Keto Zuppa Toscana (Sausage and Kale Soup)
As the winter weather trudges on, I often find myself craving a nice bowl of soup to keep me warm. Unfortunately, if you want a soup that’s actually filling as well as warming, many traditional recipes will rely on ingredients like noodles, rice, and potatoes to make a soup hearty enough to feel like an actual meal. Thankfully, that’s not the case with this keto zuppa toscana recipe!
This low carb soup keeps the kale and Italian sausage from the carb laden restaurant classic, but swaps out the potatoes for cauliflower to keep things keto. A healthy dose of heavy cream adds some extra richness and filling fats, while the bacon and spices make sure that the flavor doesn’t disappoint. Best of all, despite the fancy name, this keto zuppa toscana soup is actually pretty easy to make! All it takes is one pot on the stove.
Keto Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon diced
- 1/2 medium (about 70g) onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound (~454g) bulk Italian sausage
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1.5 cups (~100g) kale roughly chopped, tough stems removed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 small head (250-300g) cauliflower cut into small florets
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Fry Bacon
- In a large pot over medium heat, fry bacon for 8-10 minutes or until crisp. Drain and set aside. Reserve the bacon drippings in the pot.
Brown Sausage and Wilt Kale
- Add the onion and garlic to reserved bacon drippings, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add Italian sausage, Italian seasoning, red pepper, and fennel to pot. Cook for 7-9 minutes, or until sausage is browned and crumbled.
- Add kale, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until just beginning to wilt.
Add Broth and Cauliflower
- Increase heat to medium high. Add broth to pot and bring to a boil.
- Add cauliflower and stir to combine. Continue to boil for 8-10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
Add Cream and Bacon
- Reduce heat to medium. Stir in cream and bacon. Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.
Enjoy!
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I really recommend using bone broth rather than standard chicken broth for this recipe if possible. It ups the flavor and the health profile!
- It's normal for this soup to settle in the fridge, so make sure to give it a stir before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
- The red pepper flakes add just a bit of heat to up the warming factor of this soup. Feel free to up the amount for more kick, or lower it if you're using hot Italian sausage.
Nutrition
