This Whole30 Zuppa Toscana is out of this world! With potatoes, Italian sausage and kale, it tastes just like the Olive Garden equivalent, but it’s healthy!
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Hello, my Whole30 friends! Fall is here! Are you feeling the cooler temperatures yet? Today is the first day I’ve felt compelled to put on a sweater and some closed-toe shoes. I have to admit, I was kind of excited about it. The crisp, fresh air makes me dream about bonfires and hayrides and movie nights curled up by the fireplace.
Unfortunately, all of those things involve non-Whole30-compliant foods. S’mores by the bonfire, caramel apple cider on the hay ride, and popcorn oozing with butter for the movie nights. Sigh…. #Whole30problems.
However, another thing I get excited about when fall rolls around is soup. This Whole30 Zuppa Toscana was out of this world. It tastes just like the Olive Garden equivalent if I do say so myself. And it was a Whoooole lot healthier. Corny pun intended.
If you’re a soup lover like me, check out these beauties: Dairy-Free Whole30 Potato Leek Soup, Paleo and Whole30 Beefy Five Pepper Soup, Paleo and Whole30 Creamy Chicken Tomato Soup, and Paleo and Whole30 Cabbage Beef Soup.
Mmmm. Look at that. It just warms you right up, yeah? But I have a confession to make. I HATE peeling potatoes! (I hate peeling any fruits or veggies, really.)
I used to just avoid potato dishes in general until I realized that it’s really okay to leave the skins on. They add texture, they’re nutrient-rich, and I’ve had no complaints from the kiddos since I started doing it! (And let me tell you, if they don’t like something, they are NOT shy about sharing their opinions.)
Ever since my potato skin epiphany, I’ve been incorporating potatoes into my meals more and more. I love how budget-friendly and filling they are. With four kids, we can use all the help we can get own both of those areas!
Update 8/12/17: I used to buy my beef tallow on Amazon, but they no longer carry my favorite brand at a reasonable price. Almost $24 for one jar after shipping, yikes!! I have since joined Thrive Market, and I’m in love! If you’re not familiar with Thrive Market, it’s an awesome way to buy healthy, organic foods at wholesale prices. They have everything I need and tons of things I now love that I didn’t even know existed. Right now, they are offering a month’s free trial before you have to commit to join for a year plus 25% off your first order, and it’s totally worth it. I saved more on my first two shipments than I paid for my annual membership fee. You should totally give it a try! Here’s my favorite beef tallow on Thrive Market. It’s currently half of Amazon’s price if you buy a few things and qualify for free shipping.
Here’s my Whole30 Zuppa Toscana recipe. Don’t forget to pin it for later!
- 2 tbsp. organic beef tallow
- 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (Use my favorite garlic press to speed things up!)
- 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, or more to taste if you're brave!
- 6 c. chicken broth (homemade, or try this organic free range, lower sodium chicken broth)
- 7 medium red potatoes (about 2.5-3 lbs.), coarsely chopped (and unpeeled, if you choose! 🙂 )
- 5 oz. fresh kale, chopped. Frozen works fine, too.
- 13.5 oz. can full fat coconut milk (My recipe originally called for only 8 oz. of coconut milk. I changed it to the full 13.5 oz. can because it is creamier this way! It does give it the very slightest hint of coconut. If you want to avoid the hint of coconut, lower it to 8 oz.)_
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- In a large stock pot or Dutch Oven, melt the beef tallow. Read my update above on how to get healthy, organic kitchen staples online at reasonable prices.
- Add the Italian sausage and cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes until browned.
- Add the onion, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper.
- Saute 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic.
- Stir for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth and potatoes.
- Bring your soup to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
- Add the kale and coconut milk and simmer an additional 5 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork and kale is tender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
I have more difficulty eating healthily in the fall than in the summer. During summertime, I had droves of fresh veggies to keep me inspired. Now, my Pinterest feed is flooded with pumpkin-spiced delicacies and tailgating finger foods, few of which are Whole30-compliant.
I think my next goal will be to cook up some more super-delicious Whole30-compliant tailgating hors d’oeuvres like these: Sloppy Joe Potato Skins, BLT Potato Skins, Beefy, Creamy Jalapeño Poppers and Spicy Chicken Jalapeño Poppers.
What is your greatest Whole30 struggle this season?
Don’t forget to Pin this Dairy-Free and Whole30 Zuppa Toscana recipe for later!
Some other yummy cool weather soups, stew and chilis you’ll want to check out: Paleo & Whole30 Creamy Chicken Tomato Soup, Paleo and Whole30 Cabbage Beef Soup, Easy 8-Ingredient Paleo and Whole30 Chili, Paleo and Whole30 Spiced Pumpkin Chili, Easy 6-Ingredient Paleo and Whole30 Chicken Stew.
Update 8/12/17:
I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what foods are Whole30-compliant and why some aren’t. I’m so happy to help, but I would definitely recommend reading the Whole30 books if you haven’t already. Knowledge really is power, especially when you’re just trying to make it through the work day and that 3pm chocolate bar craving hits. You’ll know why you’re feeling the way you are and what you can do to squash it.
If you’re like me, a busy working mom with too much to do to sit down and stop everything to read a book, you should definitely check out Amazon’s Audible program. That’s how I found time to read It Starts With Food, by having it read to me. I love, love Audible. I just recently purchased Food Freedom Forever with one of my monthly credits, and it’s another winner so far. I listen to it in the car to and from work and also while I’m cooking and doing chores.
COuld you do this in a slow cooker? Of so, how would you change the recipe?
Sure! You can follow all the directions up to number 6 in a frying pan and then add everything to the slow cooker except for the coconut milk and kale. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add the coconut milk and kale, and cook on high for 20-30 minutes until heated through and the kale is wilted.
I made this soup with my boyfriend last night and we both loved it! We followed all the directions exactly except for adding extra red pepper flakes, which made it hotter than we wanted, but it was still aaaaamazing! I have already shared the recipe with 3 people and added it to my personal recipe collection. Thank you for your food knowledge and for sharing it! Cheers ?
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s one of my favorites! I love everything super-spicy, but we have small children so I always have to factor that in. Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Not sure if I can get beef tallow – what can i substitute it with?
Coconut oil or extra light olive oil will work fine too.
What can I substitute the coconut milk with?
Hi there. You can try almond milk.
The original Nutpods are Whole30 compliant, really creamy like half and half! That’s what I’m going to use when I make this! Cant wait to try it during my current December Whole30!
Loved this! We have a binder of “keeper” recipes in our kitchen and my boyfriend took a bite and said “whoa! I think this is one for the binder!”
I doubled the red pepper flakes and used half a can of coconut milk that I had in the fridge and filled the rest of the can with unsweetened almond milk. Worked perfectly, and was not coconutty at all. I also used homemade chicken stock. It was amazing, Next time, I will be making a double batch!
Great! I’m so glad you like it! I’m definitely with you on doubling the red pepper flakes when the kids aren’t eating with us!
Loved this recipe. Used bacon grease instead of beef tallow, unfortunately not the healthiest option but it was better than butter. Also used fresh kale and whole milk, it was delicious!
Just an option for other people.
It sounds delicious! I’m a dairy-lover at heart.
Can you use fresh kale?
Definitely! It should still only take about 5 minutes for the kale to wilt.
This look really amazing! I am super excited to make this but i live in the Arctic Circle and its pretty hard to find some ingredients. We don’t have frozen kale here but we do have frozen spinach? would that work or will it be weird and soggy haha — thanks!
I don’t think the sogginess will be an issue if you just let it cook long enough to wilt. It is going to have a stronger flavor though. It’s definitely worth a try! Let me know how it works out for you! 🙂
Do you use just the “cream” part of the coconut milk or the whole can?
The whole can. 🙂
What brand of Italian sausage do you use?
I haven’t found any that is compliant.
You can buy some here: https://thesimplegrocer.com/products/no-sugar-italian-ground-sausage?variant=26506064195 or you can make your own. I will try to post this weekend on how to make your own. It’s not difficult at all! 🙂
This soup looks yummy! Suggestions for using an Instant Pot pressure cooker? (My new favorite gadget)
I don’t have one of those yet! It’s definitely on my short list though. From what I’ve read, you should be able to brown the meat, add the potatoes and pressure cook everything and then stir in the coconut milk and kale at the very end. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
My boyfriend made this for me for dinner tonight and OMG it was amazing. I think it’s even better than Olive Garden’s version! We will definitely be making this again. Thank you for sharing!
Can you freeze this soup?
Absolutely! Just let it cool down, and then divide it into smaller sized portions so it can be re-heated quickly.
Have you figured out the nutritional information for this?
Hi. I have posted the nutritional info. It has 293 calories per serving based on 8 servings.
This is one of my favorite soups with heavy cream. I don’t notice the difference by substituting with coconut milk. I love it and so does my hubby. It’s a nice change during our Whole30 and it’s a comfort food :). It’s definitely a keeper! Thanks!!
I’m so glad you like it! It’s one of my favorites too! ☺
Do I need to add any type of milk? I’m dairy free and my daughter has a nut allergy so no coconut milk for her. How can I still make this soup that we both love? Thanks!
You can try it without the coconut milk. It just won’t be as creamy. If there’s milk substitute you both can tolerate, I’d recommend using that in place of the coconut milk with a 1:1 ratio.
This recipe was a hit! Thank you! I used fresh kale and unsweetened almond milk because it was what I had on hand. The flavor was still great!
Yay! I’m glad you liked it! It’s a perfect mid-winter make-you-feel-nice-and-cozy meal! ☺️
Can I use baking potatoes vs red? I just realized that’s all I have?
Sure. They’ll work too.
Made this tonight and it was amazing!!!!!!!! Yummmm!!!!
Yay! So glad you liked it! ☺️
Any idea on the amount of calories per serving?
Hi. I have posted the nutritional info. It has 293 calories per serving based on 8 servings.
Oh my…this is THE most incredible tasting soup ever! And incredibly easy to prepare. Thank you so much for sharing!
Thank you! ☺☺ I love it too!
Tried this tonight, and it was scrumptious! Do you happen to know the calories for one serving?
I am working on adding nutrition facts to all of my recipes. I will try to do this one tonight and let you know when it’s updated.
I only have lite coconut milk or coconut cream which would be better?
I think both would be fine, but I’d just use the lite milk. If you use the coconut cream, I would start with 1 tbsp at a time and see how it tastes.
Amazing recipe!!!! I love the zuppa Toscano soup at olive garden and this tastes way better. I am currently doing my second round of whole 30 and this recipe will become one of my staples.
Thanks for posting!!
So glad you loved it! Way to go on your second Whole30!!!! I love it too. ☺☺
What is the calorie breakdown per serving?
Hi. I have posted the nutritional info. It has 293 calories per serving based on 8 servings.
I’m definitely going to be trying this tomorrow! I think the best part is that the only ingredient I have to buy is the kale. Everything else I have on hand (usually I’d have kale but we ate it all up this week). I’m excited and hope it makes it into our regular rotation because we almost always have everything on hand. I plan to write about converting your recipe into a crock pot recipe if that’s okay with you?
I love this recipe and actually have an Instant Pot version on my to-do list. I think it’s a wonderful idea! Please give a shout out to the original recipe! ☺☺
Oh absolutely 🙂
I ended up just doing this in a pot as a one-pot soup like the original. I used some different meat instead and it turned out great!
So glad you liked it! ☺
So happy I found this recipe and your site! I have made it twice now and I can’t get enough of it! I’ve also shared it with all my friends! Thank you!!!
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you for sharing! ☺️
This was great! Made a ton–next time I will cut the recipe in half since it’s just hubby and me. The kale was quite tough–we only have the tough, curly leaf variety here, so perhaps a more tender variety would work better. Might try with spinach next time.
So glad you liked it! Yes, it does make quite a bit. I usually freeze some for later. You could try cooking the kale a little longer, or spinach would definitely work if you like a softer texture.
Yummy, it looks so yummy and I would like to taste them. I will definitely try to this at home
a.maze.ing. and so quick and easy! I subbed premade aidell’s smoked chicken chorizo sausage that I just chopped up, and subbed sweet potatoes for the red because that’s what I had on hand. Used the whole can of coconut milk. just delicious. between the coconut milk and the chorizo probably a bit more fat/calories than I’m used to in a meal, but hoping the extra fat keeps me full longer and thus away from the snacks and thus a win-win! definitely a keeper!
I’m so happy you liked it! This sounds amazing. I love sweet potatoes, and the extra fat will definitely keep you satiated longer. Thanks for the comment! ☺️