Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Soup Recipe {Video} - Tammilee Tips (2024)

You will love this Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup, a copycat of Olive Garden’s Soup! Filled with Italian Sausage, Potatoes, Kale, and more, this soup is filling and tastes fantastic.

Crock Pot Copy Cat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

If you have been following the blog for a while, you know we have a love for Olive Garden. It is our go-to restaurant of choice many times for date night. Mainly because of the unlimited soups!

There is just something about Olive Garden Soups. I decided to make this Crock Pot Copy Cat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe at home so we could enjoy the soup without worrying about leaving the house.

Let's be honest: there are nights you want your favorite restaurant meal without thinking about wearing clothes that are suitable to be seen in. You know those nights when you just want a pair of yoga pants, a scuzzy old shirt, and your hair on top of your head? Let's embrace those nights and make our favorites at home.

Give yourself permission to curl up on the couch with a big bowl of Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup and catch up on TV! Heck yeah! Life is chaotic; let's treat us to a night in.

You can even make the Copy Cat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake for dessert! YUM! Only some people's favorite soup is Zuppa Toscana, so here are a few more Olive Garden Soup recipes.

• Olive Garden Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe
• Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe

Visit our Olive Garden Recipe page to see all the Olive Garden Recipes we shared. While this isn't exactly unlimited soup it does make a large portion.

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.

• Less Sodium Chicken Stock or Chicken Broth
• Water
• Spicy Italian Sausage/Hot Italian Sausage
• Russet Potatoes
• Onion
• Garlic Cloves
• Kale
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Salt and Black Pepper

Optional (but highly recommended!): Parmesan Cheese for Garnish

Don’t forget the important Olive Garden Breadstick Recipe for having a true Olive Garden experience at home. 🙂

Enjoy!

Equipment Needed

• Mix n Chop - We use the mix n chop to break up the sausage and love it.
• Saucepan - to cook the sausage
• Crockpot - We suggest using a crockpot that has a digital timer that automatically switches the slow cooker to warm after a set amount of time. This helps make sure your dinner cooks perfectly and you don't have to stress about what time it is going to be done.
• Soup Bowls

You will want to plan for a cook time of 7-8 hours if you are cooking this on low. This Zuppa Toscana recipe is perfect for setting up in the morning and having it ready when you want it for dinner.

The soup needs to cook long enough so the potatoes are fork-tender. We love how super easy this Zuppa Toscana Soup is to make in the slow cooker. John loves this soup and would happily eat it for days.

How to Make Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

1. Cook the spicy Italian sausage and crumble cooked sausage, remove excess grease.
2. Place chicken stock, water, Italian sausage, potatoes, onion, garlic, and salt and pepper in the CrockPot.
3. Cook on low
4. Stir in kale and let cook
5. Add heavy cream and let warm through
6. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Preparation and Storage

Make Ahead:

Plan for a cooking time of 7-8 hours if you are cooking this on low. This Zuppa Toscana recipe is perfect for setting up in the morning and having it ready when you want it for dinner.

The soup needs a cooking time long enough so the potatoes are fork-tender. We love how easy this Zuppa Toscana Soup is to make in the slow cooker. John loves this soup and would happily eat it for days. How can you go wrong with a potato soup filled with chopped kale, onion and garlic, Italian sausage, and more?

Storage: Refrigerate soup leftovers in an airtight container and enjoy them within three to four days.

Freezing/How to Freeze: Freeze leftover portions in an airtight, freezer-safe container and enjoy them within three months.

How to Reheat: You can reheat leftover Zuppa Toscana Soup using the microwave or stovetop, depending on how many servings you need to prepare.

Recipe Variations + Tips for the Best Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

Substitutions:

You can use mild Italian sausage instead of hot Italian sausage if you don't want the spiciness.

Olive Gardens soup does not have bacon in it but you can easily add it in.

I have read where people have exchanged the potatoes for cauliflower.

We make this is a slow cooker but you can adapt it to cook in a Dutch Oven or large pot on the stove top or in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Vegetarian Option: Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and the spicy Italian sausage with a meatless alternative to make this recipe vegetarian.

Vegan Option: In addition to the guidance for vegetarians, replace the heavy whipping cream and Parmesan cheese with plant-based alternatives to make this recipe vegan.

Gluten-Free: Look for gluten-free labels on the chicken broth and spicy Italian sausage to ensure no cross-contamination for these ingredients.

Alcohol-Free Option: This recipe does not contain alcohol, but we have seen other Zuppa Toscana versions that add white wine for extra flavor. You can add white wine vinegar for a similar flavor without the alcohol.

Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: The written recipe makes six servings. Scale it up or down to your desired yield, working in batches according to your slow cooker’s capacity if you scale up.

Make It Spicy: This Zuppa Toscana Soup has some spice built in from the hot Italian sausage, but you can add red pepper flakes if you want more heat.

Sugar-Free: The written recipe contains 2 grams of sugar per serving, with no single ingredient containing a significant amount.

What to Serve with Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

Enjoy this warming Olive Garden soup with breadsticks for a filling lunch, or pair it with our other copycat favorites from the Italian chain for a complete takeout dinner at home. Here are some menu planning suggestions.

Sides: Olive Garden Copycat Breadsticks, CrockPot Olive Garden Pasta e fa*gioli, CopyCat Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup, CrockPot Minestrone Olive Garden Soup, Olive Garden Salad

Check out our entire list of Easy Sides for Soup

Main Dishes: Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce, CopyCat Olive Garden Marinara Sauce

Desserts: CopyCat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake

When to Serve

• Lunch
• Dinner
• Date Night
• Italian Night
• Comfort Food

Great Recipe Collections

Easy CrockPot Soup Recipes - We love a good homemade soup night! These slow cooker soups are so easy to make.

Easy Pasta Recipes - The best easy pasta recipes that make epic meals.

Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes- Easy Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes perfect for every occasion! From family dinners to potlucks these ground beef recipes are perfect!

Bisquick Recipes- Everything from breakfast to snacks, to comfort food, and more! All of these recipes with Bisquick are made with simple ingredients and are quick and easy recipes!

Easy Dump Cake Recipes- Easy Dump Cake Recipes, including crockpot dump cakes and oven-based dump cakes! These are the perfectpotluckand holiday desserts.

Recipes with Sour Cream- Here are our favorite Sour Cream Recipes, including dips, desserts, appetizers, baked goods, entrees, and soups starring this versatile dairy product.

Do you love recipes? Check out our copycat recipes, dessert recipes, and our CrockPot Recipes.

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Recipe originally shared on March 2, 2016. Updated on April 4, 2020.