This keto zuppa toscana is rich and creamy, loaded with flavor, and only 7g net carbs per serving. Filling and delicious, this low carb soup is excellent for meal prep and so satisfying during the colder months. The keto version of our very popular Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Whole30)!
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Cutting carbs? This variation on classic zuppa toscana means you can have your zuppa and eat it, too. With only 7g net carbs per serving, it’s easy to fit this soup into a low-carb or keto diet.
- It’s perfect for meal prep. Make a big batch and eat on the leftovers for a few days! Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze your zuppa in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
- Thanks to heavy cream and fibrous veggies, this keto zuppa toscana is super filling and satisfying. Some soups leave something to be desired because you don’t feel like you actually ate anything, but that’s not the case here!
- This is a convenient one-pot meal, which means clean-up is a breeze! Other than a Dutch oven (or heavy pot) you’ll only need a couple of bowls to hold the sausage and bacon until you’re ready to mix them in.
Keto Zuppa Toscana Ingredients
Heavy Cream – One of the best things about zuppa toscana is that it’s a thick, creamy soup. You can thank heavy cream for that!
Crushed red pepper flakes – This recipe calls for just enough red pepper flakes to give it a little heat without being overwhelmingly hot. Feel free to increase the quantity if you want! If you’re sensitive to heat, though, you can leave these out. Your soup will still be delicious!
How to Make Keto Zuppa Toscana
The full recipe & ingredients list are below, but here you’ll find a quick overview for making this recipe perfectly, along with useful tips and info!
Cook the Italian sausage first, then remove it from the Dutch oven and cook the bacon. When the bacon is crisp, remove it from the Dutch oven, leaving the bacon fat behind.
Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent. Pour in the chicken stock and boil the liquid over high heat. When the stock is boiling, add in the cauliflower. Your cook time here will vary depending on what kind of cauliflower you use (frozen/precooked vs. fresh/raw) but you’ll know it’s ready when the florets are tender enough to be pierced with a fork.
Reduce the heat and stir in the sausage and heavy cream. When that’s warmed through, add the bacon and kale, cooking just until the kale is bright green and softened. Season and serve!
This recipe yields six servings of keto zuppa toscana.
Chef’s Tips
- This recipe calls for 5 cups of chicken stock, but you can use 4 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of water if you prefer. This cuts the sodium content of the soup without sacrificing flavor.
- Remember, you’re adding the kale at the very end of the cook time. Don’t overcook the zuppa – you want the kale to be bright green and just softened.
- Store-bought sausage will work beautifully in this dish, but I recommend making your own! It’s super easy to do and it gives you control over what you’re eating. Find our recipe for DIY sausage here.
- Make this keto zuppa toscana in the Crock-pot! Brown the sausage in a skillet, fry the bacon, and cook the onion and garlic slightly. Place the sausage, onion, and garlic in the bottom of the slow cooker, add the cauliflower, and cover with chicken stock. Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4 hours, until the cauliflower is soft. Pour in the heavy cream and add the kale, then cook on high for 30 minutes until the soup thickens. Stir in bacon, season, and serve.
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Keto Zuppa Toscana
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound Italian sausage store-bought or made from this recipe
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 12 ounces cauliflower florets fresh or frozen
- ½ medium white or yellow onion diced
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced, approximately 2-3 cloves
- 5 cups chicken stock or 4 cups stock and 1 cup water
- ½ bunch curly kale thick stems removed, leaves chopped, about 3-4 cups
- 1 – 1½ cups heavy cream see Notes
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In Dutch oven over medium heat, add Italian sausage and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until browned and cooked through, while breaking up pieces with spoon. Drain. Remove sausage and set aside.
- Cook bacon pieces in same Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until crisp, about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove bacon and set aside. Stir onions and garlic into remaining bacon fat. Cook until onions are soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
- Pour chicken stock into Dutch oven. Bring to boil over high heat. Add cauliflower. Cook until fork tender, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Time will vary based on frozen/precooked vs. raw cauliflower.
- Reduce heat to medium. Stir in cooked sausage and heavy cream. Heat through.
- Add bacon and kale. Cook until kale is bright green and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Portion into bowls and serve.
Notes
- Heavy cream: Use 1 cup heavy cream for a more stew-like consistency. Use 1.5 cups if you prefer a soupier zuppa toscana.
- Make it Whole30: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream, and make sure your sausage and bacon are Whole30 compliant. Note: coconut cream will increase the total carb count slightly.
- Make it Dairy-Free: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream. Note: coconut cream will increase the total carb count slightly.
Nutrition
Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10 years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of two who lives in Memphis, TN.
Daniel Perkins says
Great recipe. I tried it with slight modification in spices and it came out fabulous.
Sabrina says
thank you for this recipe, all of it especially the additional sausage recipe – love being able to control the ingredient and get rid of sugar, etc – love making a big batch too since I won’t tire of it