Easy Keto Zuppa Toscana (Dairy-Free + Whole30)
This keto zuppa toscana is a cozy, creamy bowl of comfort packed with sausage, bacon, and kale, without the potatoes or dairy! It’s a Whole30-friendly copycat of the Olive Garden favorite, made low carb with just a few smart swaps.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you’ve ever found yourself craving Olive Garden’s zuppa toscana, but needed a version that fits your Whole30 or keto lifestyle, this one is for you. When I first spotted it all over Instagram, I knew I had to give it a clean twist. And let me tell you, now I get the hype.
Instead of potatoes, I use turnips. When simmered, they lose that peppery bite and become soft, buttery, and starchy – just like white potatoes. The real magic though? A creamy, dairy-free broth made from soaked cashews blended with cauliflower rice. No flour, no cream, no coconut aftertaste. It’s comforting, thick, and absolutely delicious.
For more cozy dinner ideas, try my Whole30 + Keto Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs or my Keto Roasted Cauliflower Soup.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mild Italian sausage: The base of this soup. Adds classic, herby flavor.
- Bacon: Cooked until crispy for topping and added richness.
- Yellow onion + garlic: Aromatics that build savory depth.
- Chicken stock: The broth foundation. Use homemade or high-quality store-bought.
- Turnips: The perfect low carb potato swap. They soak up all the flavor.
- Frozen cauliflower rice: Blended to help thicken the soup naturally.
- Soaked raw cashews: Your dairy-free heavy cream alternative. Neutral and silky.
- Kale: Adds color, texture, and nutrition.
- Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes: For seasoning and a touch of heat.
*If you don’t have turnips, radishes can work in a pinch. And while coconut milk is a popular creamy alternative, I find it leaves too much lingering flavor. Cashews are the secret weapon here.
How to Make This Keto Zuppa Toscana
Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a potato masher or spoon. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 2: In the same pan, cook chopped bacon until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
Step 3: Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat. Add chopped onion and scrape up the brown bits. Sauté until translucent.
Step 4: Add garlic, stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 5: Stir in turnips and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes until turnips are tender.
Step 6: In a high-speed blender, combine thawed cauliflower rice, soaked cashews, and 1 cup of hot soup broth. Blend until completely smooth.
Step 7: Stir the cashew mixture back into the soup. This will make the broth thick and creamy.
Step 8: Return sausage to the pot and stir in chopped kale. Simmer 5 more minutes until kale is bright green and tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 9: Stir in some reserved bacon fat if desired, then remove from the heat. Top with crispy bacon and red pepper flakes before serving.
Watch Keto Zuppa Toscana Recipe Demo Video
This is one of my favorite make-ahead comfort meals, especially after a cozy Sunday cooking session. It pairs well with my Whole30 + Keto Instant Pot Pot Roast or a side of Paleo Pecan Candied Bacon.
And if you’re craving more creamy classics, you’ll love my Easy Homemade Keto Ranch Dressing Recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Turnips are my go-to. They hold their shape and mellow out in flavor, you’d never know they aren’t potatoes.
Yes! It freezes beautifully. Just be sure to cool it fully before transferring to freezer containers.
You can, but I don’t recommend it unless you enjoy coconut flavor. Cashews are more neutral and creamy.
Blending cauliflower rice and cashews with the hot broth creates a velvety, thick texture naturally.
If you love cozy, low-carb dinners that actually taste indulgent, this keto zuppa toscana is for you. Creamy, hearty, and secretly dairy-free. Let me know if you try it! Leave a comment or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
More Easy Comfort Recipes
Keto Zuppa Toscana (Dairy-Free + Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 8 slices of bacon, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, grated or finely minced
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 1 pound turnips, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
- 10- ounce bag frozen cauliflower rice, thawed and all water squeezed out using a nut milk bag or dish towel
- 3/4 cup soaked raw cashews, see notes for soak instructions
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
- salt + pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat your dutch oven (or large soup pot) over medium heat.
- Add the Italian sausage, and break it up and brown (I like using a potato masher!). Once cooked, spoon it out into a bowl.
- In the same pan in the leftover sausage drippings, cook the chopped bacon until crispy. Spoon onto paper towels to drain.
- Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon fat. Add the onions, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chopped turnips and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the turnips are fork tender.
- In your high speed blender, add the frozen cauliflower rice, soaked cashews, and ladle in 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid from the soup. Blend on high until completely pureed. Add back in to the soup. This will thicken it and make it creamy.
- Pour back in the sausage and kale. Cook another 5 minutes until the kale is bright green and tender. Taste for salt + pepper. (Sometimes I’ll even add back in some of the bacon renderings for more flavor if needed. Great fat macros for keto!)
- Remove from the heat. Add back in the bacon just before serving so it stays crispy.
- Serve warm, garnished with red pepper flakes if desired.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container refrigerated for 5 days, or frozen for 6 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warm.
Notes
- Freezing: Freeze in individual portions for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight and reheat gently.
- Meal Prep: Make a double batch and store in airtight containers for 4-5 days.
- Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium or microwave in 1 minute intervals.
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40 Comments on “Easy Keto Zuppa Toscana (Dairy-Free + Whole30)”
What can I use in place of the kale and cauliflower? My husband won’t go near anything with either of those foods.
You can leave the kale out! I made it today with just broth and heavy cream (in place of cashew cream) and it was amazing. You could use spinach in place of kale!
This is sooooo good. Just made it again tonight. One of our favorites!!!
I love that it has become a favorite Teresa. Thank you so much for the feedback, it really means a lot to me.
Absolutely amazing. We used coconut milk. Didn’t mind the taste. But the recipe is great. Even my husband liked it. It’s a new favourite in our house.
I love that it is a new favorite of you and your husband Kathrin. Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Made this for a couple of my friends and it was SOOO GOOD! The turnips were just like a potato and the meats flavored the soup, very few spices needed which is nice.
I will be making this again and again! Can’t believe the creamy texture and taste that came out.
Thank you!!!
I agree the turnips taste just like potatoes Maria! Such a treat. I am so happy you will be making it again.
Delicious! My dairy carb loving husband loved the soup! It was so good. I was so surprisingly at your way of making the soup creamy with cashews and cauliflower!
I am so happy you liked my soup Kylie! Even better that your husband enjoyed it. So glad you enjoyed the dairy free way of thickening the soup! I love the creamy texture it creates.
Simply put: Holy. Sh*t.
Sooo much flavor. Lots of work but worth ever second of it. Savory, creamy, addicting. After initial first bites I wanted to chug it!
The cashew cream alone is drink worthy. Love it!
So glad to hear it was flavorful and worth the effort Shaina. Thanks so much for the feedback, I really appreciate it.
Oh my gosh, this looks fantastic and full of flavor and amazing texture! I have aketo Zuppa copy cat recipe, but it cannot stand up to this recipe!
I sure hope you like it Lila!
This was so delicious!
I am glad it turned out delicious for you Emily. Thank you so much for the feedback, it really means the world to me.
sooo good! tastes fantastic! and i LOVE the turnip swap! never would have thought of that!
The turnips do make an excellent swap for potatoes, don’t they Vicki? I am so glad the recipe turned out well for you.
Oh My Gosh!!!!! This is just heavenly 😍 I dont even have words for it. Hands down the best ever! Just made it and wished we made enough for seconds. Definitely making this again soon. Our new fave repeated soup
I love that it left you speechless and wanting seconds Miriam. That is fantastic. I am so glad you will be making it again.
Could I sub soaked macadamia nuts for the cashews? I avoid cashews … can’t wait to try this recipe. I love soups!!
I have actually never used macadamia nuts as a thickener before so I am not sure if they would work, but I would sure love to know Mary! If you try it and it works, please let me know. I would recommend using the cauliflower rice and adding either a dairy or non-dairy cream to get the creaminess of the soup and to add a fat element. I sure hope it turns out wonderfully for you!
Could I use something in place of cauliflower rice? Or even just leave it out? I have tried several recipes with cauliflower by disguising it, but my husband can always tell when it’s in a dish.
I haven’t recipe tested the soup without the cauliflower rice, but I am pretty sure you could omit it from the recipe Kathy. I would probably double the cashew cream or you could try coconut cream, nutpods or regular cream.
I made it twice already. It is just amazing. Leftovers taste even better the second day. It has become one of my favourite meals. Thank you for this very tasty recipe.
I love that it has become one of your favorite meals Jennifer! I couldn’t agree more, the leftovers are fantastic.
Made this last night for my family and they really liked it. The biscuits were delicious also. Your recipes are amazing. Thank You and keep them coming.
I am so glad your family enjoyed it along with the biscuits Shara. Thank you for your kind words about my recipes. I just love creating and sharing them. When they are well received it sure makes it all worthwhile! I really appreciate your feedback.
This was unbelievable! I meal prepped it for lunches for the week and it was so filling! I can’t believe how much the turnips taste like potatoes 👌🏻… made it with the keto biscuits … soooo good!
Yeah! I am so happy you liked my soup and biscuits. Isn’t it amazing how much the turnips taste like potatoes? What a yummy lunches you had this week. The perfect start to Fall.
This was fabulous! This is going into our rotation a lot this fall!
That is fantastic that it will be part of your regular recipe rotation Dianna.
Wow, wow, wow!!! Hands down the BEST zuppa toscana I’ve ever had. I’m a dairy girl all the way, but with Natalie’s recipes you get the same creaminess without all the dairy—it’s mind blowing. I’ve made this soup almost every week since Natalie shared it and every time my family is excited for dinner. If you haven’t made this yet, go get you some turnips and make yourself the best zuppa toscana.
Wow! Thank you so much Shayda! I am so happy you like my soup! I love hearing that it is the best you have ever had. Even better that your family likes it.
My husband and I made this recipe last night and loved it! It’s so creamy and flavorful, and the crispy bacon takes the soup to another level.
Sounds like you and your husband had a fun night last night cooking together Natalia! I am so happy my soup turned out well for you. I agree with you, the bacon sends it over the top!
This was unbelievably delicious. Made both the soup and the keto biscuits. I didn’t have mild Italian sausage so used chorizo sausage blend with leftover chicken and it was amazing. Also, the stores are all out of potatoes so I used rutabagas and they were wonderful! Thank you as usual, Natalie!
I am so happy you liked my soup and biscuits Michelle! I love that you substituted ingredients for what you had on hand. That is what cooking is all about!
I would never think of these whole30/keto substitutes! I love how you come up with innovative ways to eat delicious food!
I am so happy you like my new soup Mackenzie! Thanks for the nice compliment! I guess I am a real foodie at heart. I just love coming up with new recipes and sharing them!