Keto Zuppa Toscana
This Keto Zuppa Toscana is a lighter version of a Tuscan classic! It’s filled with kale, bacon, sausage, and roasted cauliflower immersed in a creamy broth. This nutritious comfort food is a meal you’ll be making again and again.
I’m a huge fan of Zuppa Toscana. I mean, how could you not love a big, comforting bowl loaded with kale, bacon, sausage, and more in a creamy broth?
This Keto Zuppa Toscana is my lightened-up, keto-friendly version simply made with roasted cauliflower in place of the potatoes to keep it keto.
This recipe is so easy to make, a total hit with any crowd, and a soon-to-be go-to recipe for you!
Why You’ll Love Keto Zuppa Toscana
- Delicious for everyone. Even people not following a keto diet love this recipe! It’s hearty and filling, no matter your dietary needs.
- Nutritious. This soup is packed full of healthy ingredients making it the perfect delicious and good-for-you meal.
- Freezes well. Planning to freeze? Simply leave out the cream and store this soup in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Cauliflower – Cut into equal-sized florets for even cooking.
- Olive Oil – You’ll coat the cauliflower in oil before roasting to help it achieve that crisp-tender texture and prevent it from burning.
- Seasonings – We’re keeping it simple with a combination of salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Italian Sausage – Casings removed. I use mild Italian sausage, but feel free to use spicy if that’s what you prefer.
- Bacon – You’ll need 1 package of thick-cut bacon, chopped into equal-sized pieces.
- Onion – I like to use sweet onion, but you can use white or yellow onion too if preferred.
- Chicken Broth – Use your favorite variety!
- Heavy Cream – To add richness and creaminess to the soup.
- Kale – Kale is a classic addition to zuppa toscana. It adds color and texture and soaks up the flavors in the broth perfectly.
How to Make Keto Zuppa Toscana
- Step One: Place the cauliflower florets onto a baking sheet, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then roast at 375ºF in the oven until tender.
- Step Two: In a large skillet, cook the sausage until browned. Drain the fat and set aside. In a large pot, cook the bacon until crispy, then remove and set aside. Save the bacon drippings in the pot.
- Step Three: To the pot with the bacon drippings, add in the onions and sauté until softened. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then add in the chicken broth and cooked sausage. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, then mix in the roasted cauliflower, cooked bacon, and heavy cream. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Step Four: Turn the heat off, stir in the kale, then cover the pot again and let it sit for 20 minutes. Once the kale is wilted, portion into serving bowls, and dig in!
Equipment Needed
These handy tools will help you prepare this recipe.
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What to Serve with Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa toscana is a tasty and hearty meal as-is, but I do love to serve it alongside a number of different sides to round it out even more. Here are some favorites:
- A chunk of crusty bread or garlic bread
- Crackers or croutons
- Air Fryer Asparagus
- Parmesan Roasted Carrots
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Drain the sausage fat. After the sausage is cooked, be sure to drain the excess grease before you add it to the soup. Otherwise, you’ll end up with oily soup!
- Save the bacon drippings. You’ll use the bacon drippings to sauté the onion. It adds so much flavor!
- If you plan to freeze the soup, I recommend leaving out the heavy cream, then adding that once it’s thawed and reheated. Frozen and thawed dairy can separate.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use other veggies. Swap the kale for spinach or add in other keto-friendly veggies. Try bell pepper, green beans, broccoli, diced celery, you name it.
- Make it cheesy. Finish your soup off with a sprinkle of freshly-shaved parmesan cheese.
- Spice it up. Love some extra heat? Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or cayenne to the soup.
Storage Instructions
Leftover zuppa toscana can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Be sure to let it cool completely before transferring it to a container!
To reheat, simply warm it on the stove until heated through! Keep the heat pretty low so as not to burn the soup.
Can this be frozen?
Yes! This soup can be frozen for up to 3 months. Simply let it cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and store.
To enjoy again, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stove.
What is Zuppa Toscana Made Of?
Traditional zuppa toscana is a soup that features kale, zucchini, potatoes, celery, carrot, onion, tomato, and cannellini beans.
This keto version incorporates many of the same ingredients, but features roasted cauliflower instead of potato to keep it consistent with the keto diet.
Is Zuppa Toscana the Same as Italian Wedding Soup?
Yes! Zuppa Toscana and Italian wedding soup are two different terms to describe the same dish—a hearty, flavor-packed, rich and creamy stew!
Keto Recipes
I have a few more Keto recipes on my site that you’ll love!
- Keto Pumpkin Cheesecake – So rich and creamy! Enjoy this easy Keto dessert guilt-free. Each bite is pure pumpkin heaven.
- Keto Cauliflower Ziti – Enjoy all the flavours of hearty Italian meal without the carbs! This Keto casserole is meaty and cheesy.
- Low Carb Chicken Divan – You won’t even miss the carbs! This comforting casserole has a creamy sauce made with chicken, broccoli, cheddar cheese and cauliflower rice.
- Keto Brussels Sprouts Casserole – Cheesy comfort food you can enjoy guilt-free! This delicious Keto casserole is made with tender Brussels Sprouts, bacon and loads of cheese.
You also might enjoy this Ketosis Breath Sensor, Kiss My Keto, Keto subscription boxes for Canadians.
I also wanted to give a big shout out to the Wholesome Yum Keto Meal Planning Subscription. I’ve been a subscriber for a few months and love all the recipes so far. They’ve offered me a discount to give to my readers: use the code SIMPLYSTACIE for 15% off meal plans and ebooks.
Follow me on Instagram @simplystacieblog, Facebook at Simply Stacie, TikTok @simplystacierecipes or Pinterest at @simplystacie and let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.
Keto Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 4 mild Italian sausages casings removed
- 1 package thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 cups kale roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place cauliflower on a baking sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Roast in oven for 35 minutes. Set aside.
- Add sausage to a skillet over medium high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until browned. Drain fat and set aside.
- In a large pot, cook bacon over medium high heat. Remove bacon from pot, but save bacon drippings in the pot.
- Add onions to bacon pot and saute over medium high heat for 4 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, to desired taste.
- Add chicken broth and cooked sausage. Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add roasted cauliflower, cooked bacon and heavy cream. Cook an additional 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in kale. Cover and let soup sit for 20 minutes for the kale to wilt. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Not sure what the amount of bacon was used when you say a package of bacon? 375g?
Yes, I used 375g like this here: https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/maple-leaf-naturally-smoked-bacon/6000187085391
such stunning photography and such an amazing recipe. yumm!