Healthy Zuppa Toscana with turkey Italian sausage, bacon, kale, yukon gold potatoes, and coconut milk instead of cream. This paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free version of the classic Italian soup recipe is quick and easy to make and powerfully flavorful.
Craving something filling and nourishing yet still healthful? I have just the ticket!
For all those times I’m looking to feel nice and full but want to clean up the ol’ diet, I immediately turn to big bowls of homemade soup.
And this Healthy Zuppa Toscana is just the dandiest!
All the flavors and textures in one hearty, rustic, satisfying soup?
This soup was made for you and me!
If you have never tried Zuppa Toscana, no sweat…I have included everything you need to know about the classic Italian soup in this post, in addition to instructions for preparing it on your Stove Top, in your Slow Cooker, or in your Instant Pot.
BOOM so many options!
What is Zuppa Toscana?:
Zuppa Toscana is a classic soup from Tuscany, and translates literally to “Tuscan soup”. There are many approaches to this dish.
Traditional Zuppa Toscana is classically made with Italian sausage, bacon, onion, kale, potatoes, cream, and sometimes zucchini, cannellini beans, celery, carrots, and/or tomato pulp.
Rustic Tuscan bread is often added into the soup, as well to thicken it up and make it even heartier.
Zuppa Toscana has been popularized by the restaurant chain, Olive Garden, and is well-loved for those of us who adore soup!
In order to make the classic recipe dairy-free and paleo-friendly, we replace the cream with coconut milk and omit the bread.
Does the soup taste like coconut milk? It sure doesn’t!
There is so much flavor from the bacon and Italian sausage that you don’t even notice the swap. So for those of you who don’t enjoy the flavor of coconut milk, don’t fret – it’s undetectable.
I have included instructions on how to prepare this recipe on the stove top, Instant Pot or slow cooker. Choose your favorite cooking method and get your soup on!
How to Make Healthy Zuppa Toscana on the Stove Top:
Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the pot and place on a plate, leaving behind the bacon drippings.
Add the onion, garlic and potatoes to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Scoot the onion and potato off to one side of the stock pot and add the ground turkey sausage. Brown the sausage for 2 minutes, flip and brown on the other side two minutes. Use a spatula to break up the turkey meat and mix everything together well.
Add the remaining ingredients, cover and bring to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil and continue cooking, stirring occasionally for 25 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
Serve soup in big bowls with the crumbled cooked bacon, red pepper flakes (optional) and/or fresh parsley.
Slow Cooker Healthy Zuppa Toscana:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and place on a plate, leaving behind the bacon drippings.
Add the onion, garlic and potatoes to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Scoot the onion and potato off to one side of the stock pot and add the ground turkey sausage. Brown the sausage for 2 minutes, flip and brown on the other side two minutes. Use a spatula to break up the turkey meat and mix everything together well. Transfer everything to your slow cooker and plug it in.
Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well. Secure the lid and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5 to 6 hours.
Serve with cooked bacon on top and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley if desired.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana:
Plug in your Instant Pot and press “Sauté.” Add the chopped bacon and cook until bacon is crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the Instant Pot and place on a plate, leaving behind the bacon drippings.
Add the onion, garlic and potatoes to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Scoot the onion and potato off to one side of the pot and add the ground turkey sausage. Brown the sausage for 2 minutes, flip and brown on the other side two minutes. Use a spatula to break up the turkey meat and mix everything together well.
Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and secure the lid on the Instant Pot. Press Manual and pressure cook on high heat for 20 minutes, with the steam release valve set to Sealing.
Allow the Instant Pot to go into Keep Warm mode for at least 20 minutes after it runs its cycle. Manually release any remaining pressure.
Stir the soup well and serve with the crumbled cooked bacon on top as well as a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley if desired.
Recipe Adaptations:
- To make Low-FODMAP, omit the onion and garlic and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
- Replace the turkey Italian sausage with pork Italian sausage, regular ground turkey, or beef.
- Use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon.
- Add any of your favorite veggies, such as broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, or zucchini
- If you aren’t dairy-free, you can use half & half or cream instead of coconut milk, and serve with grated parmesan on top.
- Add 1 can of cannellini beans.
More Healthy Soup Recipes:
- Italian Wedding Soup with Rice
- Sicilian Meatball Soup with Cabbage
- Instant Pot Sausage and Cabbage Stew
- Rustic Minestrone Soup with Rice and Kale
- Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup
- Instant Pot Steak and Potato Soup
So that’s it! We have three methods for cooking this bangarang Zuppa Toscana with plenty of options to customize it. I hope you enjoy this amazing rustic soup recipe as much as I do!
My cookbook, Paleo Power Bowls, is now available! CLICK HERE to check it out. Thank you for your support!
If you make this recipe, please feel free to share a photo and tag @The.Roasted.Root on Instagram!
Ingredients
- 6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 yukon gold potatoes
- 1 pound turkey Italian sausage
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 15-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 head lacinato, tuscan kale, chopped
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 Tbsp gluten-free all-purpose flour or tapioca flour, optional*
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped bacon. Cook until bacon is crispy. Remove the cooked bacon from the skillet and place on a plate, leaving behind the bacon drippings.
- Add the onion, garlic and potatoes to the pot, stir well, and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Scoot the onion and potato off to one side of the stock pot and add the ground turkey sausage. Brown the sausage for 2 minutes, flip and brown on the other side two minutes. Use a spatula to break up the turkey meat and mix everything together well. Transfer everything to your slow cooker and plug it in.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir well. Secure the lid and cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5 to 6 hours.
- Serve with cooked bacon on top and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes and fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
kim
Monday 28th of February 2022
This is under low fodmap but it contains high fodmaps like onion and garlic?
Julia
Monday 28th of February 2022
Read the Recipe Adaptations section ;)
Sabrina
Tuesday 28th of January 2020
really nice soup, love these ingredients, thank you, especially since I'm kinda tired of my regular soup recipes so much appreciated
Shirley
Monday 27th of January 2020
This would satisfy my Italian, lactose intolerant other half!