This Whole30 healthy Zuppa Toscana is rich and creamy, spicy, and absolutely bursting with flavor. You’ll love this filling, Whole30 soup anytime, but especially during cold, wintry months. Dairy free, gluten free, grain free, and sugar-free, this is one of the best Whole30 soups out there and my favorite healthy soup!
We started a recent Whole30 with this soup, and I have to say: we did it right. I even posted a snap (?) on Instagram, lamenting how oh. so. hard. it is to do a Whole30, with lots of crying emojis… I’m subtle.
In previous rounds, I tired quickly of large slabs of animal protein, so I knew I had to shake things up a bit this round. And leading a group Whole30 and Facebook support group (join us!) means coming up with new and delish recipes to keep things interesting.
Et voilà, my friends, the Whole30 Zuppa Toscana. Who isn’t a fan of the creamy, spicy soup at your favorite Italian-food chain, laden with potatoes and kale and bacon and Italian sausage and “ohhhh boy”. Especially during the winter, my cravings for creamy, filling soups multiply like four-hundredfold, so we find ourselves in a tricky spot.
A spot where you’re 100% committed to doing a strict Whole30, but you really, really want Zuppa Toscana.
Why this Whole30 healthy Zuppa Toscana recipe is so good:
- This Whole30 soup is rich and creamy like traditional Zuppa Toscana but totally dairy free.
- It starts with an easy but delicious Italian sausage recipe, made from scratch! But don’t be nervous – it’s super quick and couldn’t be simpler.
- The combination of coconut milk, kale, potatoes, Italian sausage, and bacon make this healthy Zuppa Toscana super filling and a one-pot meal.
This Whole30 Zuppa Toscana is based on a regular Zuppa Toscana recipe, subbing simple ingredients for the dairy, grains, and sugar. I recommend making your own Italian sausage, which is insanely easy, but you could use compliant storebought Italian sausage, too, of course. Make sure you use compliant bacon if you’re on a Whole30, as well. It can be tricky to find bacon that doesn’t have sugar in it, but Whole Foods has a few brands of that, as well.
I have a tendency to be super hungry on the Whole30, like eat. all. the. things., but this soup kept me super full all night. I might have had to bite my knuckles to get past my craving for Glutino pretzels on tap, shoveled into my face during our nightly screenings of Boardwalk Empire, but it wasn’t from hunger, that’s for us.
That, my friends, is a habit that, I have to say, I kind of still miss. Baby steps, fam. Baby steps.
Variations
- If you avoid potatoes, try cauliflower florets in place of the diced potatoes. You can even try celery root!
- Try ground chicken in place of the pork, if you prefer or don’t eat pork.
- If you’re allergic to coconut or are worried it might have a “coconutty” flavor, swap the coconut milk out for cashew cream. Combine 1 cup raw cashews with 3/4 cup water in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
Tips
- Don’t overcook the soup after you’ve added the kale. You want it bright green and just wilted.
- Make a big batch of this Whole30 healthy Zuppa Toscana on Sunday and eat it all week. Comfiest meal prep ever!
- Leave out the extra 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes in the soup if you’re sensitive to heat.
How to make this Whole30 healthy Zuppa Toscana:
Make your Italian sausage: combine all ingredients and mix well with your hands. Alternately, simply pour all ingredients into a large pot and mix with a spoon while browning. Brown the sausage in a large heavy-bottomed pot, preferably a Dutch oven, breaking up with a spoon or spatula. Remove from pot, drain, and set aside.
Fry bacon until crisp and remove with a slotted spoon. Don’t get rid of bacon grease! Stir in the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil about 10-15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Reduce the heat to medium and add coconut milk and sausage; stir until smooth. Add in kale and bacon and cook until kale is bright green and just wilted.
Serve!
Other recipes you’ll love:
- Whole30 Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla-Less Soup
- Cheesy Vegan Broccoli Soup (Whole30)
- Bruschetta Chicken (Whole30, Paleo, Low Carb)
Did you make and love this recipe? Give your review below! 👇 And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
A rich, creamy, filling Zuppa Toscana that's healthy and Whole30. With tender potatoes, kale, easy homemade Italian sausage, and bacon, this Whole30 soup recipe is loaded with flavor and the perfect one-pot meal.
Ingredients
- 4 slices Whole30-compliant bacon cut into about 1/2" pieces
- 1 pound Italian sausage made from below recipe or storebought
- 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 medium yellow potatoes about 1 pound 3 ounces, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced, about 4 cloves
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 bunch kale stems removed and leaves chopped, 4 cups
- 1 can coconut milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Whole30 Italian Sausage
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley or 2 teaspoons dried
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed optional
- pinch dried oregano
- pinch dried thyme
Instructions
If making Italian sausage: combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Alternately, combine all ingredients in the saucepan and stir well when browning.
- In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed medium pot over medium heat, add Italian sausage and sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes over. Use a spoon to break up the pieces. When browned and cooked through, drain and set aside.
- Cook the bacon pieces in the same Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 5-10 minutes. Remove the crisp bacon and set aside - don't get rid of the bacon fat! Stir in the onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the chicken broth into the Dutch oven with the onions and garlic, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, and boil until fork tender, about 10-20 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the coconut milk and the cooked sausage; heat through. Add the bacon and the kale into the soup just before serving and cook 'til the kale is bright green and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Recipe Video
This recipe was originally published in January 2017 but was updated with step-by-step photos, video, and tips August 2018.
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I LOVE this recipe. I tell everyone I know about it because I am beyond obsessed. Can I ask where the Saturated Fat comes from? Is that the Italian sausage?
I adore this soup! I’ve found a few different versions online but this is my favorite. I used to buy italian sausage but it’s SO much better when I make it myself as in this recipe. I like to make it Sunday and eat it all week. Thank you!!
Is it chicken broth or stock ?
Either works. 🙂
Family favorite here! LOVE this soup- I’ve made it many times and everyone raves about it!
Thanks, this is tasty! I substituted cauliflower cream (cauliflower cooked in broth and blended) for the coconut cream. It worked to thicken the soup and added another vegetable.
This soup is delicious and hearty! I was a little concerned with the coconut milk but you cannot even taste it. I substituted spinach for kale and made the pork sausage. You wouldn’t know this is Whole30 and I will be making this again!
I toss the cooled ground meat with a bit of arrowroot powder before placing back into pot to thicken it up a bit – really helps me feel more satisfied as it seems creamier, more rich.
I love this recipe! I have made this soup three or four times and it is delicious and hearty! I’m not big on soup as a meal because I am often hungry afterwards, but this fills me up. I have never made it with the bacon, and often sub chicken sausage or half chicken, half pork, and it always comes out delicious.
Once I added the coconut milk into this I just knew I was going to regret it. I do not like savory coconut dishes (though I adore coconut in sweets and bake with coconut oil all the time!). Once I ate this, I was pleasantly surprised! Adding extra black pepper and red pepper flakes masks the coconut flavor a bit but even with the coconut flavor, it was still delicious! If you aren’t whole30/paleo/dairy sensitive I’d probably go ahead and use cream. But overall, this is definitely a 5 star recipe. Only change I made was that I subbed the Italian sausage for homemade Italian venison/wild hog because that’s what I had on hand. I’ll definitely share this recipe and make it again! In fact, I’m making it again right now for a whole30 family with a sick mom!
Does this call for canned coconut milk or the coconut milk that comes in a carton?
Canned!
Made this for a potluck at work and everyone loved it. I doubled the recipe and made the pork sausage. The spices gave it an amazing flavor. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for the kind words!
This soup is awesome and so easy to make. I used ground turkey instead of pork. It was delicious and my family enjoyed it too. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
Thanks for the kind words!
Hi! Excited to make this, but wondering if it freezes well or if I can halve the recipe? I will be the only one eating so I don’t want any to go to waste! If it freezes well-I will make the full recipe.
It definitely freezes well!
I LOVE this recipe. It doesn’t even feel like I’m eating a Whole30 meal 🙂 I added mushrooms too- just because!
How about flax milk instead of coconut milk? Would that work?
Absolutely!
My husband and I LOVE this soup. I just found out I’m sensitive to coconut and my husband is allergic to cashews. Has anyone tried this with almond milk? I know it won’t be as thick, but curious how it cooks and tastes. Any other alternatives?
I did it with almond milk one time and it was still great 🙂
Absolutely amazing! I love this soup! I make a batch almost every week. Makes great breakfast, lunch or dinner. Always a hit at work for good days & it’s requested are family gatherings! I use frozen spinach most of the time instead of kale (just easy)
This was delicious! I’ve been trying to follow whole30 and this is hands down the best recipe I’ve tried so far. Will make again even if I’m not following whole30. Thank you!
Delicious, satisfying, and easy to make.
Just made this soup and it is delicious!! Thank you for posting.
This is my go-to soup. We eat kosher in our house so I omit the bacon and use Italian Chicken Sausage. I love that I can make this soup in huge batches and all my friends, even with weird allergies, can eat it with no issues.
Thanks for a wonderful recipe!
Seriously delicious. Thank you, Cheryl!
we made it with cauliflower instead of potatoes we also used Turkey Italian sausage with uncured bacon, it very delicious.