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!
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Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Whole30, Paleo, Dairy Free)
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.
Chef’s 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.
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)
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Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 4 slices Whole30-compliant bacon cut into about 1/2″ pieces
- 1 pound Italian sausage made from below recipe or storebought
- ½ 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
- ½ 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
- ¼ 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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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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 three who lives in Memphis, TN.
Katie M says
Can you swap sausage for ground beef?
Cheryl Malik says
Sure!
Ashley Brooks says
This continues to be one of our family favorites! I had to give up dairy last year and stumbled across this gem. Even though I’m able to consume dairy again, I still opt to use the full fat coconut milk, which gives this such a rich and velvety texture! I also add two extra cups of chicken broth and extra kale. We use precooked chicken sausage, and it has always worked really well. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Rhonda Whiddon says
Delicious! I didn’t have kale so I used frozen spinach. So good!
Sally says
What can I sub for the coconut milk? I have a coconut and tree nut allergy.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
You can try unflavored oat milk!
Cat Wallace says
I’ve made this twice already. Once for family, and once for friends. It was a phenomenal hit both times! I made the sausage from scratch and I put a little bit more bacon than the recipe called for because, well who doesn’t love more bacon. Thank you for sharing your recipes with us👍
Laurie says
My husband and I love this soup! Thank you for so many wonderful whole 30 recipes.
Marguerite says
We love this recipe and have been making this regularly for over a year, but just made the homemade sausage for the first time this week! It’s great! We even used this sausage recipe for another meal we’re making today.
M says
I’m not doing Whole 30 but stumbled upon this recipe as I was searching for easy meal prep lunch ideas for pregnancy. This is OUT OF THIS WORLD!! So good. I made it using ground turkey instead of pork and will be eating it for the next 4 days for lunch. The flavors are excellent! Saving this to make again.
Rolland says
Hi there! i’ve made this soup several times and love it – and it’s on the menu this week. I just noticed that your recipe says to save the bacon fat but it’s not used in the recipe. What do we save it for? Thanks!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Hi! We actually just keep it in the pot before adding the onions and garlic. 🙂
Rolland says
Duh! Yeah, thanks. That makes total sense. I probably did that the other times I made it but it’d been a while. Thanks for putting up with my dorky question!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Glad I could help!
Lesley says
Is the nutritional fact per severing(how much is serving) or per recipe?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Yes, per serving. 🙂 We consider a serving size to be around 10-12 ounces. 🙂
Kelli H says
Very good and easy recipe. I added another 4 cups broth but it was still delicious. Also used your recipe for the sausage.
Kate says
Would the original/unflavored Nutpods work in place of the can of coconut milk (and about how many ounces in the can of coconut milk)?
I’m really wanting to try this on my next Whole30!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Sure, that’ll work! Roughly 14.5 ounces of coconut milk. 🙂
Kate says
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to try this!
Randy says
Hi. Love making his soup! Just curious what is the serving size so I can enter it into my tracker?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
A serving size is anywhere between 8-10 ounces! 🙂
Sally says
Will frozen kale work??
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Sure!
Sandy says
Delicious, but beware the “five minute prep” time info. Between chopping garlic and frying/chopping sausage and then frying bacon and dicing onions and cubing potatoes and cleaning and chopping the kale, I was standing at my counter a good half hour at least. Next time will be faster Im sure because I won’t have to reference the recipe as often, but I can’t see prep time ever being five minutes.
Beth Adkins says
This is the BEST soup, hands down! I’ve been making your version of Zuppa Toscana for 2 years now, and no other compares. But I have a question? Can it be frozen? Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe…it has become one of our absolute favorites!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for the awesome words! Yes, this recipe can be frozen. 🙂
Victoria says
Can’t wait to try this! Is there something I could sub for the potatoes to make it lower carb?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
You could try it with some cauliflower!
Robin says
Can you use soymilk?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’ll work!
Jill says
One of our go-to recipes! Absolutely delish and easy to make. I highly recommend making your own sausage using the ingredients listed in the recipe – so worth it!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’s what we like to hear!
Brittany says
Hello, do you think this soup could work as a meal prep? I want to make it today and enjoy it over the next 4 days for lunch. Thoughts?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’ll be great!
MargieD says
Every time I make this soup, I remember how much I LOVE it. This recipe is ON POINT. I’ve shared it with all of my friends. Its quick and easy and SUPER satisfying. Thank you so much for all of your recipes!! I know I can trust that your recipes will be delicious!!! I appreciate that so much!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Glad you like it so much! 🙂
Sarah says
I’ve made this so many times and it always turns out delicious. Highly recommend using the spice combo provided and making your own sausage!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for the awesome review! 🙂
Emma Borho says
Oh my goodness – this soup was amazing! My partner is a fairweather soup fan, and he thought it was fantastic! It’s so hearty and filling. I loved how easy it was to make and the large quantity gave us lots of leftovers. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Stefanie says
You are a food Goddess!!!! This soup is Amazing and easy. I substituted a 12 oz bag of multi colored radishes for the potatoes. I had heard they were a great swap and I found out that its true. They lose the sharpness and hold their firmness.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for sharing your experience. That substitution sounds amazing!
Janet says
Yes, I have also substituted diced daikon radish (the big fat white ones) for the potatoes and my family didn’t even know the difference. I so appreciate your web site! Your recipes are amazing and my whole family enjoys them.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That’s amazing! Thanks for the kind review! 🙂
Johnna Rice says
Made this soup on a Sunday evening for dinner on Monday. So glad I did that because it was DELICIOUS the second day. I didn’t make the sausage from scratch but I follow the recipe to a T. My husband is asking for a repeat. Love that’s it’s dairy free…you would never know.
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Robyn Schmidt says
OMG so easy, filling and delish! We run a wellness accountability coaching business and we had been testing out fall soup recipes to recommend to clients and this one was a huge winner! We immediately texted the recipe to all our clients as the perfect, easy filling meal. Both men and women found it super hearty. . It’s going in the permanent rotation!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for the awesome review!
Brittany says
Made this tonight and it was easy and amazingly delicious! Very filling and perfect for a winter Whole30 meal. Will definitely be making it again 🙂
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
That is great to hear! 🙂
Kristine says
Love this recipe! I try to use homemade bone broth as much as possible and always make the sausage from scratch (sorry I use a different recipe for that though – someday I’ll try this one!). Tonight I added some spinach because I didn’t have enough kale. Just add at very end as it wilts quickly. So good! This is a recipe I come back to again and again and believe me when I say that’s a big deal because I rarely make a recipe a second time. Only the best get repeated!
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Margaret says
A friend made a big batch and shared this with me and it sent me your recipe. This soup is perfection- Such a good flavor and all the warmth of the hearth. I am currently on Weight Watchers so any blues out there: 16sp points per cup 🙁
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Aw, thanks for the kind words!
Erin says
LOVE this recipe- but just realized I’m out of Kale. Has anyone tried with spinach in a pinch?
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Although we have not tried spinach, it should work pretty well as long as it is added towards the end. 🙂
Tamra Hale Litz says
@ERIN I made it the first 2 times with spinach, it was so good I was reluctant to try Kale! Also had to use Oat milk once due to no coconut mild (canned) I do like the coconut milk but think Im trying it today with “lite” coconut milk. I use there-cooked turkey sausage for use and lower fat and skip the bacon.
Tamra Hale Litz says
*pre-cooked turkey sausage from Costco
Christina says
So delicious. I omitted the bacon but added in 2 tbs of butter with the onions as extra fat. Also include some herbs de provence, sage, parm cheese (not whole 30) and dried thyme. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes 🙂
Savannah | 40 Aprons Team says
Wow, that sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing, Christina. 🙂