This Low Carb Zuppa Toscano Soup is everything you love about the traditional Olive Garden soup, but low on carbs and full on flavor!
Low Carb Zuppa Toscano Soup
This soup is filled with zesty Italian Sausage, crispy bacon, kale and tender cauliflower florets all in a creamy broth.
You guys, lately I’ve become obsessed with kale. I know I’m super behind on the trends, because kale was super popular a couple years ago, but lately it’s been finding it’s way into all of my dishes!
Mostly in part to the fact that I’ve been trying to eat on this low carb, keto friendly diet in preparation for my trip to Hawaii. Kale is just a great green vegetable that is similar to spinach and perfect for when you’re getting tired of spinach…
Just sayin…
As the weeks have gone on with this low carb diet, I have been missing things like potatoes. I think of all the carbs, potatoes are my weakness. Cauliflower is a great substitution for potatoes in a low carb diet. While they don’t hold the same starchiness, they still give you that feeling of comfort that you’re used to with potatoes.
This soup is so quick and easy to make too, which is always a bonus. The cauliflower actually cooks much faster than potatoes, so this low carb version is much quicker to make than the original copycat version from Olive Garden.
Cauliflower Zuppa Toscano
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s all made in just one pot. I mean, it’s as soup… so that makes sense, but I still love it. There is nothing more comforting than a delicious soup recipe on a cool Fall evening, am I right?
My kids LOVED this delicious soup recipe. They went back for seconds, and so did I!
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Low Carb Zuppa Toscana Soup
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground Italian sausage
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 5 cups cauliflower florets, medium sized head of cauliflower
- 1 1/2 cups chopped kale
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper
- pinch of red pepper flakes
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or stock pot brown the sausage until crumbled and cooked through. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
- Turn the pot to medium high heat and add the bacon, cooking until fat is rendered and bacon begins to crisp. Add the onion and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the sausage to the pot and pour in the chicken broth, water and cauliflower florets. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is fork tender.
- Stir in the kale and let cook an additional 2 minutes until softened slightly. Finally stir in the heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste and the red pepper flakes. Simmer for 2 more minutes until heated through. Enjoy with fresh parmesan on top.
That looks amazing!
Food is not just about what we taste in our mouths and how it fills our bellies. It also fills our souls. Whether they are family, friends, or strangers who we meet during our travels, food connects us to people, and to memories.
Thank you for sharing your dish food!
Amazingly Delicious. Since I am O blood type I needed to substitute Broccoli for the Cauliflower and turkey bacon and turkey Italian flavored sausage for the 2 meat items. It was quick and simple to make! I wondered as I made it how such ordinary ingredients were going to taste anything but boring. I was very surprised at the result.
So glad you enjoyed the soup Deb!
Can I use frozen cauliflower instead?
Yeah, that will work too!
I know this comment is almost five years old but I have to know… why does your blood type determine these substitutions? So genuinely curious because I’m also O lol
I made this tonight. It is delicious
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Shelly!
Any recommendations for using something other than cauliflower? Not big on cooked cauliflower.
You can use potatoes, which is the traditional way this soup is made. If you’re trying to keep it low carb still you could try using broccoli in it’s place?
Can’t wait to make this recipe for my family
I substituted the sausage with a rotisserie chicken from Sams Club. I diced it up in small pieces. I also just Real Bacon Bits. It turned out fantastic. This simple modifications made for a super easy recipe be even easier.
Great idea with the chicken in there! YUM!
Wondering if you could use coconut milk or another substitute for the heavy cream?…
Coconut milk would change the flavor of the soup, but if you’re looking for a dairy free substitution you could try that or maybe even almond milk? Hope that helps!
Can you use hot Italian sausage or just regular
Definitely! Would be great!
Nutritional Values
6 servings.
Cal. 375
Fat 30
Carbs 10
Fiber 2
Sugar 4.5
Protein 15
Cholesterol 98
Sodium 1375 – would be much lower if you use the reduced sodium Chicken broth
Potassium 265
Vit A 45
Vit C 55
Calcium 8
Iron 8
These will range a little depending on the exact brands of sausage and bacon you use. Does not include the cheese as that is added as desired. But this gives you a general idea of the content.
All ready added cream can I still freeze it
It was Delicios
Very yummy, thanks for the recipe! I had cooked bacon and then cooked pork sausage in the bacon fat ahead of time, so I just sauteed the onions in butter for the soup and added the meat once the onions were done. Either way, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of flavor without a ton of seasoning added! I also used 6 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Great Keto recipe find!! Even my picky husband liked it!
So glad you enjoyed it Amy! 🙂
The Atkins diet can make you lose weight but is extremely unhealthy as well. My father actually tried this diet, lost 20 pounds, and gained 25 pounds back when he began to eat regularly. This was the same for several other people I know. People who are lean eat well-balanced diets because they are listening to their bodies and fill their stomachs with a large variety of foods, fulfilling all of their bodies needs.
This is delicious. I plugged the recipe in to myfitnesspal.com…10 servings – 2.5 net carbs per serving.
Made this soup last night, and the whole family loved it!! I’ve had the original at Olive Garden, and this was a perfect switch, all the flavor minus the carbs. New favorite, and so good for a low carb meal!!!
It boils my bottom when someone makes a claim such as, “low carb” or, “Keto friendly” and then gives you no nutritional information!
It boils my bottom when someone makes a claim such as, “low carb” or, “Keto friendly” and then gives you no nutritional information!
Easy enough to figure out if you are on Keto or low carb. She posts the recipes. Do the math. Or don’t and move on. No need to be snippy.
How can I find all the nutritional info for this recipe. It sounds great but I can’t use it without the macro nutritional info. Please provide. Thanks
Out of curiosity, what is a serving size? And how many net carbs per serving?
Can you comment on the sodium content? I have an elderly mother who loves soup but can’t have so much salt
I am on that road to dieting and low carb seems to be working for me…..how about listing carbs with your recipes…much appreciated, thanks, Dee
This soup is SO. GOOD. easy, cheap, and filling! Made it last night and already suggested it to six people.
Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed it, and THANK YOU for the recommendations! 🙂
Tried this tonight and it was AWESOME. Even the picky eater in the house loved it. Will definitely make this again. Glad there is extra for lunch this week.
Awesome! So glad you guys enjoyed it!
I love this soup! I’ve always made it and ate it, but we’re going on a RV trip and I’d like to make it and take it. Do you think it will freeze, or will it get nasty and separate?
If it were me, I’d freeze without the cream and add it when reheating.
WOW! Thank you so much!
Delicious
So glad you enjoyed it Cheryl! Thanks for commenting!
I LOVE this soup and always make it with hot Italian sausage. It is SO flavorful and tastes even better the more you warm it up.
Love that pot and the soup looks amazing!
Thanks Allyson!
Is the nutritional information somewhere? Thanks