Is Olive Garden Soup Unlimited

Soup - Zuppa toscana

Close up of Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup topped with bacon and cheese.

Zuppa Toscana is the best Olive Garden soup recipe! This Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup is loaded with bacon, Italian sausage, potatoes, kale and flavor. You'll never know you're not eating the real thing. We think you'll love this Olive Garden Recipe as much as the real thing!

If you like Olive Garden Soup Recipes, make sure to check out my version of the Pasta e Fagioli and Chicken and Gnocchi Soup .

Olive Garden Soup in a white bowl surrounded by Kale and a second bowl of soup.

Who doesn't love some Olive Garden Soup, particularly the Zuppa Toscana Soup. It's loaded with bacon (hello!), Italian Sausage (yes, please!), potatoes and flavor. Once you try our version we guarantee you'll enjoy it as much as the real thing.

Olive Garden is one of those restaurants you either love or hate. Truth be told, the pasta at Olive Garden isn't my fave, so when friends or family want to meet up I quickly move to the Olive Garden soup and breadstick section. This girl may not love the lasagna, but a buttery garlic breadstick is never passed up.

For this recipe, we used the popular Instant Pot Duo Plus, which has a 6 qt capacity.

Olive Garden Soup Recipe

This Olive Garden Soup recipe can be made using your slow cooker or Instant Pot. Many of you love converting slow cooker recipes to the Instant Pot, so we've done the work for you. How's that for "at your service?" Make sure to check out my collection of Instant Pot Soup recipes.

ORIGINAL PIC BELOW IS FROM 2018!

What is Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup?

Olive Garden is famous for its soup, salad, and breadsticks. While the salads and breadsticks are all the same, there's a few different soups people flock to the casual Italian eatery to enjoy.

Olive Garden's most popular soup is easily their creamy Zuppa Toscana! Unfortunately for the chain restaurant, it's easy to make at home using the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot. You'll never know you're not eating the real thing. We think you'll love this Olive Garden Recipe as much as the real thing!

How to Make Olive Garden Soup

1. First, cook the bacon until it's super crispy. Drain the grease and set it aside. Brown the Italian sausage in the same pan. Keep the sausage grease though!

2. Then, sauté the onions and garlic in the grease until the onions begin to soften. Then, drain the excess grease from the pan. You can use another neutral oil, but this gives the onions and garlic so much extra flavor!

3. Now, add most of the crispy bacon to the slow cooker with the cooked sausage, sautéed onions, softened garlic, crushed red pepper, diced potatoes, and a little salt and pepper.

4. Next, cover everything with the chicken broth, which should at least submerge all the potatoes. You can always add a couple extra cups of water if you need a little more liquid. Mix it all up and cover to cook. I prefer to cook this on low, but you can also use high if you're on a time crunch.

5. Once the potatoes are fork tender and it's been a few hours, add the kale and heavy cream to the Crockpot. Stir everything together and let it cook a little longer on high to warm everything through. Don't cook it too long though, or the cream will curdle.

I hope you saved some bacon for a crunchy garnish! I also like to add a little Parmesan shredded Parmesan cheese to the bowls because who doesn't love cheese?

How to Make Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot

This Crockpot recipe is easy to make in a pressure cooker, too!

1. To make this Olive Garden soup in the Instant Pot, cook the bacon, Italian sausage, onions, and garlic as directed. You can use the Instant Pot on sauté mode instead of a separate skillet to make clean-up easier!

2. Add everything except the kale and heavy cream to the Instant Pot. Seal it, set it to high pressure or manual for 5 minutes.

3. When the timer goes off, quickly release the pressure, and add the kale and heavy cream. Stir until the kale begins to wilt and the cream has warmed through.

What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana

Packed with bacon, Italian sausage, potatoes, and kale, this hearty Italian soup is a meal in itself! It's great for easy weeknight dinners and delicious enough to meal prep for the week. The only thing we eat with Zuppa Toscana are breadsticks, slices of French bread or even muffuletta bread if we have some on hand.

OLIVE GARDEN SOUP TIPS

Make it Keto – use radishes in place of the potatoes!

Mild Sausage can be utilized vs hot sausage. Just add a bit more red pepper flakes to heat it up a bit.

* Don't cut corners.Make sure to use high quality chicken broth or else the end result will suffer. Can't find any at the store? Make your own using our Instant Pot Bone Broth Recipe.

OTHER SOUP RECIPES:

Jambalaya Soup

Loaded Irish Potato Soup

Carrot Ginger Soup

Creamy Potato and Leek Soup

Split Pea Soup

10 Minute Egg Drop Soup

10 Minute Creamy Tomato Soup

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Olive Garden's popular Zuppa Toscana Soup is easy to make at home using the slow cooker or Instant Pot. This Copycat Recipe is loaded with bacon, Italian sausage, potatoes, kale and flavor. You'll never know you're not eating the real thing. We think you'll love this Olive Garden Soup Recipe as much as the real thing!

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 3 hrs

Total Time 3 hrs 20 mins

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: 30 Minute Meals, Italian Sausage Recipes, Kale Recipes, keto recipes, Low Carb Recipes, Olive Garden Recipes, Olive Garden Soup Recipes

Servings: 6

Calories: 559 kcal

Cost: $10

1 tbsp olive oil (Instant Pot Version Only)
5 Slices bacon (Reserve 1 Slice For Topping)
1 lb Hot Italian Sausage (Casing Removed)
2 Cloves garlic (Minced)
1 Yellow Onion (Diced)
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (Optional)
4 Russet Potatoes (Diced)
Salt (to Taste)
Black Pepper (to Taste)
4-5 cup Chicken Broth (High Quality)
1 Bunch Kale (Stems Removed)
3/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (Shredded)

SLOW COOKER VERSION

Pre-heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the bacon and cook until brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add the Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned (approx. 3-5 minutes). Sausage should be crumbled to small pieces. Once browned, transfer to a medium size bowl and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and cook for approx. 2-3 minutes or until some of the onion begins to turn opaque.
Drain the grease from the skillet.
In a 6 quart+ sized crock pot, add the bacon (reserve a slice for the topping), cooked sausage, onion/garlic mixture, crushed red pepper flakes and potatoes and season with salt and pepper (to taste).
Add the chicken broth. The broth should cover the tops of the potatoes. If needed add additional water to ensure coverage (usually between 1-2 cups, depending on Crock Pot model).
Mix the ingredients and place the cover on the Crock Pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Remove the lid and add the kale and heavy whipping cream. Gently stir to combine.
Cover the Crock Pot and cook one last time on high for 30 minutes.
Serve immediately by ladling into large bowls.
Top with the extra crumbled bacon and parmesan cheese.

INSTANT POT VERSION

Turn the Instant Pot on and click "Saute" mode. Wait approx. 10 minutes for the unit to full pre-heat.
Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the insert.
Add the bacon and cook until brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned (approx. 3-5 minutes). Sausage should be crumbled to small pieces. Once browned, transfer to a medium size bowl and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for approx. 5 minutes or until some of the onion begins to turn opaque.
Drain the grease.
Turn the Instant Pot off.
Add the bacon (reserve a slice for the topping), cooked sausage, onion/garlic mixture, crushed red pepper flakes and potatoes and season with salt and pepper (to taste).
Add 5 cups of chicken broth. The broth should cover the tops of the potatoes. If needed, add additional water to ensure coverage (varies by model).
Mix the ingredients making sure to scrape the bottom to get any food stuck to the bottom (deglaze).
Place the lid on the Instant Pot making sure the steam valve is in the closed position.
Set to Manual/Pressure Cook for 5 minutes (High Pressure).
NPR for 10 minute once the timer has gone off.
Remove the lid and add the kale. Gently stir to combine.
Put the lid back on for 3-4 minutes until the kale wilts.
Remove the lid and gently stir in the whipping cream.
Serve immediately by ladling into large bowls.
Top with the extra crumbled bacon and parmesan cheese.

Calories: 559 kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.5 g | Protein: 29.3 g | Fat: 35.7 g | Sugar: 2.9 g