Zuppa Toscana is classic soup recipe that you may have seen on the menu at the Olive Garden. Since the Olive Garden is a no-go restaurant for us due to Celiac Disease, we made our own copycat version that's gluten free, grain free and dairy free!
Gluten Free Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
Zuppa Toscana is one of the Olive Garden's most popular soups and there are many copycat recipes floating around out there. In our homemade verison we chose the simplest ingredients, and it's naturally gluten free! Add in a little plant-based milk at the end for a creamy dairy free option.
Throughout our gluten free journey, I've come to love creating "copycat" recipes from our favorite restaurant meals. A couple of our favorites are Gluten-Free Orange Chicken and Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
What ingredients do I need to make Zuppa Toscana Soup?
Zuppa Toscana is a simple & comforting soup with huge flavor! Made with crumbled Italian sausage, tender potatoes, broth and healthy kale. Here's what you'll need:
- Italian Sausage. If you like some spice, use a mixture of mild & hot sausage and sprinkle in ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Baby Red Potatoes
- Kale
- Broth. Chicken or vegetable broth work well.
- Bacon
- Onion
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Salt & Pepper
For the creamy, dairy free finish, add ½ to 1 cup of your favorite unsweetened plant based milk. I would avoid anything coconut flavored as it will give the soup a different taste.
Looking for more gluten free soup recipes? I think you'll also love my Loaded Potato Soup (Gluten Free and Dairy Free), Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup (Gluten Free, One Pot), and this delicious Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup (Slow Cooker and Instant Pot)
How to make this easy Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe
I've included directions for the stovetop, instant pot and slow cooker, so no matter what cooking method you prefer, we've got you covered!
Stovetop Instructions
Cook the sausage. In a large pot, brown the Italian sausage, breaking it into small pieces. Remove excess grease if needed.
Add onions + garlic. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
Add broth + potatoes. Pour in the chicken broth and add the sliced potatoes. Season with salt, pepper, oregano and red pepper flakes if you want some spice.
Simmer. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes until potatoes are tender.
Add cream + kale. Stir in the milk and chopped kale. Cook another 3-5 minutes until the kale wilts.
Finish with bacon. Taste and adjust seasoning, then top with crispy bacon.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté and brown the sausage.
- Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth, add sliced potatoes and seasonings.
- Seal the lid and cook on Manual / Pressure Cook for 5 minutes.
- Allow 10 minutes natural release, then vent remaining pressure.
- Switch to Sauté, stir in the milk and kale, and simmer 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in bacon and serve.
Total Instant Pot Cook Time: About 15 minutes + pressure build
Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Instructions
- Brown the Italian sausage on the stovetop, then add it to the slow cooker.
- Add onions, garlic, potatoes, chicken broth, and seasonings.
- Cover and cook on Low 5-6 hours or High 3-4 hours, until potatoes are soft.
- Stir in milk and kale during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
- Mix in bacon right before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with a salad, gluten free baguette slices, or give my homemade Brazilian Cheese Bread recipe a try!
If you like some spice, use a mix of hot and mild sausage links or add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes!
Have you tried this recipe? Be sure to comment below or tag me on Instagram at @thrivingglutenfree so I can see how it turned out!
Let's eat!
Zuppa Toscana Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Italian Sausage If using links, remove casing or buy bulk ground sausage
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 1 Small Onion about 1 cup diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1-½ lbs Baby red potatoes I left the peels on; cut into chunkc
- 4-5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Salt more to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- 3 cups Kale coursely chopped and packed
- 6 slices Bacon cooked and crispy
- 1 cup Unsweetened plant based milk or coconut cream
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Hit the saute button on the Instant Pot and add 1 tablespoon oil & sausage.
- Break sausage into small pieces, stirring often until browned.
- Add onions and garlic stirring frequently so not to burn the garlic.
- Hit cancel(if the saute feature hasn't turned off yet). Add the broth, potatoes and seasonings making sure there is enough broth to cover the potatoes.
- Place the lid on, close the valve to seal, and cook for 5 minutes on high pressure.
- Slow release pressure for another 10 minutes and then turn the valve to release the rest of the pressure.
- Once pressure is fully released, remove the lid and stir in the kale. If not serving immediately, stir in the kale when ready to serve.
- At this point you can add in your milk of choice to make the soup creamier or leave as is!
Slow Cooker
- Heat a large stovetop skillet over med/high heat and add 1 tablespoon oil.
- Add the sausage and onions until the sausage is browned and onions are translucent.
- Add the garlic, stirring constantly(garlic burns easily!) for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Place sausage mixture into a crockpot long with the broth, potatoes and seasonings. Make sure potatoes are covered compeletely with broth.
- Cook on low 5-6 hours or high 3-4 hours.
- Stir in kale when ready to serve and add in milk.
Notes
If you like some spice, use a mix of hot and mild sausage links or add some crushed red pepper flakes!
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