Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Dairy-free + High-Fiber)

healthy zuppa toscana soup recipe on ladle.

Healthy Zuppa Toscana (Dairy-free + High-Fiber)

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: healthy zuppa toscana, tuscan soup

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 296kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

If you love Zuppa Toscana but don't want to use heavy cream and cheese, this healthier recipe is for you. Instead of using dairy, it features a sneaky ingredient (white beans!) that adds creaminess and fiber. I've also replaced sausage with lean ground beef and pantry spices to create a sausage-like flavor. It tastes like the classic version you love, only made with unprocessed ingredients.

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion , chopped
6 garlic cloves , minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon ground sage
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
fine sea salt and black pepper
1 pound yellow potatoes , cut into ½-inch pieces
15 ounce can white beans (like Cannelini or Great Northern)
2 cups kale , stems removed and roughly chopped

Instructions

Heat a large pot with a lid over medium-high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Cook the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes, then add in the minced garlic and stir for 1 more minute. (Just until it smells fragrant.)
Add the lean ground beef to the pan and break it up into smaller pieces with a sturdy spatula. Continue stirring and cooking until it's mostly browned, about 6 minutes. Then add the dried thyme, sage, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, one teaspoon of fine sea salt and a half teaspoon of ground black pepper. Stir until the spices smell fragrant and the beef is fully cooked, about 2 more minutes.
Next, add the potatoes and 2 ½ cups of water. Increase the heat to high, to bring the liquid to a boil. While you wait on that, pour the entire can of white beans (liquid included) into a small blender with ½ cup of water. Secure the lid and blend until silky smooth, about 60 seconds. Pour the creamy liquid into the soup and season with another 1 teaspoon of salt. Note: The soup may start to look oily at this point, which is normal. It won't look that way after boiling.
Once the liquid is boiling, cover the pot and lower the heat. Let it gently simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Then, remove the lid and stir in the chopped kale. (The smaller you chop the kale, the more pleasant the soup is to eat.) Stir until the kale is wilted, then adjust the seasoning to taste. You can add an extra ½ teaspoon of salt to boost the flavor, or add a squeeze of lemon juice when serving. For more broth, add another ½ cup of water and season, as needed.
Serve this soup warm with any toppings you love. Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Notes

Nutrition information is for approximately 1.5 cups of soup, assuming you get 9 cups total. This information is automatically calculated from an online ingredient database, so it's an estimate only and not a guarantee.

Spice Note: I originally tested this recipe with a half teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and I really liked it that way, but even my husband thought it was a bit "spicy." So, if you like spice, feel free to double that. Or just garnish with a little extra flakes on top, like I did in these photos.

Broth Note: I use water for the base of this recipe, because there are already a lot of spices added. If you prefer to use store-bought broth, you may want to reduce the salt called for in this recipe (don't skip the salt in the meat, though), since it will already contain sodium. You can season to taste at the end, if needed.

Blended Beans: I use a Beast blender in these photos, which is ideal for blending small batches. If you're using a larger blender, you may need to use 1 cup of water for blending, instead.

Pot Size: I use a 4-quart Dutch oven in these photos, which is the minimum size I recommend for this batch.

Nutrition