Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe (Olive Garden Copycat)

This Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe is a lightened-up take on the infamous Olive Garden dish. Made in one pot in under an hour, it’s the perfect feel-good comfort food! 

What Is Zuppa Toscana Soup? 

Zuppa Toscana translates to mean “Tuscan Soup” or “Tuscan-Style Soup,” referring to Tuscany, Italy. Traditionally, it is made with veggies, beans, potatoes, olive oil, spices, Italian bacon, and Tuscan bread. 

That said, more Americanized versions, like this skinny zuppa toscana recipe typically feature Italian sausage, bacon, and heavy cream. As a result, it’s a pretty heavy soup but is oh-so-tasty! 

For this healthy zuppa toscana reicpe, we keep all the savory, spicy flavor and hearty texture and lighten up the ingredients just a bit. The best part? It tastes just like Olive Garden’s recipe! 

Recipe Ingredients 

Below is an overview of the ingredients and instructions to make this healthy zuppa toscana soup recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details! 

• Protein – You’ll need bacon and ground turkey sausage. You can use pork sausage or even ground chicken sausage if preferred, but the flavor will be slightly different. 
• Onion – Use yellow or white onion. 
• Potatoes – Russet potatoes work best! 
• Broth – Use low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth or chicken stock. 
• Garlic – Whole garlic cloves are best. Pre-minced garlic just doesn’t give you the same flavor! 
• Seasonings – Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper create a savory flavor. 
• Kale – Make sure the stems and ribs are removed before adding the kale to the soup. They aren’t pleasant to eat! 
• Half and Half – This is the secret to achieving a rich, creamy consistency. 

Helpful Tools 

• Large Stockpot
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Ladle

How to Make This Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe 

1. Cook the protein. Add the chopped bacon to a large pot over medium heat, and cook until it’s browned and crispy. Then, transfer the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sausage, and cook until browned, breaking it into pieces. Transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. 
2. Sauté. In the same pot, add the onion and potatoes, and sauté over medium-high heat to soften the veggies. TIP: If there isn’t any bacon grease or oil from the sausage, give the pot a quick spray of cooking oil before adding the veggies. 
3. Boil. Pour in the broth, water, minced garlic, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, and simmer until the potatoes are tender. 
4. Combine. Turn off the burner, and stir in the kale, half and half, salt, black pepper, and cooked bacon and sausage. Cover the pot, and let the soup sit to soften the kale. 
5. Serve. Adjust the seasonings to taste, and serve your soup warm topped with parmesan! 

Tips and Tricks 

• Leave the skin on the potatoes. It doesn’t impact the texture and adds lots of nutrients and fiber to the dish! 
• Adjust the consistency. If your soup is too thin for your liking, mash up some of the potatoes to thicken it. Or, add an extra splash of broth to thin it out a bit. 
• Double or triple the recipe to keep on hand for meal prep! 

Possible Variations

• Potatoes – Feel free to use chopped cauliflower florets in place of potatoes for an even lighter recipe. 
• Half and Half – Use heavy cream for an even richer taste. Or, opt for canned full-fat coconut milk to keep this recipe dairy-free. 
• Spice – Use mild sausage for a tamer flavor. Or, add a dash of red pepper flakes to kick the heat up a notch! 
• Kale – Not a fan of kale? Use spinach or Swiss chard instead! 
• Veggies – Sauté celery, mushrooms, or carrots with the onions to add even more nutrients and bulk to this healthy soup. 

Common Questions 

Did you enjoy this Healthy Zuppa Toscana Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!