If you are a fan of sausage and potatoes, this soup is a must! It is a dairy free version of Olive Garden’s popular soup, Zuppa Toscana. This recipe is a perfect win for a cold day. Everyone in my family loves it. I thought my 6 year old would complain because of the kale, but he doesn’t seem to mind one bit. The red pepper in this soup is optional. We serve our Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana with crushed red pepper at the table for whoever wants to add it for a little kick since the younger ones do not like anything spicy.

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Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana

This is a delicious dairy free version of Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana. It is a creamy sausage, kale and potato soap.  We use coconut milk which makes the soup rich and slightly sweet.  You can use full fat coconut milk for a creamier soup, or a can of light coconut milk for a lighter version. 

Course Main Course

Keyword dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, peanut free, recipe, soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Author Christine George

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound ground mild Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4-5 medium Russet potatoes, peeled, thinly sliced and quartered
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can coconut milk (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups chopped kale
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot over medium high heat, break up sausage and brown until no longer pink.  Drain fat.

2. Add onion, garlic, basil, oregano, and thyme.  Cook until onion softens and becomes clear.

3. Add potatoes, broth, coconut milk, and salt.  Cook until potatoes are soft (about 20-25 minutes)

4. Mix cornstarch and water into a paste.  Add to soup and stir.

5. Add kale and cook for another 15 minutes, or until kale is soft and soup has slightly thickened.

Which Coconut Milk Do I Use?

I usually use the Thai Kitchen Unsweetened Coconut Milk or the Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk. Both work well, but the lite version is less than half the fat of the regular coconut milk (4.5 grams vs 12 grams), so if you want a rich and creamy soup, go for the full fat. If you are watching your calories, go for the Lite version. You can always add some extra cornstarch (mixed with water) if you want a thicker consistency. There are many other brands of coconut milk out there and we have used several. Check the labels to be sure whatever brand you choose is safe for you.

Frozen Kale Makes it Easy

You can buy fresh kale and chop it into small pieces, but I find it so much easier to buy frozen chopped kale. You can keep it in the freezer until you are ready to use it and just measure it out before you add it to the soup. I have done both ways and I much prefer the convenience of the frozen kale.