Healthy zuppa toscana with ground turkey is a classic Tuscan soup your whole family will love. This delicious creamy soup is a lightened-up version that tastes even better than your favorite restaurant dish.

Two white bowls with healthy zuppa toscana, with a white pot of zuppa toscana and two garnish bowls to the side.

My town recently got an Olive Garden. Apparently, this was the most exciting thing that has ever happened to my children, and they begged to go on opening night. I will admit, I do have a soft spot for the Olive Garden (it’s the bread sticks), so I was happy to give in this time. Our visit was a success. The kids went to bed early, stuffed full of bread sticks and pasta, and I enjoyed a quiet glass of wine and some time to scheme up this delicious Olive Garden copycat soup.

This healthy zuppa toscana recipe is the best homemade soup for the winter months. Packed with lean ground turkey and creamy broth, this lightened up version of classic zuppa toscana is even better than the original recipe. Add this to your weekly meal plan, and it is sure to become your family’s new favorite soup. Serve this hearty soup with a simple Caesar salad or arugula burrata salad and some crusty bread for a delicious complete meal.

For more delicious soup recipes, try my vegetable orzo soup (very similar in flavor to minestrone!) or roasted carrot ginger soup.

A close up of a ladle of soup over a white pot of zuppa toscana on a marble background.

Ingredients

To make healthy zuppa toscana with ground turkey, you need the following simple ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below):

Olive oil
Ground turkey: I used 93/7 ground turkey. You could substitute Italian turkey sausage, but you will want to reduce the seasonings accordingly.
Seasonings for the turkey, including: sea salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, and sugar. A teaspoon of chopped fennel seeds would also be great in this recipe to help mimic that sausage flavor, if you have them on hand!
Bacon: I like to use precooked bacon to make this recipe a little quicker. Feel free to cook your own bacon if you have some extra time!
Onion
Garlic cloves: You could substitute garlic powder.
Chicken stock
Yukon gold potatoes: I chose Yukon gold potatoes for this recipe because I didn’t want to peel the potatoes, and the skin on Yukon golds is nice and thin. You could substitute russet potatoes or red potatoes if you prefer.
Half and half: I use half and half in place of heavy cream to lighten up the soup. You could also use 2% milk.
Kale: Feel free to substitute baby spinach.
Fresh ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes

Instructions

Step One: Prepare the ingredients. Wash the potatoes very well and slice them into thin, uniform slices about 1/4 inch thick. Dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Wash the kale and remove the thick stems. Roughly chop the leaves.

Step Two: Warm the olive oil in a large dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat. When the oil is warm, add the ground turkey. Break the turkey into small pieces with a wooden spoon, and add the sea salt, paprika, Italian seasoning, sugar and fennel (if using). Stir the seasonings in and cook until the turkey is fully cooked through. Remove the turkey to a plate and set aside.

A white dutch oven on a marble background. The pot contains browned ground turkey.

Step Three: Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté over medium heat for a few minutes, until the onion is soft and fragrant. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 more minute.

A white dutch oven on a marble background. The pot contains diced onions browning in bacon grease.

Step Four: Pour the chicken broth into the pot and use your wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Add the sliced potatoes, and turn the stove up to medium-high heat. Bring the soup to a simmer, and allow the potatoes to cook for about 10-12 minutes until pierced easily with a fork.

A white dutch oven on a marble background. The pot contains sliced potatoes in broth, stirred by a wooden spoon.

Step Five: Add the half and half into the stock, and stir well. Return the turkey to the pot, and add the chopped kale. Stir those ingredients in until the kale wilts slightly and the soup is well combined.

A white dutch oven on a marble background. The pot contains browned ground turkey and kale.

Step Six: Add the cooked and crumbled bacon to the soup, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add red pepper flakes a little at a time until the soup reaches your desired level of heat. Top with some fresh grated Parmesan cheese for a little extra yum!

A white pot of zuppa toscana on a marble background.

Storage

This soup is great for leftovers! Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer term storage, put the soup in a glass freezer container. Make sure to leave enough room at the top of the container (head room) so that the soup can expand as it freezes. Soup will keep in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. To serve, just defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then warm it on the stove top or in the microwave.