Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup
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A Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup that you’ll absolutely love. Easy to make dairy free, this cozy soup is packed with flavor and so delicious!
Our Zuppa Toscana recipe has everything you love about this classic, cozy, comforting soup, but we found a way to lighten it up! It’s easily made paleo, Whole30, and dairy free (or you can use regular milk)!
Made in one pot, loaded with hearty potatoes, satisfying Italian sausage and kale- it’s the best meal when you want something filling and good for you!
Follow our recipe for the best Healthy Zuppa Toscana that is absolutely better than anything you can get at Olive Garden!
Why You’ll Love Healthy Zuppa Toscana
There is a lot to love about this zuppa toscana recipe. It’s one of our favorite soups for a healthy dinner because it’s:
- Simple to Make: This recipe is made from 7 basic ingredients + spices.
- 30 Minute Dinner: This soup comes together in just 30-minutes!
- Cozy & Comforting: Tender potatoes, satisfying sausage, and a rich and flavorful broth make this soup the perfect cold weather meal.
Ingredients
For this zuppa toscana you’ll need:
- Italian sausage – we like to get ours from a local butcher. You can buy it in the casings and remove them from the casing, or buy it ground!
- onion, garlic
- yukon gold potatoes – these are essential – don’t substitute with russet potatoes! Yukon gold potatoes are so much creamier!
- pepper, salt, fennel seed, red pepper flakes
- chicken broth – veggie or beef broth also work
- heavy cream or coconut cream – this helps the broth be creamy and delicious!
- kale
We like to top this with cooked bacon and parmesan cheese, but it’s optional! We usually make this in a dutch oven, but any large soup pot will work.
Substitutions
Italian Sausage: You can use homemade, sweet, mild, or hot Italian sausage. Remember to remove the casing if present. For a lower fat option, you can use Italian chicken sausage, but you will need to add olive oil to the pot before cooking the onion. I have not tried this with turkey sausage, but I think it would be great!
ButcherBox makes great ground Italian Sausage! It would offer a totally different flavor profile, but you also could probably use cooked chicken in this recipe (or check out our Chicken Vegetable Soup)
Sweet Yellow Onion: I think a sweet onion best compliments the flavors in this recipe, but you can use a regular brown/yellow onion.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Any type of yellow potatoes can be used but consider size when selecting the quantity for this recipe. If using baby Yukon gold potatoes, you will need about 10-12 and will just need to halve the potatoes. If using russet potatoes, you will only need 2-3 large, peeled potatoes to get 4 cups of chopped potatoes.
Ground Fennel Seed: Ground fennel seed can sometimes be tricky to find. I usually purchase it from stores that have a bulk spice section or you can get it on Amazon. You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds (ground using a mortar and pestle if desired) or omit it, as the sausage likely contains fennel.
Crush Red Pepper Flakes: Adjust these flakes to your spice preference.
Broth: You can use any broth or stock interchangeably. Beef Broth, Chicken Broth, or vegetable all work interchangeably. I always use low or no salt broth.
Heavy Cream: Heavy cream can be used interchangeably with coconut cream (13.5 oz can, separated and water discarded) in this recipe. You can also use half and half but expect the results to be slightly less creamy. I don’t recommend substituting milk as it will be a little too watery. Note that lower fat dairy products can curdle when added to hot soup. Half and half tends to be okay, but it wouldn’t hurt to allow it to come to room temperature before adding to the hot soup.
Kale: Be sure to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Chopping, then going over it with a pair of kitchen shears can help ensure you get perfectly sized pieces.
To Make it Lower Carb: We haven’t tried this with cauliflower instead of potatoes, but I think it would work well!
Gluten Free: This soup is gluten-free, but always verify that store-bought products, like broth, are certified gluten-free if you have a severe intolerance or celiac.
To Make it Lower Calorie: Sub heavy cream for half and half.
To Make it Plant Based: I haven’t tried this with plant based sausage, but I think it would work well.
How to Make Healthy Zuppa Toscana
- Brown and break apart sausage. Transfer to a plate, reserving fat in the pot.
- Sauté onions and garlic for 1-2 minutes. Then stir in potatoes and spices.
- Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in sausage and heavy cream, then add kale.
- Remove the soup from heat and serve topped with chopped bacon and Parmesan cheese (optional).
Liz’s Tips for the best soup
- Watch the salt: Keep in mind that several of the ingredients used (bacon, sausage, broth, Parmesan) can be quite salty. If you are sensitive to salt, consider holding the additional salt until the soup is finished and then salt to taste.
- Choose the best potatoes: Yukon gold potatoes are smaller than russet and some other varieties, so a medium Yukon gold potato is only about 2-3 inches long. If you use more than 4 cups of chopped potatoes, the soup will taste fine, but the potatoes will absorb some of the broth while cooking and it will be a very chunky soup.
- Avoid packing the kale when measuring: The cups should be loosely packed. While the kale will cook down some, too much kale will result in more of a watery salad than a soup.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty and filling soup can also be served as a meal on its own or enjoyed with:
- Veggies, like Green Beans Almondine, Lemon Asparagus, or Garlic Brussel Sprouts
- A simple side salad, like our refreshing Greek Salad or our Apple Walnut Salad
- Warm crusty bread, this is our favorite bread! We love sourdough and this makes it so easy to enjoy.
How to make Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana
This recipe can easily be made dairy-free by swapping the heavy cream for coconut cream. This recipe was tested using Thai Kitchen brand coconut cream (not coconut milk). Using 1 13.5-oz can, I was able to separate 1 cup of cream from the liquid portion to use in this recipe.
You can also use full-fat coconut milk, but, for the creamiest results, I would recommend refrigerating the can before opening so that you can separate the liquid portion and cream portion.
You may need more than 1 can of full-fat coconut milk to get a full cup of cream, depending on the brand used.
Once the soup is finished, omit the parmesan cheese and just serve it with chopped bacon.
Storage
Storing: Zuppa toscana will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. The soup will separate a little when stored, just reheat, and give it a good stir before serving.
Freezing: You can freeze this recipe for up to 1 month. We like these containers for freezing! Be sure to allow it to cool before freezing and leave some room in the container to allow for expansion.
If you need more freezer friendly recipes check out our Fill Your Freezer Ebook with 22 easy freezer meals!
Reheating: You can reheat this recipe in the microwave or on the stove top.
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
Looking for other soup recipes? Check out these 40+ Healthy Soup Recipes. Click here to grab our free healthy soup cookbook.
Healthy Zuppa Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage casing removed
- 2 cups diced sweet yellow onion about 1 large onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 4 cloves
- 4 cups Yukon gold potatoes diced into 1-inch chunks (about 6 medium 2-3 inches long)
- 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel seed
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chicken broth low or no salt
- 1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream, see notes below
- 4 cups kale stem removed and roughly chopped
- olive oil if needed
For serving
- 6 slices bacon cooked and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart as it browns. (We love this tool for breaking apart ground meat!)
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the sausage, transfer to a plate and set aside. Save the fat in the pot. If you have less than 2 tbsp of fat in the pot, add a little olive oil to get 2 tablespoons total. If you have more than 2 tablespoons of fat, you can discard any extra (this will depend on the type of sausage used).
- With the heat still over medium, add the finely diced onions to the pot and cook until translucent (about 5-6 minutes).
- Once the onions are tender, add the minced garlic, stir, and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, ground fennel, red pepper flakes and stir.
- Add the broth to the pot and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and continue to simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally just to help deglaze the bottom of the pan.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the bacon by cooking to desired crispness, patting dry and chopping. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are tender, add the sausage back to the pot along with the heavy cream (or coconut cream) and stir, cooking for about another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kale, cooking just another minute or so until the kale is tender and bright green.
- Remove the soup from heat and serve topped with chopped bacon and Parmesan cheese (if using).
Crockpot Instructions:
- Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart as it browns. (We love this tool for breaking apart ground meat!)
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the sausage, transfer to a plate and set aside. Save the fat in the pot. If you have less than 2 tbsp of fat in the pot, add a little olive oil to get 2 tablespoons total. If you have more than 2 tablespoons of fat, you can discard any extra (this will depend on the type of sausage used).
- With the heat still over medium, add the finely diced onions to the pot and cook until translucent (about 5-6 minutes).
- Once the onions are tender, add the minced garlic, stir, and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Transfer the cooked onions and garlic to the crockpot base
- Chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, ground fennel, red pepper flakes and stir.
- Add the broth to the pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6 hours.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the bacon by cooking to desired crispness, patting dry and chopping. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are tender, add the sausage in to the pot along with the heavy cream (or coconut cream) and cover for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kale, cover for another minute or so until the kale is tender and bright green.
- Remove the soup from heat and serve topped with chopped bacon and Parmesan cheese (if using).
Instant Pot Instructions
- Set your instant pot to Sauté, 15 minutes.
- Add the sausage and cook, breaking it apart as it browns. (We love this tool for breaking apart ground meat!)
- Once the sausage is fully cooked, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the sausage, transfer to a plate and set aside. Save the fat in the pot. If you have less than 2 tbsp of fat in the pot, add a little olive oil to get 2 tablespoons total. If you have more than 2 tablespoons of fat, you can discard any extra (this will depend on the type of sausage used).
- Add the finely diced onions to the pot and cook until translucent (about 5-6 minutes).
- Once the onions are tender, add the minced garlic, stir, and cook another 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
- Chop the potatoes into 1-inch pieces and add to the pot. Season with the salt, pepper, ground fennel, red pepper flakes and stir.
- Add the broth to the pot. Stir to help deglaze the bottom of the pan to avoid a burn notice.
- Cover the instant pot and set to Sealing, 4 minutes (it will take about 5 minutes to come to temperature).
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the bacon by cooking to desired crispness, patting dry and chopping. Set aside.
- Once the soup has cooked, quick release the pressure. Remove the lid from the pot and set to Saute, 6 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pot along with the heavy cream (or coconut cream) and stir, cooking for about another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chopped kale, cooking just another minute or so until the kale is tender and bright green.
- Remove the soup from the Instant Pot and serve topped with chopped bacon and Parmesan cheese (if using).
I love this recipe! It’s perfect for a cold winter 😍
Absolutely Delicious. Taste just like Olive Garden. Thank you.
So good!
Super easy and delicious! We didn’t put in the Parmesan, and I topped mine with extra red pepper flakes. A must have for all of us!
Made this on a lazy Sunday. It was absolutely delicious! I did add carrots and celery (purely for extra nutrients) and it was amazing.
Just made this for dinner tonight and it’s so delicious!
Wow! This may have topped my favorite soup . This was AWESOME! Super easy to make and lots a flavor . Will be making this regularly !
Italian bread, toasted, buttered and sprinkled with garlic powder,is delicious served with any Italian themed soups.
So delicious and very easy! Great cozy soup for a weeknight when you want something hearty and warm but don’t have a lot of time.
Loved everything about this Toscana Soup.
So easy so delicious and the Heavy Crème ( which I’ve never put in a soup before, made it that much more delicate..
A do again !!!
Amazing! Seriously one of the best soups I’ve ever made. My husband who doesn’t like soup, said this was really good, I’ll take it! Hearty too and the Parmesan cheese is perfect!
Flavor filled and easy to make! Yum!