Also known as, “Zuppa Toscana”, this sausage kale potato soup is a comforting classic. A homemade take on the Olive Garden recipe with a variety of ways to lighten things up. Make in the Instant Pot, slow cooker or on your stovetop!
Looking for other delicious soups for weeknight dinners? Check out the Healthy White Chicken Chili and Instant Pot Carrot Soup too!
This sausage kale soup is my dairy-free take on Zuppa Toscana, made with crispy bacon, Italian sausage, red potatoes, and a creamy coconut milk broth. It’s ready in about 30 minutes on the stovetop, and you can also make it in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. If you love the Olive Garden version, you’ll get the same nostalgic flavor here, and this one is made Whole30 and paleo friendly too (just be sure to check your broth, sausage, and bacon labels if you’re following either diet).
If you’re looking to make more dietary changes, you can swap in turkey sausage, use cauliflower instead of potatoes for a lower carb bowl, or add gnocchi for a more restaurant-style soup. This sausage soup also freezes well, so it’s a good one for meal prep!
Soup Ingredients
- bacon – pick your favorite.
- italian sausage – use turkey sausage for lighter option.
- yellow onion + garlic – adds so much flavor!
- chicken broth – make sure to check the ingredients if following a Whole30® or paleo diet.
- canned coconut milk – full fat for best flavor or lite works too (see notes). Heavy cream may also be used if not dairy free.
- curly kale – about ½ bunch.
- red potatoes – scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, equal to about 3 cups.
- seasonings – kosher salt, to taste, ground pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
This recipe is the perfect weeknight dinner because it comes together quick and can be made using three different cooking methods: Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on your stovetop!
How to Make Zuppa Toscana at Home
Step 1 – Cook the Meat
In medium-large dutch oven (I used 4qt staub) over medium heat, cook strips of bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, placing on towel lined plate and set aside. In same pot, add Italian sausage, breaking up with wooden spoon to crumble; once browned and cooked through, drain fat and transfer sausage to heat proof bowl.
Step 2 – Cook Onion and Garlic
In same pot, add in chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 5 minutes or so. (Add ½ tsp of olive oil as needed if you’ve drained all of fat from pot)
Step 3 – Add Broth + Cook Potatoes
Add in broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Step 4 – Add Milk + Rest of Ingredients
Add in coconut milk, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, sausage and kale.
Step 5 – Cook until warmed through
Stir until combined and cook uncovered over medium heat, another 5 minutes, until kale has wilted.
Serve and garnish
Feel free to garnish with chopped bacon and more red pepper flakes as desired, enjoy!
Slow Cooker Method
To make in the slow cooker, the recipe is the same, you just have to adjust the steps slightly. You’ll follow the same directions as the stovetop, up until Step 2.
Then place potatoes, broth, salt and pepper, seasonings and sausage into the slow cooker. Cook on high about three hours, until the potatoes are soft. Once the potatoes have cooked through then you’ll stir in the coconut milk and kale and let the kale wilt for about 10 minutes.
Serve and garnish with the chopped bacon.
Instant Pot Method
This sausage kale soup is a great Instant Pot recipe too! Everything can be made right in your pressure cooker pot. Once you get to Step 3, also add in the salt and pepper, seasonings and sausage.
Select the “manual” setting and “high” on your pressure cooker, then timer for 5 minutes. Once done, quick release the pressure and stir in coconut milk plus kale. Allow kale to wilt, about 5 minutes then serve with the chopped bacon.
Recipe Modifications
This recipe is really easy to modify to use what you have on hand or meet specific dietary needs.
If you want a low carbs or keto options you can substitute cauliflower for the potatoes. This works well with a frozen bag or two of florets or a whole fresh head chopped.
Another options which is nice to keep on hand in the pantry are gnocchi. You can get lots of different types of gnocchi like potato or even cauliflower. Gnocchi will give this soup more of an authentic Olive Garden feel.
To make a richer soup, use just the cream from the coconut milk (versus the entire can).
What to Serve with Sausage Kale Soup
This soup is hearty on its own, so you don’t need much to round out the meal. A simple side salad or a baguette works great. If I had to pick a salad to go with this soup, here are my recommendations:
Let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Sausage Kale Soup
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, use turkey sausage for lighter option
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups)
- 1 (14 ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, lite works too
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups chopped curly kale, about ½ bunch
Instructions
- In medium-large dutch oven (I used 4 quart staub) over medium heat, cook strips of bacon until crispy. Remove bacon, placing on towel lined plate and set aside. In same pot, add Italian sausage, breaking up with wooden spoon to crumble; once browned and cooked through, drain fat and transfer sausage to heat proof bowl.
- In same pot, add in chopped onion and minced garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 5 minutes or so. (Add ½ tsp of olive oil as needed if you’ve drained all of fat from pot)
- Add in broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low-medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Add in coconut milk, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, sausage and kale. Stir until combined and cook uncovered over medium heat, another 5 minutes, until kale has wilted.
- Serve and garnish with chopped bacon and more red pepper flakes as desired, enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
How to Freeze Soup + Reheat
Freeze before adding coconut milk. For the best flavor and consistency, I would suggest freezing a portion of this soup before adding coconut milk.
The best containers to use for freezing. There are a few great options to use when storing the soup in your freezer. These containers are great for stacking in a freezer with more space or stasher bags can be more compact and individual servings.
Be sure to label containers. Write the type of soup and date that it was frozen. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw and reheat. You can thaw soup in the fridge for 1-2 days or by submerging the container in warm water. Once the soup is thawed you can place it in a pan to warm on the stovetop or a microwave-safe container.
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