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This Vegan Zuppa Toscana is hearty, creamy, and packed with savory flavor! It's loaded with tender potatoes, savory plant-based sausage, and kale in a rich, creamy broth. Plus, it comes together in about 45 minutes!
If you love cozy, satisfying soups, this Vegan Zuppa Toscana needs to be on your menu. Inspired by Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, this version is completely dairy-free and meat-free. Plant-based cream gives the broth a silky finish, while lightly mashing some of the potatoes adds body without flour or cornstarch.
Serve it with my no-knead artisan bread for dunking or pair it with this crisp vegan Caesar salad. And don't forget a sprinkle of vegan parmesan cheese on top! If you're craving more cozy soups, try my Italian lentil soup or vegan minestrone soup, too.
Why you'll love this Zuppa Toscana
- Hearty and satisfying: Potatoes, savory sausage, and kale turn this soup into a complete meal.
- Easy to make: Everything comes together in one pot in about 45 minutes.
- Great for leftovers: The flavors get even better after they've had some time to mingle.
Ingredients Needed + Notes
Here's what you'll need to make this cozy soup, along with a few helpful tips and substitutions.
- Plant-based sausage: Choose a plain, Italian-style, or spicy variety depending on your preference. Lightlife Gimme Lean and Impossible Ground have a soft, ground-meat-like texture, while Field Roast is firmer, but they can all be broken into bite-size pieces for the soup. If using sausage links with casings, remove the casings and crumble the sausage.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: They become tender and creamy while still holding their shape. Red potatoes will also work well. Russets can be used, but they'll break down more and create a thicker soup.
- Chicken-style broth: Regular vegetable broth works well, too. Use low-sodium broth if your sausage is on the salty side. For a richer broth, replace some of the water with more broth.
- Aromatics: Yellow onion and fresh garlic create a flavorful base. Shallots work well in place of the onion, and I recommend sticking with fresh garlic for the best flavor.
- Kale: Lacinato or curly kale will both work. Fresh spinach works, but add it during the last few minutes since it wilts quickly.
- Plant-based heavy cream: Use an unsweetened variety with a neutral flavor. Country Crock heavy cream works well, or you can use my cashew cream recipe. You can also use about ½ cup of my vegan sour cream recipe or store-bought for a slightly thicker, tangier broth.
- Italian seasoning: If you don't have it, use ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon dried basil, and ¼ teaspoon thyme instead.
- Crushed red pepper: Adds gentle warmth. Feel free to reduce or omit for a milder heat.
How to make Vegan Zuppa Toscana
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Crumble sausage into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot. Cook until lightly crisp and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Now add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the potatoes and gently simmer for 12-15 minutes, until tender but still holding their shape.
- Mash a small amount of the potatoes in the pot to slightly thicken the broth.
- Add the kale and cooked sausage. Simmer until the kale is tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the cream. Warm gently for a few minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
FAQs
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Gently reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup has thickened, add a splash of broth or water to loosen it.
For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding the plant-based cream. Thaw and reheat it gently, then stir in the cream just before serving.
Yes! You can make it a day or two ahead and store it covered in the refrigerator. The broth will thicken slightly as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating if needed
Yes! If you love Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, this will definitely feel familiar. It has that same combination of potatoes, savory sausage, kale, and creamy broth, just made completely vegan.
More cozy soups to love
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Recipe
Vegan Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , more if needed
- 10-14 ounces plant-based ground sausage or links (*See note)
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 5 cloves garlic , minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or to taste (*optional)
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 cups vegan chicken-style broth or vegetable broth (low sodium if preferred)
- 2 cups water (*see note)
- 1.5 pounds (about 5 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes , peeled, halved, and sliced into ¼-inch half moons
- 3 cups chopped kale , stems removed
- ¾ cup plant-based heavy cream or cashew cream, unsweetened (*see note)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
Optional garnish
Recommended Equipment
- Large Pot
- Cutting Board
- Knife
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Crumble the plant-based sausage into rustic bite-size pieces. Cook until browned and lightly crisp at the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Add the diced onion to the pot, adding another splash of oil if the pot looks dry. Sauté until softened and lightly golden, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes. Sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the broth and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cover with a lid and increase the heat to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, uncover and reduce the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 12-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender but still holding their shape.
- Lightly mash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot with a fork to slightly thicken the broth, leaving plenty of pieces intact
- Stir in the kale and return the sausage pieces to the pot. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the kale is tender but still bright green.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cream and ground pepper. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes without boiling.
- Taste and add salt if needed. Serve hot with vegan parmesan and extra black pepper if desired.
Queens
This vegan Zuppa Toscana looks so cozy. Creamy broth plus hearty bites without the usual dairy — putting it on our cool-weather soup rotation.
Melissa Huggins
I'm so happy you'll try it. Thank you for stopping by 🙂