Every copycat Olive Garden zuppa toscana we read is the same pot: Italian sausage, potatoes, kale and cream in chicken broth. Where they split is the bacon, the amount of broth and how long the potatoes simmer, so the bowls you’d get aren’t quite the same.
We haven’t made any of these, and we didn’t read Olive Garden’s own menu page. Every amount and time belongs to the recipe it’s credited to, so don’t take any of them as the restaurant
‘s real formula!
How do three copycat Olive Garden zuppa toscana recipes compare?
The three agree on sausage, onion, garlic, russet potatoes, kale and cream, and differ on nearly everything else. Natasha’s Kitchen (May 2019) is the biggest batch. The Country Cook (October 2021) is the fastest. Couple in the Kitchen (February 2022) leaves the bacon out.
| Natasha’s Kitchen | The Country Cook | Couple in the Kitchen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sausage | 1 lb hot Italian | 1 lb ground Italian | 1 lb ground Italian, spicy suggested |
| Bacon | 6 oz, browned first | 5 slices, cooked and crumbled | None |
| Liquid | 6 cups broth plus 4 cups water | 4 cups broth | Two 32 oz cartons of broth |
| Potatoes | 5 russets, ¼-inch pieces | 3 cups cubed russets | 4 russets, cubed |
| Kale | 1 bundle, about 6 cups | 2 cups | 2 cups |
| Cream | 1 cup whipping cream | 1½ cups heavy cream | 1 cup heavy cream |
| Potato simmer | 13 to 14 minutes | 15 to 20 minutes, covered | About an hour, covered |
| Total time | 1 hour 10 minutes | 35 minutes | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| Serves | 8 bowls | 6 | 8 |
The potato times are far apart. Natasha’s Kitchen cuts its potatoes ¼ inch thick, while the other two only say cubed, so check a piece with a fork instead of trusting the clock.
Which zuppa toscana copycat should you make?
Short on time tonight? Pick by your pot and your evening. The fastest one is done in 35 minutes, and the richest one has the most cream per bowl.
- Weeknight pick: The Country Cook, at 35 minutes.
- Feeding a crowd: Natasha’s Kitchen, with 10 cups of liquid and 8 bowls.
- Creamiest: The Country Cook, with 1½ cups of cream for 6 servings.
- No bacon in the house: Couple in the Kitchen, which cooks the onion in the sausage grease.
- Most kale: Natasha’s Kitchen, at about 6 cups.
What do the recipes say about the kale and the cream?
All three add the kale late. Couple in the Kitchen cooks it for only 2 more minutes after the cream goes in. The Country Cook says to strip the stems, rinse the leaves well and massage them to soften, then let the kale wilt at a simmer.
Natasha’s Kitchen says coconut milk can stand in for the cream, and the other two don’t offer a swap. For more copycat bowls, see our Ponderosa vegetable soup, or pair the soup with our Pizza Hut chicken alfredo pasta for a full Italian-night copycat menu.
Zuppa toscana questions people ask
Hot or mild sausage?
Natasha’s Kitchen calls for hot, and Couple in the Kitchen says it chooses spicy. The Country Cook just says Italian sausage.
Should you drain the sausage?
The Country Cook drains it. Couple in the Kitchen keeps the grease in the pot to cook the onion, and Natasha’s Kitchen leaves about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat for the same job.
What goes on top?
Natasha’s Kitchen and The Country Cook both finish with grated Parmesan. Natasha’s Kitchen also saves its crisp bacon for the top.