This creamy and hearty Whole30 Zuppa Toscana soup is a copycat version of the popular Olive Garden soup that your whole family will love!
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What is Zuppa Toscana?
Truth be told, the popular Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana is not a traditional Italian soup. The restaurant chain’s beloved Tuscan soup recipe features a heavy cream-infused broth studded with Italian sausage, red pepper flakes, diced white onion, bacon, russet potatoes, and kale.
Recipe Note
Although Zuppa Toscana is delicious, it didn’t originate in Italy. In fact, I think the only way you’ll sample this soup in Tuscany is if an Olive Garden outpost opens up.
Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
After numerous requests from readers, I finally tackled the task of creating a healthier version of this restaurant classic. My Zuppa Toscana recipe is simple, comforting, gluten free, dairy-free, coconut milk-free—and most importantly, DELICIOUS. If you want to make a keto and low carb version, feel free to substitute cauliflower florets for the potatoes and decrease the cooking time accordingly so the florets don’t become too mushy.
Ingredients
- Raw cashews: In place of heavy cream or half and half, I soak raw cashews in boiling water before blending them to make a dairy-free cream. If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute a can of coconut milk but the soup will take on a more coconut-forward flavor.
- Whole30-compatible bacon: Everyone loves crispy bacon bits on top of soup, amirite? Be sure to choose a sugar-free brand if you’re doing a Whole30.
- Bulk Italian sausage: Make sure to buy a Whole30-compatible bulk sausage or make my Italian sausage recipe.
- Onion
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Garlic
- Yellow potatoes: I prefer using yellow Yukon Gold potatoes in place of russet potatoes because they hold their shape better and won’t disintegrate in the soup.
- Chicken broth
- Tuscan kale, stems removed: My favorite type of kale to use in this recipe is Tuscan kale, also known as cavolo nero, lacinato, or black kale. If you don’t want to use kale, you can substitute baby spinach, but make sure to decrease the cooking time.
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon juice: a splash of fresh lemon juice at the end will add brightness and acidity to cut through the richness. No lemon juice? Sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work as well.
How to make Whole30 Zuppa Toscana
Blend the cashew cream
Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water for at least 15 minutes.
Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the drained cashews in a high-powered blender, along with 1 cup of water. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.
You’ll end up with 1¾ cups cashew cream. Set aside or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Fry the bacon bits
Toss the sliced bacon into a large saucepan and cook over medium heat. Slowly render the bacon until the grease is released and the bits get crunchy (about 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer the crunchy bacon bits to a paper towel lined platter and set aside.
Make Zuppa Toscana
Add the Italian sausage to the bacon grease and cook, breaking it up, until it is no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to another plate.
Remove all the oil except for 2 tablespoons. Toss in the chopped onion, along with a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the potatoes and pour in the chicken broth. Increase the heat to high to bring the broth to a boil.
Add the kale to the soup and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer.
Continue simmering the soup until the potatoes are fork-tender and the kale is softened, about 10 minutes.
When the vegetables are ready, return the cooked pork sausage to the Dutch oven.
Pour the cashew cream into the soup and stir well to combine.
Taste for seasoning and some freshly cracked black pepper and add more salt if needed. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed.
Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon bits.
Frequently asked questions
Yes! You can cook the bacon bits on the sauté function and set aside. Toss in the bulk sausage and onions and cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in the garlic, potatoes, broth, and kale and cook under high pressure for 3 minutes. Release the pressure manually and stir in the cashew cream before seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Top with the reserved bacon bits and enjoy!
The leftover soup can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up 4 days or stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Zuppa Toscana (Whole30, Paleo, Gluten Free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 bacon slices cut crosswise into ¼-inch pieces
- 1 pound bulk Italian sausage
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 yukon gold potatoes cut into small cubes (about ½ pound)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bunch Tuscan kale stemmed and finely chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
Make Cashew Cream
- Place the cashews in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water for at least 15 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the drained cashews in a high-powered blender, along with 1 cup of water. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. You’ll end up with 1¾ cups cashew cream. Set aside or keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make Zuppa Toscana
- Toss the sliced bacon into a large saucepan and cook over medium heat. Slowly render the bacon until the grease is released and the bits get crunchy (about 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer the crunchy bacon bits to a paper towel lined platter and set aside.
- Add the Italian sausage to the bacon grease and cook, breaking it up, until it is no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to another plate.
- Remove all the oil except for 2 tablespoons. Toss in the chopped onion, along with a sprinkle of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the potatoes and pour in the chicken broth. Increase the heat to high to bring the broth to a boil.
- Add the kale to the soup and decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Continue simmering the soup until the potatoes are fork-tender and the kale is softened, about 10 minutes.
- When the vegetables are ready, return the cooked pork sausage to the pot.
- Pour the cashew cream into the soup and stir well to combine.
- Taste for seasoning and some freshly cracked black pepper and add more salt if needed. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more lemon juice, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and top with crispy bacon bits. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sounds delicious! I’m allergic to cashews. Any other nut suggestions?
You can use coconut milk/cream in place of the cashews. Almond milk might work as well.
Definitely going to be making the IP version of this recipe. Looks perfect!
I’ve done something similar but with coconut milk instead of blended cashews. Delicious soup 👍🏻
how are you supposed to know how big a serving is? a cup? please tell!
There are 6 servings per batch, roughly a cup or so per serving.
This was so easy and good. The flavor is awesome but I added about a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and it made everything pop!
Thank you so much for this adaptation! Never even been to the olive garden but I’ve been making the regular version (Pioneer Woman blog recipe) with half and half, heavy cream, and potatoes for years. My family and I have always loved it but also found it to be quite rich. My daughter has recently felt like milk might not agree with her and I’m doing a whole30. I’m thrilled that you figured out this version — it’s going to get me through the whole30. I made it with cauliflower instead of potatoes – loved the cashew cream. It was actually better than the regular. We loved it. We recently moved and I haven’t found a good italian sausage so I also made your recipe for that. It was perfect. I’m relying pretty heavily on you so far for my whole30. I followed your air fryer whole chicken recipe yesterday and then made broth for this soup with the carcass. Thank you!!
I just made this soup and I am loving it! I used the hand mixer to mash the potatoes in the broth and then used spinach instead of kale. I winner!!!
This is pure magic! who knew about cashew cream instead of dairy or half and half. I also followed the Italian sausage recipe, and it was delicious. all of it!!
Help! Any idea about how much (weight or volume) a bunch of Tuscan kale is?
2 cups? 4 cups? 1 pound? 1/2 pound? Bunches come in all different sizes. Thanks.
The bunches I buy are a little bit less than a pound.
Just delicious! Husband and I fighting over leftovers this rainy, chilly day. I used store-bought bulk mild Italian sausage. The cashew cream is easy and brilliant for dairy-free folks who don’t want everything tasting like coconut! I’ve never had the Olive Garden’s version, and now I never will!