Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana (Healthy Soup Recipe)

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This dairy free Zuppa Toscana is a delicious and easy-to-make hearty soup. It’s a slight twist of the traditional Zuppa Toscana. The creamy broth and fresh vegetables make this our favorite soup for the winter months. 

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Italian Zuppa Toscana Recipe with Coconut Milk

To make this healthy zuppa toscana recipe you will need a few things that you can easily find at the local grocery stores. You will need:

• 1 lb ground sausage
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 tsp Italian Seasoning (here)
• 4 cups chicken broth (here)
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (here)
• 3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 handful basil, chopped
• 4 strips of nitrate-free bacon, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste

Sausage Soup with Sweet Potatoes Recipe

The first step in making this tasty dairy-free soup is to cook the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until the fat is fully rendered. We love our Caraway nonstick, non-toxic, ceramic cookware. You can find it online here: Caraway Cookware.

Remove the bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate with paper towels to drain. Leave the bacon fat in the pot. 

How to Make Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana

Using the same large stock pot add the ground pork. You can use either hot Italian sausage, or mild Italian sausage depending on your personal preference. Cook the pork until you don’t see any more pink.

Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. 

Then add the garlic to the pot. 

Next, add the carrots. 

Then the butternut squash. The traditional zuppa toscana recipe calls for russet potatoes but butternut squash tends to add a light delicious flavor. If you are adverse to squash you can still use russet, or white potatoes in the soup. 

Stir, add the Italian seasoning, and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. 

Next, add the broth. We are using chicken broth, you can use homemade bone broth or vegetable broth if you’d like. 

Bring this classic Tuscan soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes until the squash is tender. 

Creamy Zuppa Toscana Recipe

Now that the squash is fork tender it’s time to make this a true creamy soup. The original recipe calls for heavy cream, but this is a dairy-free and paleo zuppa toscana so we are using full fat coconut milk. 

Add the coconut milk to the pot. You can opt for coconut cream, or even cashew cream but canned coconut milk tends to be the easiest of them to find at either the grocery store, Whole Foods, or online. 

Next, add the fresh chopped spinach, basil, and salt and pepper to the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes over low heat until the greens are wilted. 

This dairy free recipe is just as good or better than the traditional version. 

Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe 

​If you are a soup lover you will love this healthy soup. It is the perfect comfort food and is always just as tasty the next day. 

Don’t forget the bacon that we set aside in the beginning. Top the soup with bacon when it’s time to serve to prevent the bacon from softening. 

This classic Italian soup is great for busy weeknights and can be a great meal prep option. Serve with our homemade artisan bread, and enjoy.

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Make sure to check out these other delicious soup recipes:

• Puerto Rican Chicken Soup Recipe
• Classic Italian Tortellini Soup with Sausage

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