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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.
Key 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!
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 Italian 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.
More Delicious Keto Recipes
- Keto Meatloaf
- Perfect Keto Charcuterie Board
- Magic Keto Lasagna
- Cream Cheese Sausage Balls
- Keto Ramen
- Incredible Keto Peppermint Layer Brownies
- Keto Meat Pie
Keto Zuppa Toscana
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 of one medium onion white or yellow, 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
Equipment
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
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 Information
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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Delicious! Manga 🥣
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
The link in the recipe to the Italian sausage recipe goes to a breakfast sausage recipe (https://40aprons.com/easy-whole30-breakfast-sausage-paleo/), which is not correct. Use the italian sausage recipe included in the regular zuppa toscana italian sausage recipe. Otherwise, excellent recipe.
Oops, thanks so much for pointing out the incorrect link, Brad! We’ve fixed it so it directs to the Italian sausage from our original Zuppa recipe like it should. So happy you enjoyed the keto version!!
Great recipe. I tried it with slight modification in spices and it came out fabulous.
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