Healthy Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa Toscana is a hearty Italian soup that's perfect for cozying up with. Typically made with heavier ingredients, this healthy zuppa toscana is a lightened up version of the classic with every bit as much flavor as you'd expect from this rustic soup. Filling enough to serve as a meal and it even freezes well you can meal prep ahead.
Ingredients
- 3 nitrate free pork sausage links removed from casings & crumbled
- 32 oz bone broth
- 1 tablespoon garlic infused olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more if you like heat
- 3 medium red potatoes diced
- 2 cups kale
- 1 cup oat milk or milk of choice
- 2 oz pancetta
- ½ cup parmesan or pecorino cheese
Instructions
- Brown the sausage. In a dutch oven or stock pot, brown the sausage crumbles over medium high heat, approximately 3 minutes.
- Build the soup base. Add the broth, herbs & spices, garlic infused olive oil and diced potatoes to the pot, reducing the heat to medium low. Allow soup to simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add kale & brown pancetta. After 30 minutes, add the kale to the soup and stir gently to combine. Allow soup to simmer for another 10 minutes; while doing this, brown the pancetta in a pan over medium heat on the stove top & add to the soup base once finished.
- Add in the milk & serve. Once the pancetta has been added, remove from the heat and stir in oat milk. You'll also need to remove the bay leaves during this step. Ladle soup into bowls, top with fresh grated parmesan and parsley and enjoy.
Notes
Can I make this Zuppa Toscana in the crock pot?
If you'd prefer to make this healthy zuppa toscana in the crock pot, you'll want to still follow step 1 of browning the nitrate free sausage. Once that's complete, you'll add all ingredients except for the oat milk, pancetta, parmesan and fresh parsley to the basin of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8. Once the cooking time has ended just before serving you will add in the oat milk and browned pancetta, topping the soup with parmesan and parsley if desired.What if I want to make vegetarian Zuppa Toscana?
If you'd prefer a vegetarian Zuppa Toscana, simply omit the sausage and pancetta. Use vegetable broth in place of animal based broths. To make it vegan, simply omit topping with parmesan cheese.Why should I use nitrate free sausage?
Nitrates are preservatives often found in meats like hot dogs, bacon and sausage. They are difficult to digest and rough on our guts so if you're looking for a healthy way to enjoy sausage in soups, this is your best bet.Can You Freeze Zuppa Toscana Soup?
You can freeze Zuppa Toscana and I recommend doing so with these great soup containers meant for the freezer. Simply pour or ladle your leftover soup into the cube and cover. Zuppa Toscana will keep in the freezer for up to one month for ultimate freshness.How do I store Zuppa Toscana in the fridge?
If I know we will finish the whole pot of soup in a day or two, I keep my Zuppa Toscana in the dutch oven it cooked in with the lid on in the fridge. If it's meant to last, I recommend adding it to an airtight glass container and storing for up to 5 days. Tried this recipe?Mention @prettydeliciouslife or tag #PDLrecipes!