed it on the blog, but so glad it was included in the book and I found it there. Excited to try other new cookbook recipes! I love your last book!
This soup is absolutely FANTASTIC! I saw your segment on GMA and literally went out and bought the ingredients the next day! My husband loved it too! I have seen some vegan recipes for zuppa toscana with mushrooms or vegan sausage. what would you recommend?
Thank you so much, Maegan!!! yay! I am not the best vegan chef (to be very honest) haha, and I haven’t ever tried a vegan sausage before– but if you have one that you’ve tried and love the flavor i’m sure it’d be delightful! Mushrooms would be good– but you’d really need to spice them up with chili flakes, fennel seed, extra garlic powder/onion powder, and maybe some paprika to give it some extra flavor. A lot of the flavor from the soup comes from the seasonings in the ground sausage! 🙂 so just keep that in mind.
Could I use fresh baby spinach instead of kale?
yes! You would just stir it in right before serving as it isn’t as sturdy as kale 🙂