Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup with Swiss Chard

Delicious Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup (copycat recipe) made with Swiss Chard, Italian sausage (bratwursts will work too), potatoes, and bacon.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

• Zuppa Toscana means soup in the traditions of Tuscany, Italy.
• This version of Zuppa Toscana is made in one pot, and the soup takes only 40 minutes to make (including the idle time while everything is simmering)!
• This soup is usually made with kale, but in this recipe I use Swiss chard instead which works beautifully!

Substitutions

Zuppa Toscana is a super versatile soup and you can easily substitute certain ingredients:

• Use Italian sausage or bratwursts.
• Use Kale or Swiss chard or spinach.
• Use bacon or prosciutto or pancetta.
• Use heavy cream or milk or half-and-half.

Ingredients for Zuppa Toscana Soup

• olive oil
• onion
• Italian sausages or bratwursts
• water
• russet potatoes
• garlic cloves
• bacon
• Swiss chard
• half and half
• salt and red crushed pepper

How to make Zuppa Toscana Soup

The cooking process is very simple: everything is done in one pot!

• First, you cook the sausage with onions, then add water and bring to boil.
• Next, add potatoes and garlic, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
• Finally, add Swiss chard, bacon, and half-and-half. That’s it!
• Serve in individual bowls, topped with the remaining amount of chopped bacon on top.

Below are some step-by-step photos of the cooking process:

This Zuppa Toscana Soup tastes even better the next day, or two and even three days later, after being refrigerated, which allows all flavors to blend in. Enjoy!

5 from 3 votes

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Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup with Swiss Chard

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

40 mins

 

Delicious Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana Soup (copycat recipe) made with Swiss Chard, Italian sausage (bratwursts will work too), potatoes, and bacon. Made in one pot, the soup takes only 40 minutes to make (including idle time while everything is simmering)!

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 430 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion , chopped
• 12 oz Italian sausages or bratwursts, about 2-3 sausages, chopped
• 5 cups water
• 2 russet potatoes , medium size or large, peeled and cubed into small chunks
• 4 garlic cloves , minced
• 6 strips bacon , cooked and chopped
• 3 cups Swiss chard , center stalks removed and sliced thin like ribbons
• 1 cup half and half
• salt and red crushed pepper

Instructions

1. Chop uncooked sausages into small slices. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a soup pot, add chopped onions and chopped sausage and cook until both onion and sausage are cooked through.
2. Add 5 cups of water to the pan, stir, and bring to boil.
3. Add potatoes (peeled and cubed into small chunks), and minced garlic. Bring to boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook until potatoes are done, about 15-20 minutes on low simmer.
4. For Swiss chard, make sure to remove center stalks and slice the Swiss chard leaves thin like ribbon. Then, add Swiss chard and half the bacon (reserve the remaining half for serving) to the soup pot. Add 1 cup half and half to the soup pot. Bring to hot temperature (not boil), mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Serve in individual bowls, topped with the remaining amount of chopped bacon on top.

Nutrition Facts

Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana Soup with Swiss Chard

Amount Per Serving

Calories 430 Calories from Fat 297

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 33g 51%

Saturated Fat 12g 60%

Cholesterol 72mg 24%

Sodium 630mg 26%

Potassium 638mg 18%

Total Carbohydrates 18g 6%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 1g

Protein 14g 28%

Vitamin A 24.9%

Vitamin C 15.7%

Calcium 8.5%

Iron 9.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.