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Are you out of heavy cream, or maybe you’re just looking for a good dairy free Zuppa Toscana recipe that is easy to make? Look no further, since this recipe is exactly what you need!
What is zuppa toscana?
Zuppa Toscana, which translates to Tuscan Soup is a Mediterranean-inspired soup originally from Tuscany, that is traditionally made with ingredients like vegetables, beans, potatoes, olive oil, spices, Italian bacon, and served with Tuscan bread.
This soup can be found in many restaurants, like Olive Garden or some of your favorite Italian restaurants worldwide.
This is a super delicious and effortless meal to make and a real crowd pleaser that is perfect for cold days.
Today, I’m sharing a dairy-free, keto version of this soup that uses no potatoes, no heavy cream, and no cheese, unlike the original Zuppa Toscana recipe! It’s the perfect type of healthy soup to make
This Tuscan soup recipe is made simply with rich Italian sausage, kale, and Mediterranean herbs. The soup represents comfort food at its best. It is bursting in flavors and the best thing is that is 100% dairy free all made in an instant pot too!
Ingredients for zuppa Toscana
Olive oil – Since this is a dairy-free recipe, I used olive oil instead of heavy cream in the soup. The oil adds some fat to any nondairy soup. If you want a more creamy dairy-free soup, you can go ahead and add 1 part oil and 2 parts plant-based milk as a heavy cream substitute.
Bacon slices – Bacon is a meat cut that is responsible for adding a whole lot of flavor to this soup.
Celery root – Celery roots were used as a potato substitute in this soup since this recipe is dairy-free and keto friendly. You can also use peeled and cubed turnips here. And if you’re not keto and trying to mimic the original soup, you can use peeled and cubed potatoes.
Smoked Italian sausage – The standard type of sausage used in Zuppa Toscana soup is Spicy Italian Sausage. Use this if you have it, but I enjoy smoked sausage in this recipe. You can also use bulk Italian sausage for this soup, just remove the casing.
Garlic – Freshly minced garlic cloves add some more flavor to the dish.
Carrots – Use to make the soup more hearty.
Beef broth – I used beef broth, but you can use chicken or vegetable broth if you choose to.
Italian herbs – To add those lovely Italian flavors to the dish.
Red pepper flakes – I used pepper flakes to add a nice warmth to the dish, but also to make up for not using spicy Italian sausage. You can also use other spices for Zuppa Toscana like chili powder if you prefer as well.
Kale – Kale is the star of this soup, but other greens can be used, like collard greens, spinach, etc.
Salt and pepper, to taste – Helps to bring the entire soup together.
Variations for nondairy Zuppa Toscana soup
- Meatless Zuppa Toscana – Get rid of the bacon and Italian sausage and replace these with Beyond Meat Italian Sausage.
- Add dairy-free milk for a creamier soup – This soup isn’t creamy. If you want to make it so, replace 1 cup of the beef broth with ⅓ cup of vegetable oil and ⅔ cup of plant-based milk like unsweetened almond milk.
- Add varied vegetables – Besides carrots, celery roots, and kale, you can use potatoes, turnips, spinach, etc.
How to make dairy free Zuppa Toscana soup
Gather all your ingredients in one place. Then select Saute on your Instant Pot.
Add oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, and bacon to the Instant pot and cook for 2 minutes.
Remove the bacon from the Instant Pot and add sausages. Cook for 4 minutes.
Pour in the beef broth and the oil and scrape any browned bits.
Once again, place the bacon into the pot, followed by the carrots and chopped celery root.
Select the Manual and set it to High Pressure.
Set the timer to 5 minutes.
Perform a quick pressure release once the cooking cycle is done.
Open the lid and select Saute. Then add the kale and simmer for 3 minutes.
Serve this quick and easy Zuppa Toscana made with a heavy cream substitute warm!
What to serve with Zuppa Toscana
Storing and freezing dairy-free Toscana soup
To store: Let the soup cool, then pour it into an air-tight container and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze: Let the soup cool, pour it into a ziplock bag, lay flat, and freeze. Once frozen it can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Place the leftover Zuppa Toscana soup into a saucepan on low heat and simmer until warm, then serve.
Grilled Stuffed Peppers
These yummy grilled stuffed peppers made with basmati rice and ground beef make the perfect fun snack, or easy dinner or lunch idea. Made with simple ingredients, you can never go wrong with a recipe as delicious and easy as this one!
Ingredients
- 2 green bell peppers
- 0.25lb. ground beef
- ¼ cup cooked Basmati rice or any rice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp paprika powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella
- ¼ cup tomato sauce
Instructions
- To start, gather all of your ingredients in one place.
- Next, preheat the grill to medium. Also, at this point, go ahead and cut the bell pepper tops and chop those tops.
- Heat some oil in a skillet and cook the ground beef and peppers along with your spices for 6-7 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato sauce and add the rice making sure to stir to combine. Then simmer for 1 minute.
- Next, stuff the peppers with the mixture and place the peppers on the grill grates, on indirect heat and cover either with a grill lid or aluminum foil.
- Grill the peppers for 30 minutes. Top the peppers with cheese and grill until the cheese is melted.
- You should serve these delicious grilled stuffed peppers warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 6.9gSaturated Fat: 3.2gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 288mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1.5gSugar: 3.3gProtein: 22.4g
