Low Carb Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe is packed with flavor from crispy bacon, Italian Sausage, spinach and tender cauliflower all in a rich, creamy broth.
Low Carb Soup Recipes
The season of soup is here! It’s time to indulge in all the comfort food.
From broccoli cheddar soup to lasagna soup, who doesn’t love to indulge in a big bowl of soup on a cold day?
Oh wait, you’re cutting carbs? Trying to follow a keto friendly diet? I feel ya. Doesn’t it seem like all the comfort foods involve carbs somehow?
This past month we’ve had a nutrition challenge at our local CrossFit box. And while I wish I could report that I rocked it, I’m here to say, I failed. I didn’t prepare for this challenge as much as I should have, you know, planning some low carb meals!
Here’s the thing. Carbs and CrossFit go hand in hand. I truly believe I need carbs for all my muscle gains and endurance. However, I tend to choose the wrong carbs. Pastries, donuts, bread, haha!
One thing I do love though is vegetarian chili and soup. And you may remember this Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe from a few years back. It’s SO good.
I had to figure out a way to make it CrossFit diet friendly. I mean, keto friendly. Ha, I mean waist management friendly. You know what I mean!
Here’s how I made an indulgent comfort food, like Zuppa Toscana Soup into a keto friendly dinner.
You may first be asking yourself…..
What is a Keto diet
First, keto stands for ketogenic. A ketogenic diet is a low carb, high fat diet. You may be familiar with Atkins, it has many similarities.
The goal of a ketogenic diet is to drastically reduce your carbohydrate (carb) intake and instead consume fats. By reducing your carbs it puts your body into a state of ketosis. Basically, your body becomes quite efficient at burning fat for energy.
Which is why many Crossfitters and athletes go on this diet.
It also has other great health benefits, that you can read about somewhere besides this little food blog, haha!
Plus you get to eat Crack Chicken!
What foods should I avoid on a keto diet
First, the obvious. Wheat-based grains or starches. Like rice, pasta, cereal.
Beans: no chickpeas, peas, beans, lentils, legumes
Fruit: pretty much all fruit except berries (but those are only in small portions)
Potatoes and other root vegetables. No sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, etc.
Stay away from sugary foods, most condiments and sauces as they tend to have sugar and unhealthy fats.
Alcohol. WAHHHHHH.
What foods should I eat on a keto diet
Proteins such as fish, beef, chicken, eggs are all good to eat.
Vegetables that grow above ground like broccoli and cauliflower are acceptable! Also, leafy greens like spinach and kale (which is great for today’s low carb keto soup recipe)!
Avocado, nuts, and seeds are also good choices and make great snack options.
High fat dairy. Praise God at least there is something good about a keto diet, haha. Hard cheeses, high fat cream, and butter get the thumbs up!
Stevia is an acceptable keto-friendly sweetener. Thank goodness, because I use that in my favorite Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew coffee!
Recipe Notes
Italian Sausage. I use the mild, bulk sausage. Use spicy if you prefer, or links with the casings removed!
Thick cut bacon. Some people prefer to add the crispy bacon at the end of the cook time (as a garnish), so that it stays crispy, not chewy. Your call.
Cauliflower. The dream vegetable that replaces potatoes in many low carb meals (like buffalo cauliflower). Can also use turnips if you prefer!
Spinach. While Olive Garden and many other people use Kale, my family prefers the taste of spinach. You choose what you love!
More Easy Soup Recipes
Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb mild Italian Sausage
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon
- 32 oz Beef bone broth or beef broth
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 cloves fresh garlic minced
- 1 head fresh cauliflower diced
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 cups fresh spinach 5 oz package, or kale
- salt and pepper optional
- crushed red pepper flakes optional
- shredded parmesan cheese for garnish optional
Instructions
- Using a large soup pot (like this dutch oven), brown your sausage and bacon together. Cut your bacon into bite sized pieces to make it easier to cook.
- Once your meat is cooked, add in beef bone broth, onions, garlic, and cauliflower. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Once the cauliflower is softened, add in heavy cream and spinach (or kale). Cook for about 5 minutes, until spinach (or kale) is soft.
- Serve with a spinkle of parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt, pepper, and/or crushed red pepper flakes. ENJOY!
Notes
- Swap out the cauliflower with turnips instead.
- Due to the creamy nature of the soup, this one isn’t suited for freezing.
Can I use frozen cauliflower for this? If so how much would you recommend
Yes! Use the same amount of cauliflower that the recipe calls for.
I did,it was great.
Great recipe for fall. Made an extra batch so I can freeze some for dinner on busy days. I subbed out the cream for 2 cups of coconut milk because a dairy free low carb approach to eating makes me feel much better 🙂
I used Beyond Italian sausage, veg broth and coconut cream to make vegan. It was really good!
This is so delicious as-is, but I’ve made it several times & tweaked it. I double the stock & use 2 pig of frozen riced cauliflower. Usually add a lot more spinach too, I just eyeball it. I didn’t disclose it was cauliflower to my non keto husband but after he went gaga over it I did tell him. It is a HUGE hit!
Can this be done ahead as a freezer meal?
Can this be done in the instant pot as well?
Love this recipe! I seasoned the soup with 1 tsp champagne vinegar and 2 tsp fish sauce. I also used red kale instead of spinach. Let the kale simmer for about 5 minutes.
This was DELICIOUS and not hard to make at all – I’d adjust one minor bit in the directions though, and that is to fry the bacon first, remove and then brown the sausage, add bacon back in and proceed. It just takes longer for the bacon is all. OH IT IS DELICIOUS – Hubby loved it too! FANTASTIC!
This is delicious! I usually double the recipe because the leftovers are just as good!! Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! Glad it was a hit!
Thank you for this tasty and hearty soup. My husband loved it and my son who is picky… also loved it. Thank you for sharing.
My brother made this recipe for me and I HAD to make it myself. This is added to my meal rotation. I followed the recipe exactly just opted to cook it in the crockpot on low for a couple hours. Perfection! Served with sourdough.
Do I have to add heavy whipping cream?
No, my wife prefers it without, similar to Italian spinach bean soup. You can also add coconut milk with the fat.
Thank you for sharing this keto recipe! This soup is my favorite from Olive Garden & have missed on my Keto journey. So easy & full of flavor! Do not miss the potatoes at all!!
Made this with chicken broth, half the cauliflower and half the onion, turned out great and I didn’t even miss the potatoes. I would recommend draining the fat from the meat before adding the broth
Super easy recipe and was delicious! I used the kale and was not disappointed.
I followed it exactly and it was delicious
I’ve made a copycat Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana soup for many years that my family loves. I tried a keto version with radishes that was good but this one is AMAZING!! And so easy!
This soup is sooo good! My husband and I love it and I make it once a month. I use hot sausage because that’s what we like (so no pepper flakes) and fresh spinach because that’s what we usually have on hand. I use all the ingredients in their recommended amounts- no changes needed. It’s so very good, simple to make and quick to prepare and cook. However, as with many things, the next day the flavor is even better. That works out great for us because we get four portions out of the recipe for just the two of us.
I mean, I have been on Keto for 2 years now. I’m 59 years old and I have lost 40 pounds in two years and have kept it off and it’s recipes like this that make it easy. I followed this recipe exactly as it is and it was perfect. It is soooooooo good and my non Keto husband and son LOVED it also. Great recipe. It’s a keeper for sure!!!
So happy to hear it!
Curious where the 12 carbs are coming from? The ingredient list looks like it would be less.
I am curious about that too. Doesn’t seem to add up!!! Anybody else??
With 4 servings I come up with 3.9 net carbs per serving when I calculate it with the ingredients I use.
Depending on the brands and ingredients you use, it will change the carb counts. Also, the software I use calculates it automatically, which is why I always put the disclaimer.
Are the calories and carbs in the nutritional grid per serving or per all 6 servings?? I do not get to those calories, fat and net carbs when I add the ingredients up and divide by 6.