Super-Delicious Zuppa Toscana

I can't get enough of this soup! I tweaked it by leaving out the bacon and using kale instead of spinach (the famous restaurant uses kale). I also added 1 teaspoon of fennel as I think that it is crucial to the flavor of the soup. My Italian sausage was hot enough without the added red pepper, also. Still, I think this recipe is pretty forgiving and you can add or subtract to your taste. This was just what I was looking for to start me on my way to my new favorite soup. I also loved how quickly everything cooked.

This is my favorite soup! Instead of heavy cream I use milk with about 3 tbsp cornstarch. And instead of spinach, I use kale. This soup freezes great, too! Wonderful!

This is very similar to a recipe that I make. I use hot sausage instead of mild, no hot pepper flakes, only 2-4 russett potatoes (depending on the size)sliced thin and they hold their shape and do not come out mushy and kale. You can substitute cauliflower for the potatoes for a lower carb diet and it is just as delicious. Definately just crumble the bacon instead of cutting into pieces. This is a crowd pleaser and my family loves it when I make this recipe!

Just made a few little changes to this recipe. I used turkey sausage, 7 potatoes, and ready-to-use bacon crumbles, better than bouillon instead of cans of broth, and milk instead of heavy cream. It was absolutely fantastic, better, I dare say, than the soup from the chain.

Excellent!! I've tried other recipes that were supposed to be "exactly like" the restaurant version... but none have ever come out the way I expected - until now. However, I did use kale, not spinach, and I added fennel seed as someone else suggested (thank you). I chopped the fennel seed (about 1.5 tsp) and added it in with the chicken broth (I forgot to add it while cooking the sausage). I added two big handfuls of chopped kale after adding the cream. Also, I used one 48oz can of chicken broth, and one 14oz can of chicken broth with roasted garlic (I still used the garlic called for in the recipe - and probably a little extra since we like garlic). If I would change anything next time, I would use less sausage (I used 18oz). I would only use 10-12oz next time (at the most). Also, I used 3 very large potatoes (not the huge bakers, but very large), but I don't think it was enough. We like a lot of potatoes. Also, I wouldn't slice them too thin. Chop them large enough to get a little beat up while stirring/cooking but still remain chunky. I sliced mine about 1/2" thick, then cut the slices in half, but I wish I had just used bigger chunks instead of slices. They didn't take 20 minutes to cook this way so watch your potatoes closely, they may be mushy if you let them cook for the full 20 minutes. (Mine were good at 15 min). One last note - I don't think you really need a full cup of cream. You could survive with 3/4 c. & not miss the fat or any of the taste.

Great recipe! I had to tweak it a little, but that's ok, I always tweak whatever recipe I look at... a full pound of sausage was a bit much for me so I used a half a pound, and make sure you blot all the grease from the sausage or it will float to the top. Instead of spinach I used kale, it's a heartier green and doesn't wilt in the soup, the texture stays firm for a long time. Delicious!!

YUM! This was the perfect dinner for a cold night! It does taste a lot like the restaurant's soup! I agree with the suggestions of using fewer potatoes. I used 4 (3 small and 1 bigger) and there was plenty of potato! It soaked up quite a bit of the broth, so the soup was pretty thick. Also, I used kale instead of spinach. Very good! My husband loved it! I'll definitely make it again!

I can't get enough of this soup!!! I use kale instead of spinach (I like it better because it is crunchier). I always peel my potatoes (nobody will ever make me eat potatoes' skin!!). The second time I cooked the bacon in the microwave because I thought there was too much fat the first time. This recipe is just TOO good. Thanks

There is a reason this is the highest rated and most reviewed Zuppa Toscana recipe on the site...not only does the list of ingredients capture the essence of what you need to make this simple but great soup, but the sum total of all the raters' comments and suggestions help to guide one to creating their own masterpiece. As I always do, I first read the original recipe and creator's directions carefully to determine if the dish is something that generally suits my taste and style of cooking. Then, I carefully read a great many of the reviews of the recipe in attempt to determine if others have indeed found ways to improve the dish. I would say that 50% of the time or more I find great value in the trial and error suggestions reviewers have so graciously offered to assist all of us in our ever-evolving quest to make things a little better. At any rate, this dish is such a great example of all those attributes. For me personally, I benefitted greatly from the many wonderful and thoughtful suggestions and modifications other reviewers had made. The modifications I made were as follows: 1) I used 3 large red russet potatoes and the florets from one whole head of cauliflower, 2) I used thick-cut bacon which I fried, then set aside to drain and crumbled versus leaving in 1/2 inch strips 3) I used about 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes versus 1 1/4, 3) I used half-and-half versus heavy cream, 4) lastly, and most importantly, I used kale instead of spinach. Outstanding Zuppa!

This soup was really delicious. It tastes just like the restaurant. And it took me less than an hour to make. My suggestions are if you use 6 potatos make sure they are the smaller ones. And don't bother cutting the bacon into slices, just cook it and then crumble it (quicker). Very delicious indeed.

Definitely oh-so-good. I followed the recipe exact, only adding a tsp. of crushed fennel as another reviewer recommended. My family was not a fan but I am for sure. I'm really glad I didn't double it because it makes quite a bit for one person. Make sure you invite your besties over to share if you make this. Quite simple and not intimidating like I originally thought it would be. NOTE: If you have kids, you might want to cut back on the red pepper flakes. It's got a bit of a kick, which could be a bit much for little mouths. Also, my potatoes were done at 12 minutes.

JUST LIKE THE RESTURANT!!! As suggested in other reviews, I used Kale instead of the spinach. I also had to use Johnsonville Italian sausage, and I will definitly use another brand next time. I misread the recipe and diddnt know that I was supposed to have gotten ground sausage, so I had to crumble by hand. I will also try to make a lighter version since this one has so much fat in it. Overall, this recipe was awesome!

My favorite soup by far! Try the recipe as is first! Wonderful to double or quadruple recipe for freezing. To freeze: After step 2, add the sausage & red pepper back in with bacon, onion & garlic. Mix & let cool, put meat mixture into freezer bag. Thaw when ready to use. Use chicken soup base to make broth & heat like step 3 only waiting to put the meat mixture back in after the potatoes have cooked. Reduce heat & continue with heavy cream & spinach. Enjoy!! Thank-You souporsweets!!!

I made this soup last night. I used Johnsonville Sweet Basil Italian sausage (which I LOVE) and Campbells chicken broth. It turned out EXTREMELY salty. I can handle a lot of salt in my food, and this was too salty, even for me. I added extra cream, just to try and tone down some of the saltiness. Maybe it might be better with reduced sodium ingredients, but I will not be making this again. Thanks anyways!

Amazing! Flavorful, with a bit of spice. Perfect for cooler nights... or heck, just whenever. I used kale instead of the spinach, and it was heavenly. I'll definitely make this again and again. :)

Incredibly delicious! I used sweet italian sausage, a bit less of the red pepper flakes, a mix of small potatoes and light cream/regular milk. I added the sausage earlier than called for too. I think my bacon was salty, as I could taste that, so next time I'll buy lower sodium bacon, or may leave it out altogether. Thanks for the great recipe!

Left out the bacon. Used hot Italian sausage (no red pepper), kale & half & half. YUM!!!

Suggestions - ** If you plan to freeze, hold off on the cream, instead add after thawing. ** Blot the sausage really well, otherwise soup will be greasy. You do want to saute the onion in the bacon drippings as indicated though. ** Kale would give a snappier and more peppery flavor than spinach. ** As a better contrast between savory and spicy, use spicy sausage and omit pepper flakes.

This soup is wonderful! During the unfortunate times that I am dragged kicking and screaming to the odious faux Italian chain to which so many of the reviews here refer, this is the ONLY thing that I will eat. It's actually quite tasty. The best part about making this soup at home is serving it with crusty bread rather than the oil & salt saturated dough they call breadsticks. I went ahead and used the spinach the first time, but will use kale in the future. I drained and rinsed the sausage, used red new potatoes, and substituted fat free half & half for the heavy cream. Great rainy day meal, especially with some red wine.

EXCELLENT!!! I have found another soup to add to my rotation - and that is a hard spot to fill! The only things I did different was I used chicken stock in place of broth (more flavor), only 2 large potatoes, cubed (left skin on), 2 cups of kale (washed, dried & chopped) in place of the spinach and added slightly more bacon - more like half a pound (7-8 slices). I had link mild italian sausage so I just had to slice off the casing and crumble myself. not a big deal. I also probably added slightly more red pepper to the soup - plus salt and ground pepper to taste at the end - so yummy. When I added the cream and kale at the end, I let it simmer for around 4 minutes. This was so perfect, easy, hubby raved, and i look forward to making it again!

Used the crockpot for this one. Only had hot Italian sausage, but that worked out perfect. Omitted the cream and sprinkled 2 cups frozen spinich (did not have fresh on hand) on top while cooking. Cooked on high for 4 hours. This was so delicious and the sausage had flavor, but was not too hot to eat.

Great soup! I used kale instead of spinach and didn't add the red pepper flakes as my little ones are not telerant of spicy things, but a family pleaser nonetheless.

Definitely a five star recipe! I used hot sausage and no red pepper flakes, half and half instead of the heavy cream and kale instead of the spinach. I LOVE this soup! Will be making many, many times.

WOW! This is quite possibly the best tasting soup I've ever made. This may even be the best tasting soup I've ever had, period. Delicious, absolutely delicious. Tasted just like the soup at "the restaurant chain". I followed this to a tee except I did as the others suggested and used kale instead of spinach. "The restaurant chain" also uses kale, so I thought it was a much needed change. Other than that, I followed the recipe and it turned out perfectly. I used red potatoes, left the skins on and cut the slices in half. Next time I may cut down on the red pepper flakes (maybe 1 tsp. instead of 1 1/4) because it was a bit too spicy for the kids (though I thought it was perfect). Perfect with a little fresh grated Parmesan on top and some warm, crusty bread. Delicious and filling, definitely a meal! Thank yo so much for this recipe!

Tuesday Nite.....Kroger's was out of Kale, had just used my supply for sauteed side dish on Sunday. No biggie. Used spinach. This is similar to another soup I make that has pinto beans in it. I cooked according to recipe....Hubby and son loved it. It's all gone! Now, here is for the sticker shock for all you Zuppa Toscana purists. I am, as you know, a true Southern choc-o-la-te lady (Dora the Explorer taught me how to say it like that!!!)So, don't be mad....but I ate mine with.....wait for it......cornbread!!!! I know I know. It's an Italian soup! But, that broth just begged me for a chunk of cornbread. My son doesn't eat it so he had good ole fashioned (frozen brand) garlic sticks. Oh my, it was truly delicious though. Comfort food for my soul!

this soup is AMAZING. follow the recipe to a T, and you will have a very delicious soup. Whenever I make this soup, I always intend to save some, to freeze and pull out on those nights when you don't feel like cooking ... but there is NEVER ANY LEFT, even if I double the recipe. I have made this soup as written many times, but I usually add more bacon (we love bacon).. I use half of a 'regular package' of bacon, cut into chunks. I brown my sausage in the bacon drippings, and then blot the sausage and bacon with paper towel (try to get as much of the grease off as possible so it dosn't linger in the soup). I sautee the onion, garlic and potatoes before adding them to the pot. I try to use homemade chicken broth if I have some, and I usually add 'bunches' of thyme to the broth, stems and all. the thyme leaves cook off the stems, and before the soup is done I pull the stems out. If I use spicy sausage, I leave the crushed red pepper out.. and if I use mild italian I sometimes add fresh diced red pepper instead of the red pep flakes. I use kale, and whipping cream. a family favorite over here :)))

This is a great recipe, and very easy! I actually cook the onions and garlic a little first to soften, add the sausage (without casings) and cook, then drain the grease. Then I add everything else to the same big pot, (except bacon which I don't really care for.) I def. recommend kale over spinach, and you can use skim milk instead of cream, plus a little corn or potato starch or instant potato flakes to thicken it and it's just as good and a bit better for you! I have worked at that famous Italian restaurant for a long time... and this recipe is exactly what you need to make this soup at home. It's even better if you let it sit overnight. Sprinkle some parmesan or romano cheese on top and it's perfection!

Great on the first night, but even better the next couple of days! Had no potatoes on hand and subbed a frozen 32-oz. bag of Southern-style hash brown potatoes (the small cubed style) in a pinch. They worked out great! No time spent peeling/cutting the potatoes. Thanks!

We love this soup. I make it frequently and this recipe is a good approximation of the famous restaurant's offering. I first used kale instead of the spinach called for in this recipe but once, in a pinch, I just tossed in diced frozen broccoli florets because I always have them on hand. I've got to say we like it just as well with the broccoli - maybe even better.

This is the absolute best soup I have ever eaten.

As it is written, very bland. When I reheated it, I added some flour for thickening and it was better.

Yum... I love having this soup at one of our favorite restaurants "The Olive Garden" I used Kale instead of spinach and Hot Italian Sausages which I baked in the oven, diced and rinsed well to remove all the grease, otherwise it turns your cream orange. So good! :)

I have been making this soup for a couple of years, it's one of my favorites! The changes I make are using half and half instead of heavy cream, pancetta instead of bacon and cubed potatoes instead of thinly sliced. Also, instead of adding the spinach or kale (both are good) directly to the soup, I rough chop it and place it in the bottom of the soup bowls and ladle hot soup over it. With just two of us, we eat this for several meals and the fresh greens each day make it taste just made.

I was SO excited to make this soup because I love the Olive Garden version. This was nothing like it. I followed the directions exactly-only subbing kale for spinach and adding more potatoes (8) and sausage (1.5lbs) because we like a chunky soup and I read reviews that this was thin. I sliced 2 of the potatoes thinner so they could cook down to thicken the soup and the rest I sliced medium thickness so they wouldn't cook away. When the soup was ready I tasted it and it was SO thin and bland. It tasted like red pepper flake-flavored, watery chicken broth. I took about 2 ladle fulls of the soup out (sausage, taters and all)and blended a quick roux with some cornstarch and an extra large baked potato. It was still SO thin and tasteless--the chicken broth flavor was really overwhelming. Finally to salvage dinner (and a lot of leftovers) I added about 2 cups of potato flakes. I added them slowly and whisked to avoid clumping. This thickened the soup up beautifully and really cut the chicken broth taste. I bet after cooling overnight, the leftovers will soak up a lot of the broth so I suggest starting with just one cup of potato flakes so the flavor and thickness doesn't overwhelm and add more the next day if needed. I gave this a 2 stars because as directed it was pretty much unedible. Adding the potato flakes made it 3.5 (had a bit more "mashed potato flavor" than OG's soup) but I bet with some playing around with the potato flakes this could be a 4-5 star recipe.

I used Kale instead of spinach. This recipe is DELICIOUS!!!

This was soo good. I followed the recipe to a "T" and it turned out perfectly except that I did find it to be a tad too spicy. 1 1/4 tsp RP flake seemed a bit much but i thought it would be fine but yah, just a bit too spicy. But we like spice so all was well. I think 1/2 tsp RP flake would be more than plenty the next time around.

Very good! My husband loves this soup! I always use kale instead of spinach (tried it with spinach once and we thought it was slimey). The heavy cream is important (tried it with milk one time when I didn't have cream and it wasn't nearly as good). Great soup for any season!

Made this as is except with about a half pound of quartered, sliced smoked sausage (needed to use up), 2 slices of bacon, 4 potatoes and a whole bunch of beautiful organic kale. Delicious! I bet it would be even better with Italian sausage. Yum!

I never review any of the these recipes, but I had to add a review here. This turned out perfect. Better than perfect. It was better than the restaurant's version! I will make this again and again!! I followed the recipe exactly.

This is one of my favorite soups! I follow the recipe except substituting kale for spinach since it holds its form much better and is healthier.

FABULOUS. I decided to make it ahead so we could grab it and go before soccer practice, so I made everything and did not add the spinach. To serve, I placed the torn, fresh spinach in our soup bowls and ladled the hot soup over it. Stir, and it cooks the spinach just enough to where it still retains its bite. Wonderful, delicious, my family devoured it and it warmed us up after getting chilled outside. Will make again and again!

I just finished up my last bowl of this soup, and it was so good! I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but pretty much most of it. I accidentally bought sweet turkey sausage, and it still tasted really good (I did add the pepper flakes to make it spicier). I also didn't have 5 cans of chicken broth, but I had enough for 48 oz and it was a perfect amount for me. I added 1 teaspoon of fennel and 1/4 bunch kale per other reviewers suggestions-made this soup amazing. I had jumbo russet potatoes, so I only added 2 (washed and peeled) and that was PLENTY...so check the size of your potatoes beforehand. My husband loved this, he was impressed :) Thank you!

Okay, I'm an easy rater when it comes to soup (I love 'em!), but having loved this soup when I go to a certain large italian chain, I gave this a try. I stuck to the directions closely, and this turned out better than the restaurant one in my book! I would say stick with it as written, and you will enjoy!

This soup has good flavor. The only thing I will do differently next time is slice the potatoes thicker. I sliced them thin, and they virtually melted into the soup. I do like to simmer my soup a bit longer. Also it was pretty salty so I'd use low-sodium chicken broth.

Mine turned out really greasy. Maybe if I rinsed the sausage off after draining, it would have helped. The flavor was good (used spicy sausage instead of adding the pepper flakes and kale instead of the spinach)

Wow! My husband said this is undoubtedly the best soup he's ever had. Thank you for making me look good in the kitchen!

Delish! Although there is always the problem of reheated potatoes in soups disappearing but it just makes the soup a touch thicker and a bit less chunky. The better the sausage you buy the better this soup!

Very delicious! I didn't add as many potatoes (I only added 2 big ones) and would probably cook the bacon in smaller pieces and separately to cut down a little on the fat. Otherwise, it is very yummy and perfect!

I use whatever greens my garden has. AND fat free 1/2 & 1/2. I also keep pre cooked bacon on hand..BLTs, anytime! I crush the garlic, & use less, I sliver the onion, I like texture. Had some ham slices once and used that rather than the bacon. And yes I use turkey sausage, hot & leave out the red pepper flakes. All my foods are on a diet. A dab of Brummel & Brown on top of the soup with ground pepper...wow!

This soup was easy to make and really tasty. My husband and daughter both liked it. However, don't do what I did - accidentally double the cayenne pepper. Yikes, two days later it was toned down, plus I had to add lemon juiceNext time....perfect!

Really, really good. I used a few slices of leftover bacon crumbled, shallots instead of onion (personal preference) and thickened some whole milk with cornstarch in place of the cream. Certainly doesn't make it healthy, but it was still rich and creamy. It will be great for a cold winter night!

I omitted the bacon. Added fennel and made it with kale. It was amazing! Everyone raved about it. This recipe is a keeper!

Used fennel sausage, overpowered the taste of every thing else. Edible but would not make again

Perfect for a chilly winter evening! To lighten the load, I used 2 c. half half, 2 c broth, and the remaining replaced with water. Also used soy sausage and added extra spinach. Awesome.

Very good soup, however, I would reduce the amount of broth. All of the delicious flavors of the soup are watered down by too much broth. I would recommend more like a 48 oz. carton of chicken broth. Also, use low sodium broth and add salt to taste. I made this slightly healthier by using Italian seasoned ground turkey instead of sausage and half & half instead of heavy cream. We like a little spice, but not too much, so I only added 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper. Served it with "Soft Garlic Breadsticks" from this site and it was a nice, warming meal.

Loved this soup. Tatsed just like the Olive garden soup. I used kale instead of spinach.

Excellent. Great flavor. I did cut back on the potatoes but that was all I did different. Loved it!

Very good. Doubled the recipe since last time I made it it was gone instantly! Used a very big bunch of Kale instead of Spinach. Added it at the same time as the potatoes. I also used Zesty Sausage. Added a nice spicy taste to it without having to put in red pepper flakes.

I have never had this soup at OG but it is very good. My only gripe is that the end result was a little greasy/oily. This is most likely from the italian sausage (I used hot) so I think next time I would use turkey sausage or maybe even links. I used microwave bacon too or else it probably would have been really greasy. Either way, it still tastes very good and I have a lot of it so I will be eating it for a while.

This soup is amazing! I used hot Italian sausage instead of mild and kale instead of spinach. I used thinly sliced red potatoes and added extra pressed garlic, 2 tablespoons chicken soup base and 2 bouillion cubes instead of canned broth. I also only cooked the potatoes approximately 8 minutes since they were so thinly sliced. Delicious!

Our whole family loves this soup. Use kale instead of spinach. We are a little easier on the pepper flakes for our kids. Thanks

Soup was delicious and easy to make. Followed the recipe exactly and it really hit the spot on a damp and rainy night. Next time gonna make it with kale as other reviewers stated and see which I like better.

I made this after hearing my girlfriend rave about the version served at the mysterious Italian chain that no one is willing to actually name for some reason. I made the recipe as directed other than subbing the cream with milk (something other reviewers said made no difference). The bacon, although originally very crispy, was soggy and overall the soup disappointed both of us. I guess my advice is don’t make this unless you are absolutely smitten with the one from The Olive… I mean chain Italian restaurant.

I don't know why I haven't rated this before. I've made it many times and I love it! I was really craving this tonight and it really hit the spot. I didn't have any heavy cream however but I did have about 2-3 ounces of low fat cream cheese which I added instead. Delish! I also added a couple pinches of extra fennel seed because I love that flavor.

Fantastic!

I did not care for this soup, maybe it was the Italian sausage I used. It was like eating a bowl of fennel.

Awesome soup! Made the recipe exactly as stated but subbed Porketta Sausage (it was on sale) and fat free half and half. Also cooked some Ditalini on the side for my fiance to mix in. One word.."YUM"

My sil liked this a lot and wanted me to send him the link. It was OK, but I don't plan on making it again myself. I would suggest that it might be better to put the crushed red pepper flakes on the table instead of in the pot.

This soup was fantastic! I didn't change anything - was perfect as is. I made a loaf of bread with this and it was great for dipping in the yummy broth.

made with veggie sausage and it was still really good

This recipe is as close to the Olive Garden recipe you will find. The only change I made was, I did use kale vs spinach, because that is what the Olive Garden uses to make theirs. It is a keeper for sure and a must try if you are looking for a good recipe for italian soup. Delicious!!

Awesome awesome awesome :) We love this soup served with warm garlic breadsticks for dipping! Perfect for a chilly day! Very easy to make and my husband says tastes BETTER than the zuppa toscana at the popular italian restaurant! I take leftovers to work for lunch the next day bc it makes a lot. Try this soup!

Fabulous!! Love the spice and earthiness and depth of flavors. Will make often, especially in the winter. We like spice, so I used 1 Tbsp of red pepper instead of 1 1/4 tsp. It was so good that I won a soup cook-off with it!

Very good! A little too greasy to me and I will definitely find a way to cook it w/less grease next time but my husband loved it as is. A tip for the spinach. Since I knew there would be lots of leftovers and didn't want limp spinach in the leftovers I just put a handful of spinach in each bowl and topped it with the soup and broth. A few minutes later I stirred the soup and it was perfect. Topped with Parmesan cheese.

I loved this. It was a fabulous dish.

Excellent. I used some sour cream and rice milk with a little corn starch, and a can of cream of mushroom soup in the place of the heavy cream (only cause I was out) and it still turned out great. I also used half maple sausage and half beer brats, sounds crazy....but is delish! I have also made this before as written and it is delicious just the way it is!!

This was yummy! I also used kale instead of spinach. The kale is delicious, it really picks up the flavor of the broth. I used a turkey sausage link and cut it into slices instead of ground sausage.

I tweaked it only a bit. I cooked my sausage, then deglazed with 2 cups white wine. I did everything else with the exception of the bacon (only because I had none). It was so delicious! Thanks for sharing!

I used hot sausages cut into slices and left out the red pepper flakes which was hot enough for my family. I also used a whole bag of baby spinach and substituted milk and cornstarch for cream as someone else suggested. After step 2 I put it all in a crockpot for 8 hours and did not add the milk/cornstarch until about 10 minutes before serving. The end result was GREAT! I had nice hot soup for a chilly winter night. This will be a regular crockpot meal in my house!

Fantastic...better than any restaurant version I've had.

Fabulous! I used red potatos and then replaced the spinach with chopped kale.

I did not have heavy cream but added 8 oz of cream cheese. It was delicious. I love garlic so I'll probably increase the amount of garlic next time. This one is a keeper.

Oh my, my new favorite soup! This was absolutely amazing! I doubled the bacon, used Italian sausage links, removed the casings and browned in the oven. I used one tsp. of the red pepper flakes and it was just the right amount of heat for me. Because it holds up so much better than spinach I used kale instead and while the onion and garlic mixture was sauteing and the sausage was browning I put my chicken stock in the soup pot and threw in my kale so it could start to cook. Not much gets by without the addition of my usual garlic and onion powders and I also added dried parsley and black pepper. Once done, I added in Fat Free half and half and only because I thought it looked pretty, I placed a big handful of baby spinach into each bowl before ladling in the soup. Thank you so much for one terrific recipe!! Yum!!!!

I truly expected something wonderful, based on all the reviews; I just don't get it! I was able to rescue this soup with a few modifications. After cooking the onions and garlic, I stirred in a few tablespoons of flour, cooking for a few minutes. Then I added the chicken broth and peeled and cubed potatoes. I used Swiss Chard instead of spinach or kale since it's a wonderfully sweet green. Grated a half cup or so of parmigiano reggiano in so it had some flavor, otherwise this is a thin, bland soup. It does go together quickly though, which is good, but benefits from thickening and flavor-boosting.

I can't lie, I haven't had whatever 'chain restaurant' soup this is imitating. However, it's still really good. I must confess I left out the bacon because, to me, adding bacon to anything overpowers all the other flavors. So, I tend to try things with & without bacon. I also used kale instead of spinach (per reviews), and milk + cornstarch instead of cream. The "hot Italian sausage" I bought wasn't hot enough for us, so I added 1.5 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes. Also, I think 6 potatoes is a really large number... maybe really small potatoes?! I added 4 and it seemed like so many, I added extra chicken broth + upped the amount of milk I used. Ultimately I left it cooking for 40 minutes after adding the potatoes, and they were super soft - maybe more potatoes wouldn't have been bad? In any case, I really liked this soup. I let the kale sit in the soup (covered, but off, still on the hot burner) for about 15 minutes and it was really good. Next time... will try with bacon!

Oh. My. Gossssshhhhh!!!!! This was soooooo good!!! Both my hubs and I REALLY enjoyed this! This is a SPOT in copycat of the "real deal." :) Although pretty much perfect as is, I made a few changes (I know, I know...). To help eliminate some of the greasiness others have warned about, I browned (HOT) sausage links in a bit of garlic infused EVOO, gently blotted them with paper towels after they had cooled and then roughly chopped them into bite-sized pieces. Because of this change, I omitted the pepper flakes altogether. I ended up using four good sized Russett potatoes and am glad I did. Six would have been FAR too many! Since the recipe submitter doesn't specify the size of potato to use, it's imperative to trust your gut on this one.... Six SMALL potatoes might be fine, but cut back if they are any larger than that. My final change was to substitute chopped kale for spinach (to more closely mimic the chain's soup). With these changes, this was one darn good soup! Garlic breadsticks rounded out our delicious meal. It will be a VERY long time before I make another visit to the "Garden" to satisfy my soup craving haha! Thanks SO much for sharing your secret recipe with the AR community, souporsweets! :-)

This soup has sadly (sniff) replaced my own potato soup recipe as my husband's favorite... In his words "that was TREMENDOUS"

Very good and easy. I only used 1/2 of the crushed red pepper and it was still too spicey for the kids. Next time I'll omit it and just add it at the table.

This is SOOOOO Good! I've made it numerous times for the Girl Friends and they rave about it. Plus it's cheaper than going to the chain :). I make it in the crockpot, leaving the spinach/cream out until the very end. 4 Hours on High or 6-7 Hours on Low. Very easy, great to make after a busy day!

I have started to use one pound bulk spicy Italian sausage and one pound sweet bulk Italian sausage without the need for any red pepper flakes and it tastes even better! Especially for my mother in law who doe not prefer spicy foods. I always substitute Kale for the spinnach. By far the best recipe I have found on Allrecipes thus far! Thank you!

I found ground Italian sausage and used that; much easier than taking the skins off! I cooked the bacon whole and crumbled later, and I used kale instead of spinach because I had it and needed to use it. Wonderful! It's a keeper!

Everyone thought it was good. It needed more broth and maybe next time use half and half.

This recipe is excellent as is! After making it the first time, I now use paper towels to soak up as much grease off the sausage and bacon after cooking. Depending on my mood, I'll use less sausage since the original does have a lot of meat in it. Sometimes I use reduced fat condensed milk instead of cream, and sometimes I use kale or swiss chard instead of spinach. That's the great thing about soup; you can alter it to your preferences or what's on hand. This one's a keeper!

This was soooooo good. There was just one bad thing....the peppercorns, if they're not totally ground up, taste REALLY bad. Unless you can grind them really small, I'd just leave it out. Other than that, 10 stars for this recipe. One suggestion for ease, consider using frozen prepared meatballs to cut out the extra meat cooking step.

I made this pretty much as described except used evaporated milk. I triple batched it cause my son came home from college and got together with his friends. We had this all week-end. No-one got tired of it. I shared with friends and they said it does taste just like "you know what Italian Chain".

This is truly one of the best soups I have ever tasted!! I love the zuppa toscana at Olive Garden, but this honestly tops it in a big way!! My kids have requested it several times now, that tells me this recipe is a keeper! Thanks!

This is very good and simple. I recommend it highly

I love Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana soup and I get it every time we go there, so I couldn't believe my eyes when I stumbled across this recipe, I had to make it ASAP. After reading other people's reviews I did add kale instead of spinach. Other than that I followed the recipe as is and it is super-delicious. This one will definitely be a keeper. Thanks for posting this recipe. I love it. :)

This is definitely the best recipe I've seen/tasted/made for my favorite soup from Olive Garden. I highly suggest to make a lot of this, as it is never enough =D