Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Recipe (2024)

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The Olive Garden classic Zuppa Toscana recipe remade to be dairy free and Whole30 compliant. This creamy soup relies on nutrient dense cauliflower and cashews for it’s creamy base, but is loaded with the classic flavors and textures of the original sausage, kale and potato soup!

Contents

A Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Recipe

This recipe has been photographed 4 times now! It’s so good, I keep wanting to improve how it looks.

The first time I ever made this soup, it was -14 F outside, and the snow was falling so hard that I had no light left once the pot was ready to photograph.

I’ve served this soup at large gatherings, and while no one can quite guess what the base is made of, there’s a concensus that this version is better than the cream-based version.

My secret: cauliflower cashew cream.

Super easy to make. Soak cashews overnight, and drain. If you don’t have time for this step, simply soak them for an hour in very hot water.

Steam cauliflower, and then puree in a blender with the cashews until a very smooth cream sauce is formed. This cauliflower cashew cream is a perfect base to make any cream-based soup healthier.

Sausage, Potatoes and Kale

The main ingredients in this soup are sausage, potatoes and kale = winter soup heaven!

These are all healthy ingredients in themselves. What makes the restaurant version of this so high calorie is the fat laden cream base.

I lighten this version up by using chicken sausage, but if you prefer pork sausage, go with that.

If you’re wanting to make this soup Whole30 compliant, be careful about the sausage that you choose. I buy mine from Whole Foods — simple ingredients, just sausage, spices and sea salt. Plus, it has so much flavor.

I adore kale in soups because it’s such a hearty green. It maintains a somewhat firm texture, even after being cooked down for quite a while.

Tips forCreamy Sausage Potato Kale Soup

  • The flavor of this soup comes primarily from the chicken sausage– so you need to use a good sausage that you enjoy. I’ve been making this with Whole Food’s Italian chicken sausage (from the meat counter), and it’s amazing.
  • Abowl of the Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana packs in a total of 1100 calories! Yikes. And that’s a “starter”? This soup comes in at 300 calories for a large bowl, and is packed with protein, vitamins A and C, calcium and iron.

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Recipe (8)

Whole30 Zuppa Toscana

An Olive Garden copycat version of Zuppa Toscana. This dreamy smooth soup is made with a blend of cauliflower and cashews instead of dairy, upping the nutrient content and keeping it light. It's the perfect winter soup to warm up to.

5 from 3 votes

Print Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 256kcal

Author: Michelle Miller

Ingredients

  • 6 cups cauliflower roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup cashews soaked overnight, drained
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound Italian chicken sausage or sub pork
  • 6 cups water or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable bouillon omit if using chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 bunch kale lacinato or curly kale
  • sea salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Soak cashews overnight, and drain when ready to use. If there isn't time for this step, soak cashews in boiling water for an hour.

  • Steam cauliflower over medium to medium high heat for 15 minutes.

  • Add steamed cauliflower and cashews to a blender with 1/2 cup water. Process until mixture is very smooth and creamy, about 1 minute in a Vitamix or similar blender, or 2-3 minutes in a standard blender.

  • In a soup pot, add olive oil, and chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat until onions are softened, but do not brown the onions (it turns the creamy white base brown).

  • Add sausage, and continue to sauté until sausage starts to brown, about 5-7 more minutes.

  • Add water and vegetable bouillon or chicken broth.

  • Add peeled potatoes, cut into diced sized cubes. Bring to a boil, and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes.

  • Destem the kale, and add to cook for the last 5 or 10 minutes.

  • Mix in the cauliflower cashew cream. Season with sea salt and pepper, if necessary. The sausage adds a lot of flavor so additional seasonings aren't necessary.

Video

Notes

Any sausage will work in this recipe. I love Whole Foods ground chicken sausage because it isn't packed with sodium, and has no weird ingredients- just organic chicken and spices.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 637mg | Potassium: 744mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1825IU | Vitamin C: 69.7mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 4.4mg

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Other Whole30 SoupRecipes:

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Whole30 Zuppa Toscana Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How many carbs in a bowl of zuppa Toscana? ›

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup (1 Serving) contains 15g total carbs, 13g net carbs, 15g fat, 7g protein, and 220 calories.

What is Zuppa Toscana made of? ›

It is a creamy soup made with Italian sausage, bacon, tender potatoes, garlic, and kale. It is rich, hearty, and flavorful. No wonder it is so popular.

Do they eat zuppa Toscana in Italy? ›

Zuppa toscana ( lit. 'Tuscan soup'), also known in Italy as minestra di pane ( lit. 'bread soup'), is a soup from the region of Tuscany, northern Italy. While there are many variations of zuppa toscana, its classic ingredients are cannellini beans, potatoes, and kale.

What is Zuppa? ›

The word zuppa ( lit. 'soup') in Italian cuisine refers to both sweet and savory dishes. It has a derivative in the verb inzuppare, which means 'to dunk'; as the sponge cake or ladyfingers are dipped in liqueur, the dish is called zuppa.

How many carbs are in Zuppa Toscana soup at Olive Garden? ›

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana (1 serving) contains 15g total carbs, 13g net carbs, 15g fat, 7g protein, and 220 calories.

What does Zuppa Toscana mean in English? ›

Zuppa Toscana means “Tuscan Soup” in Italian. However, the classic tuscan soup is usually made with veggies (like zucchini, celery, carrots), kale, potatoes, cannellini beans, tomato sauce, pancetta and toasted bread.

What is the most popular soup at Olive Garden? ›

Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copycat (VIDEO) Zuppa Toscana is Olive Garden's most popular soup. This one-pot, homemade Zuppa Toscana recipe is hearty and loaded with Italian sausage, kale, bacon and potatoes.

What is the best healthy soup at Olive Garden? ›

Minestrone soup

Olive Garden has a few choices for its unlimited soups and its minestrone is one of the healthiest.

What is the most famous soup in Italy? ›

Minestrone is a classic Italian soup known worldwide as one of the best Italian soups. It's got a flavorful broth and a variety of slow-cooked vegetables like potatoes, peas, and carrots. Adding Italian sausage gives it a kick of flavor and a shot of protein, so it's a complete meal all by itself.

Why is it called Zuppa Toscana? ›

Zuppa Toscana is Italian and literally translates to Tuscan Soup. In Italy it's more specifically called Minestra di Pane, which means Bread Soup. The classic version is filled with cannellini beans, kale, zucchini, some chile powder, Italian bacon (called rigatino), tomatoes or tomato pulp, and Tuscan bread.

How long is zuppa Toscana good for in the fridge? ›

Zuppa Toscana Soup storage

Once prepared and then safely stored, Zuppa Toscana Soup stays fresh for 3-4 days in the fridge, but we find this soup to be best the same day it's made. To reheat the soup, add to a pot over low heat.

What to eat with zuppa Toscana soup? ›

The best side dishes to serve with Zuppa Toscana are cornbread, green beans almondine, scalloped potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, potato skins, rosemary bread, strawberry walnut salad, steamed asparagus, blooming onion, garlic knots, caprese salad, fried zucchini sticks, and prosciutto-wrapped melon.

What is a serving size of zuppa Toscana soup? ›

Zuppa Toscana - 1 bowl (2 cups)

How many carbs in a bowl of Italian wedding soup? ›

Italian Wedding Soup (1 cup) contains 15.8g total carbs, 14.1g net carbs, 7.3g fat, 14g protein, and 188 calories.

How many carbs in a bowl of Olive Garden soup? ›

Each bowl of Zuppa Toscana soup from the Olive Garden has 170 calories. The total amounts to 8.5 percent of your daily intake if you eat 2,000 calories a day. The soup also has 4 g of fat, 960 mg of sodium and 24 g of carbohydrates.

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