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Homemade Soups

Olive Garden Homemade Soups

$19.99 850 cal. - 1,870 cal. Soups, Salad & BreadsticksFamily-Style MealsCatering

Try any one of our four soups made from scratch! Chicken & Gnocchi: A creamy soup made with roasted chicken, traditional Italian dumplings and spinach. Pasta e Fagioli: White and red beans, ground beef, tomatoes and pasta in a savory broth. Minestrone (V): Fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth - a vegetarian classic. Zuppa Toscana: Spicy sausage, fresh kale and russet potatoes in a creamy broth.
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About This Dish

Olive Garden's Homemade Soups are four signature scratch-made soups offered year-round, priced at $19.99 for a regular serving. The calorie range spans 850 to 1,870 calories depending on which of the four soups you choose: Chicken and Gnocchi (creamy broth, roasted chicken, Italian dumplings, and spinach), Pasta e Fagioli (ground beef, red and white beans, tomatoes, and pasta in savory broth), Minestrone (fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a light tomato broth, vegetarian), and Zuppa Toscana (spicy sausage, kale, and russet potatoes in a cream broth). Each is prepared fresh daily at every location.

The regular-sized Homemade Soups order is ideal for pairing with a shared catering pan, one soup serving as a starter for 2 to 3 guests. For $19.99, it is one of the best-value items on the catering menu relative to portion and quality. Dine-in guests receive unlimited soup refills as part of the Soup, Salad and Breadsticks service, which is how most people first experience these soups. The catering version bottles that same quality into a take-home format.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving

850 Calories
9g Total Fat
6460mg Sodium

* Nutritional values are approximate and may vary. Last updated March 2026.

How to Copycat Olive Garden Homemade Soups at Home?

Prep: 10 min Cook: 30 min Total: 40 min Easy

Olive Garden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup is the approachable, comfort-forward counterpart to Zuppa Toscana. While Zuppa leads in bold, spicy character, Chicken and Gnocchi leads in gentle creaminess and soothing texture. The soup owes its silkiness to a combination of half-and-half and a small amount of flour-thickened broth rather than pure heavy cream, which is what keeps it lighter in both texture and calorie count.

The most important detail in this copycat recipe is the gnocchi. Store-bought shelf-stable gnocchi turns mushy in soup. Refrigerated or fresh gnocchi added in the last 3 to 4 minutes stays pillowy and holds its shape. Using rotisserie chicken cuts 30 minutes off the prep time and actually produces better flavor than poaching raw chicken in the broth.

Ingredients

6 servings

Soup

Instructions

0 / 5

  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic for 60 seconds.

    6 min

  2. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

    2 min

    Cooking the flour in butter and vegetable fat creates a light roux that will thicken the broth without making it starchy or gummy.

  3. Pour in chicken broth gradually, whisking to prevent lumps. Add dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

    5 min

  4. Add half-and-half and shredded chicken. Simmer on low for 10 minutes.

    10 min

  5. Add gnocchi and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until they float and are heated through. Stir in spinach and cook 1 more minute until just wilted. Serve immediately.

    5 min

    Do not add gnocchi more than 5 minutes before serving. They absorb broth quickly and turn mushy if left in the soup too long.

Pro Tips

  • Use refrigerated gnocchi from the deli section, not the shelf-stable variety. Shelf-stable gnocchi becomes chalky and dense in soup.
  • Rotisserie chicken is faster and better flavored than poaching raw chicken. Use both white and dark meat for the best texture balance.
  • The soup thickens significantly as it cools. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating leftovers.

Variations

Dairy-Free Version

Replace half-and-half with full-fat coconut milk and use dairy-free butter. The flavor changes slightly but the creamy texture is preserved.

Pasta e Fagioli

Brown 0.5 lb ground beef and 0.5 lb Italian sausage. Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth, white beans, red kidney beans, Italian seasoning, and ditalini pasta. Simmer 20-25 minutes until pasta is tender.

Serving Ideas

  • Serve in pre-warmed bowls to keep the soup hot longer
  • Garlic breadsticks for dipping are the natural pairing
  • A simple house salad alongside makes this a complete light meal
  • Extra Parmesan grated over each bowl before serving

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Find Homemade Soups Near You

Visit one of Olive Garden's 900+ locations to enjoy the Homemade Soups at $19.99.

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Frequently Asked Questions

A regular Homemade Soups order is $19.99. The large version costs $31.99. Dine-in guests get unlimited soup refills as part of the Soup, Salad and Breadsticks service.
Four soups are offered year-round: Chicken and Gnocchi, Pasta e Fagioli, Minestrone (vegetarian), and Zuppa Toscana. All four are made from scratch daily at each location, not from a central commissary or pre-made base.
Minestrone is vegetarian, made with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a tomato broth with no meat or dairy in the base. However, guests should confirm with their location whether it is prepared vegan-friendly, as shared equipment and cross-contamination are possible.
Zuppa Toscana has the highest calorie count of the four soups due to the heavy cream, spicy sausage, and bacon. Per restaurant serving, a single cup contains approximately 220 calories. The regular take-home size totals up to 1,870 calories for the full container.
Unlimited soup refills are only available for dine-in guests ordered as part of the Soup, Salad and Breadsticks service. Takeout and catering orders are charged per quart at the regular ($19.99) or large ($31.99) prices.