Healthy Zuppa Toscana: Potato Kale Soup

There are plenty of recipes out there for Copycat Zuppa Toscana. I loved making it until I realized how greasy it was and I also had people in my household that couldn’t eat it without a night of bathroom troubles (sorry tmi) because of the dairy. I’ve made tweaks and I like the resulting soup. Our family eats this as a meal for lunch on weekends, or as a side when we have just a bit leftover.

This version of Zuppa Toscana is full of potatoes, kale, and turkey sausage. It’s light and hearty for a chilly night at home.

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb breakfast sausage (I use turkey)
• 3-4 medium potatoes
• 1 bunch of kale, stems removed, loosely chopped
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk (I use almond milk)
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
• garlic salt
• chili flakes to taste
• black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Add a bit of oil to the pan and saute onions and garlic.
2. Add turkey sausage, and break up and cook through.
3. Add chicken stock and bacon, bring to a boil.
4. Scrub and slice potatoes thinly, about 1/8″ thick. Keep some skins on for a more earthy flavor.
5. Add sliced potatoes and chopped kale, cook till tender.
6. Add almond milk for creaminess.
7. Add garlic salt, black pepper, and chili flakes to taste.

What can I use as a substitute for almond milk?

I’ve only tried this with almond milk, but you could try other nut milks to see how it affects the flavor. If you are not dairy sensitive you can always use regular milk as well.

When I’ve run out of milk I have also been known to use dry milk or even coffee creamer. A touch of creaminess is all this soup needs.