Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana
This flavorful Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana is absolutely divine and has truly become a blog favorite. So much so, that I even put the recipe for it in my cookbook. When sitting down to enjoy a bowl you will instantly hear a lot of “mmmmm’s” going on. Whether they are coming from you, or from a friend or family member, you will all go back for more.
This comforting bowl of goodness has a cream base and consists of mainly potatoes, kale, vegetarian sausage, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes. If veggie sausage is not your thing, feel free to omit it and maybe substitute it with a can of white beans. But, I like the flavor that it adds to this soup. Now, which brand of veggie sausage you choose to use is certainly up to you. There are so many brands out their now days. And if you’re not fond of kale, then I would recommend spinach.
This Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana is great served with some fresh artisan bread, if you have some, for dipping.
Here’s a few ways to freestyle this recipe:
- use collard greens, spinach, or swiss chard instead of kale
- use white beans or sautéed mushrooms instead of veggie sausage
- A few substitutions for half and half milk would be the following : 1 cup of lactose free half and half milk (if available where you live- Land O Lakes and Organic Valley manufacture it), 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream, or 1 cup of evaporated milk
Here are some other additions and ideas to consider:
- garnish with fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, or parsley
- stir in a dollop of basil pesto
Are there ways to veganize this recipe???
Yes! To make vegan, use vegan wine, and 1 cup dairy free half and half (Califia Farms manufactures one called Unsweetened Better Half) or unsweetened lite coconut milk (the amount will be based on your taste). The last suggestion is making a cashew cream with hot water and raw cashews, blended until silky smooth. If you haven’t done that before, then I would recommend researching that or use the recipe that I provide in my cookbook on page 106.
Looking for other great soup ideas? Give these delicious recipes a try!
- Lemon and Spinach Orzo Soup
- Vegetable Rice Soup
- Creamy Butternut Squash and Gnocchi Soup
- Vegan Italian Wedding Soup
Join me on my social channels and please don’t forget to take pictures and tag me #supperwithmichelle and @supperwithmichelle, if you make any of my recipes! I absolutely love to see all of your creations. You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, YouTube, or Pinterest! As always, I love when you share your reviews in the comments below, and if you have any fun substitutions or additions, let me know how it worked out below too!
Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope that you love my Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana. The full printable recipe is below. Enjoy!
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 7 to 8 ounces ground plant-based sausage, such as Lightlife, Impossible, Beyond
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
- 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, roughly chopped
- 1 pinch red chili flakes
- ¼ cup white wine , (If you prefer, you can substitute with vegetable broth)
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 ½ cups Yukon gold potatoes, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup half and half
- 3 to 4 cups kale, roughly chopped
Optional Toppings
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Chef's Knife
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, over medium-low heat. Add in the onions and "sausage" and sauté until the sausage is golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. (Please see note below to consider.)
- Add in the garlic, dried herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, red chili flakes, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the white wine to de-glaze your pot. Cook for several minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Stir in vegetable broth, potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pot and simmer until potatoes are nice and soft to the fork, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Turn the heat down to low. Remove the lid and stir in the half and half milk and kale. Simmer for just a few more minutes until the kale has completely wilted. Ladle into your favorite bowl and enjoy.
Notes
Hi Michelle. Greetings from the Antipodes. Hope you’ve survived the plague unscathed and aren’t being harrassed by the law in these times of turmoil. Couple of queries re your Vegetarian Zuppa Toscana Soup:
1. Is the “Vegetarian Sausage” the same as textured vegetable protein?
2. Do you think cannelini beans would be a good alternative protein source? We try to avoid processed food as much as we can.
3. My spouse & I aren’t big fans of kale. We grow as much of our own vegetables as we can, and have a nice crop of Swiss Chard currently available. Do you think it would be a suitable alternative?
Thanks for your inspiration. Bob Irvine
Hi Bob! Greeting to you! Okay. I wouldn’t recommend a regular vegetable protein for this soup because it lacks flavor. The Veggie Sausage that I refer to has spices in it to mimic the flavor of sausage. Cannelini Beans will be fine. It will be more like a Tuscan Bean soup, but there’s nothing wrong with that. And sure Swiss Chard will be fine. It may need to cook a little bit longer because it’s typically a tougher green. Hope you enjoy!! Have a great one and thanks for checking the recipe out!
Hi Michelle, I tried your vegetarian Zuppa Toscana Soup tonight and OH MY am I speechless!!! This is so savory and filling. It was so good I immediately wrote the recipe down and put in my recipe box. It was also super easy and quick to make…I’m immediately a fan!! 😋🔥❤️
Awww…thank you soooo much Christina! I looove this kind of feedback! Haha! Ecstatic that you enjoyed it and that I made it into your recipe box!! Have a wonderful day and thanks again!
Hello Michelle what can we use as a vegan alternative for the milk (best replacement)
Hi LaTrice, well I have not used the following with this soup, but here’s a few substitutions for a vegan replacement for milk because there’s so many out now days. Dairy free half and half(Califia Farms manufactures one called Unsweetened Better Half), Nut Pods also has an un-sweetened Creamer, Silk has a vegan Half and Half milk, Ripple has one, Trader Joe’s has one…etc. etc. You could also use un-sweetened coconut milk- the amount will be based on your taste and I would recommend the lite version, which is not as “coconut-y” in my opinion, and the last suggestion is making a cashew cream with hot water and raw cashews, blended until silky smooth. If you haven’t done that before, then I would recommend researching that. Hope these suggestions help you make a decision. Again there’s a lot more brands out there no days that sell products like that, so it truly depends on what your personal preference is and what’s available where you live.
Made this recipe last night! My wife isn’t a huge fan of sundried tomatoes so we just skipped them and it still came out amazing! I used the italian sausage brand that was recommended and we were really impressed with the flavor and texture of it. I love coming across flavorful vegetarian soup recipes and this one did not disappoint!
Awww….so happy to hear that you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much! 🙂
Loved the soup!!! Zuppa tuscana was my favorite soup and missed it like crazy when I went vegetarian. I used Light life vegetation sausage and it worked great.. just chop it up as it browns.
Hi Kylie! I truly felt the same way!!! It’s always nice when you can find a good veggie substitute or version. So glad you enjoyed it!!! Thank you!
Sooooo delicious!! I could drink this broth all day long!! I didn’t have everything on the ingredient list but i had substitutes & also not vegan so i used chicken broth, heavy cream & italian sausage! Second time this winter and my friends & family love it when I make this soup! Shared this recipe many times!
That makes me soooo happy Summer! So glad you like it! Thanks soooo much!
You used heavy cream instead of the half and half? Same amount? (I’m also not vegan)
Hi Summer,
Well for this recipe I used one cup of Half and Half milk. I have not tried using heavy cream with it. I imagine if you chose to use heavy cream, I would start with a 1/2 of heavy cream, if that’s what you’re asking.
This is my new absolute favorite soup! We first tried it after I’d spent several hours working on a special birthday cake for my son. I was NOT in the mood to cook after all the work on the cake, but had already planned on making this so I pressed forward. It was so, so easy, and unbelievably delicious!! I am seriously going to be serving this soup all the time and it’s going to be my “take to a friend in need” recipe. Great one, Michelle!
Awww!!! Thank you sooo much for your kind words Sally and thank you for your perseverance!
This was amazing, I want to say my third time making this recipe 😭 my boyfriend and I love it. You’ve inspired me (as a young adult learning to cook on her own) to get into more soups! Thank you for your resources!
Thanks so much Octavia! And that makes me happy! Glad you enjoyed it!
VERY tasty soup! Made it exactly as written, except for, I read somewhere that soups with milk, cream, in this case, half and half, don’t freeze well. So I had seen it suggested to freeze the soup portions you want to put away in the freezer, without the dairy, then add the milk, cream, or half and half at the time of reheating. So I saved 4 servings this way, and added the half and half to the portions I wanted to eat immediately over the next few days. The combination of spices, the sun dried tomatoes, crushed red pepper, all of it, turned out SO well. Will save and make again!
Awesome Mary Anne! Elated that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Mary Anne it sure did hun!
This is SUCH a tasty soup and easy enough for a weeknight! The broth was so flavorful and we served fresh bread of the side for dipping, so not a drop was wasted. I’m a soup fiend, so I’m very excited to try more of your recipes, Michelle!
I substituted half and half for oat milk so my soup was technically vegan until I sprinkled parmesan cheese on top 🙂. I used about 1/3 a bag of 16 oz kale (which converts to approx 2.25 cups) and when it cooked down my soup was stewy and needed to be diluted with 1/2 cup more water. So I definitely recommend actually measuring the kale out yourself!
Hi Emily! Haha!! I love to hear that! Sounds like you worked your magic! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! 🙂
Emily have you tried Follow Your Heart Parmesan VEGAN cheese! it’s simply divine:)
Michelle
Thank you for this AMAZING soup, which I call our new “Better Than Olive Garden” soup, that’s where I first had it before we went vegan. You nailed it with this and thanks to you so did Mommy, my son and hubby loved it! Hubby is a potato fan so it was a hit for him. I did not have (HALF & HALF) I substituted with COCONUT MILK instead and it was amazing! I also added a bit extra KALE ( lOVE us some Kale lol) I doubled the recipe and boy am I glad I did. A little note to all (After 2 or 3 days the FLAVOUR is !!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes you guessed extra good and tasty! I wish I could post a pic of my beautiful sample bowl Michelle for all to see! Can I? If so let me know where to post it! Oh this lasted even as I speak DOUBLED the recipe lol only two days lol! If you have not made this GO SHOPPING NOW, if you don’t already have everything in your fridge! You want regret it!
Aww! Haha! Thank you so much for your kind words LaTrice! So happy that you and your family enjoyed it! If you share your pic over on IG and tag me…I’ll certainly share in my stories. 🙂 Thanks again!
This soup was so delicious and satisfying! It felt hearty and perfect for a cool winter night but also light enough to eat all year, rich but not super heavy. Will definitely be adding this to my regular meal rotation!
That makes me happy Mikaela!!! Elated that you enjoyed it!
Made this last night and it was a huge hit! It’s just me and my husband with this big pot of soup and we’re already excited for left overs!
Hi Cynthia! Yaaaay! Glad you both enjoyed it!!
I absolutely loved this soup! I’m not vegetarian so I used bacon instead of thr veggie sausage and herbs de province spice, coconut milk instead of cream! Love love love! Can’t wait to try Michelle’s other recipes. Your recipes inspire me!
That’s so awesome Candice! So happy that they inspire you! Thanks again for giving it a try!
Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s so flavorful and light and perfect for winter! I don’t eat a lot of kale, but the texture of it in this soup was such a nice addition!
Thank you so much Dana! Truly elated that you enjoyed it!!!
It would be nice, like most websites, if you can print out just the recipe. Not the multitude of pictures of the soup being made. Thanks.
Hi Paula. Thank you for your feedback. I realize that my website design is not necessarily ideal for printing. And I agree, it’s not like other websites. I may look into redesigning my website in the future. But for the time being, I do have a print button down below and you could maybe only print page(s) 2 – 3, that actually have the ingredients and instructions on it. I realize the pictures are large and that can cause for a lot of pages when you do print.
I know that’s not extremely helpful, but I thank you for visiting nonetheless.
I made the soup last night (with italian sausage because instacart couldn’t locate the right veggie one). It was a hit with my family. My 4 year old daughter does not really like soups but she cleaned her bowl. I had two helpings last night and a bowl for breakfast. I just finished the soup off for dinner. I’ll definitely add this to the repertoire.
Hi Brittany,
Haha! This makes me soooo happy! Glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing and for giving the recipe a try! Hi to the family as well! 🙂
Made this recipe the other night and I cannot recommend it enough. The soup is hearty and filling, but light to eat (if that makes sense). This is my new go-to soup recipe!
Hi Jaimee! Wonderful! Elated that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much! 🙂
This soup is simply amazing and so easy to make!! I veganised it by using Beyond Meat spicy breakfast sausages (2 boxes), macadamia nut unsweetened coffee creamer for the halfandhalf and it was perfect! Can’t wait to make this again; it’s going to become a staple in my house for sure!
Hi Jenna! That sounds awesome! Thanks so much and happy that you enjoyed it!
Simply amazing! This was so easy to make and was just so good. I’ve already sent the recipe to my family and friends to try for themselves. I’ve always loved soups and I think this may be one of my absolute favourites! Cannot wait to make it again as it will now be in my rotation. Thank you for sharing this recipe Michelle ☺️
Hi Roop! Yaaay! Thank YOU!!!
My family and I absolutely loved this! I prepared it last night as we were in for some rain and thought it would be perfect for a pre-cozydown meal. I used dinosaur kale and I loved the texture it added to the soup. I served it with some freshly sliced bread and just like that, this dish was already requested as a comfort food staple. Thank you for the delicious recipe!
That’s sooo awesome Kris! Sounds absolutely perfect! Thank you!!! 🙂
This is absolutely going into my regular soup rotation!! So flavorful and delicious, and easy to make on a weeknight. I subbed in homemade cashew cream for the half and half since my husband is vegan and still got a great creamy texture. Looking forward to these leftovers tomorrow!!
Hi Brianne! That’s so wonderful! Love that you were able to veganize it and that it was enjoyed!! 🙂
Wow, this soup was absolutely delicious! There is nothing better than a hearty soup in the middle of winter and we are already planning to make it again to get us through some terribly cold weather this weekend. I used Beyond Sweet Italian Sausage and a cashew cream in place of the half and half to veganize it – perfectly creamy. This was my first recipe of yours Michelle and I am looking forward to exploring some of your others!
Hi Sarah! Aww! Well that’s so great that you were able to veganize this recipe! And I so happy that you enjoyed it! Stay warm! 🙂
YUM! I have made my fair share of disappointing vegetarian soups – this was not one of them! Hearty but not heavy, and full of flavor! My husband (a “meal without meat isn’t a meal” kind of guy) was wowed by this soup. A few notes: I used Impossible “ground meat,” added a veggie bullion cube, and – because I like a thicker soup – I immersion blended just a bit before adding the kale. 10 out of 10 will make again!
Hi Kylie! Hahaha! Well wonderful!! Elated to hear that!! Thanks so much for sharing!! 🙂
Good morning,
I absolutely love this soup, thank you for sharing. Could you tell me how many calories per serving?
Hi Shanda. So happy to hear that! Thank you for giving the recipe a try! My apologies, but I don’t know what the calories are per serving. There are several apps out now days that offer that type of information though. I’m looking to update my website later this year that will include information like that.
Love this one! So much flavor and simple to make. Another great one from the soup queen!
Awesome! Thanks so much Laura! Elated that you enjoyed it!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Wow!! This soup is just incredible. I first made it with Yves Italian sausages as that’s all I could find in my local grocery store. Taste was good but they didn’t really ‘crumble’ like I wanted them to. The second time, I was able to find the Lightlife ground sausage that Michelle calls for and it was much better!! Followed the recipe to a T other than that and it was amazing.
It’s hearty without being heavy, which I love. We had it for leftovers one day after a big snowshoe in the woods – so warm and cozy❤️
I even made a batch to bring into work for my coworkers to try and they went nuts for it! Everyone asked for the recipe immediately. Some didn’t even notice it was veggie sausage!
This will certainly be a staple in our household. Thank you Michelle! Looking forward to trying more of your recipes 😊
Awww!!! Well perfect! THank you and thank you for sharing with your coworkers as well!!
I have to say, I’m not even vegan right now and this is THE BEST soup I’ve EVER made! I made one tweak-I added coconut milk to keep it vegan instead of cream. It’s so incredible!!!
Hi Myra! Well awesome!!! I’m elated that you enjoyed it!! Thank you again for giving the recipe a try!!
I made this soup tonight, and my son and I absolutely loved it. Didn’t change a thing in the recipe. Will safe for the future to make again. 🙂
Hi Alexy!! Wonderful!!! So happy that you enjoyed it!!!
Hi! I made this soup tonight for dinner and it was one of the best soups I have had! Loved how flavorful it was! I had to make some substations (used Impossible Beef and spinach), but nonetheless it still came out so delicious. Thank u for a great recipe.
Hi Caroline,
Well that truly makes me happy! Thank you for giving the recipe a try. 🙂
Hi Michelle,
I was wondering if you supply the nutritional breakdown for the recipes e.g. carbs, calories, protein, etc. Thanks!
Hi Cynthia, Thank you for your inquiry. I do not at this time. Maybe sometime in the future.
Hi Michelle! I’ve been trying to transition to no longer eating meat and your website has been a BIG help. This soup is amazing, thank you!
Hi Jessica! Aww…that makes me so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try!
Just got done eating this amazing soup. The flavors are extremely satisfying and is a wonderful comfort food … all soups are! I did substitute mushrooms for the vegan sausage and used a local vegan coconut milk kefir but reduced the amount to 1/2 cup so the coconut taste complimented the soup and not overpower it.
Love your substitutions Kristin! Thank you for giving the recipe a try!
My daughter made this soup and it was fantastic! We swapped out the dairy milk for oat milk to make it vegan. I loved it so much I had to make it again yesterday. This will definitely be in the soup rotation for our vegan upper midwest fall and winter. I’m also going to try Kristin Porter’s substitution of mushrooms. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you. ❤️🌱
Love your substitution Bethany and I’m so happy that enjoyed it! Thank you!!!!
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve made this soup this year. We use Italian sausage and heavy cream. It’s my husband’s favorite and always ask for “crack soup.” We love it, thank you!
Hi Kristine! Awww…I love to hear that! Thanks so much for making this recipe your own!
My boyfriend and I made this and it was so yummy! Thank you so much!
I’m so happy that you and your boyfriend enjoyed it Rachael!! Thank you!! 🙂
This was great! Our local supermarkets didn’t have the same brand of plant based sausage so I subbed the beyond version and was really happy with the way it turned out. I followed the recipe exactly and it was perfect!
Hi Laura! Oh wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it! Thank you!!
My GAWD this soup is amazeballs!!😍! There’s never enough! Thank you thank you for an amazing recipe!
Hi Emily! Oh wonderful! So happy that you enjoy it!! 🙂
Today is my second time making it and I LOVE it!!! Thank you so much.
Hi Shanda! Oh yaaay! So happy to hear that!! 🙂 Thank you for making it your own!
Hi Michelle! I stumbled upon this recipe by accident and the picture looked so good that I had to try making it. I don’t think I’ve ever commented on any blog before, but this one was so good that I had to thank you!
My meat-loving brother gobbled it up, and my picky husband took thirds. I’m not one to enjoy soups, but this is definitely one I am craving.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Rebekah! Aww…I love to hear that! So happy that you and your family enjoyed it!! Yaay! 🙂
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So good! Used my immersion blender for a few seconds to make it a bit less chunky and used a bit more potatoes and just 8 cups of broth. Also added a bit of veg bouillon. YUM
Hi Kylie! Oh awesome! Love what you did and so glad you enjoyed it!
OMG! This is DELICIOUS! I was having an Italian themed dinner party for close friends, 2 of which are vegetarians. I made the regular meat based Zuppa Toscano and this recipe as an alternative for my vegetarian friends. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE liked this one better… even my picky husband!! I tweaked it a bit by adding the whole jar of sun dried tomatoes instead of just a few, and was able to find both mild and spicy Impossible Ground “sausage” so used 1 of each. Outstanding!!! My husband says this one is a keeper! Thank you soooo much for this recipe 😋
Hi Ann! Oh wonderful! Thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! So happy that you all enjoyed it.=! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. I made it for me and my boyfriend. He liked it so much he had six bowls!! Printing off this one, it was a success!
Hi Anne! Oh wonderful!! That makes me so happy! So glad you both enjoyed it!!! 🙂
Hearty and adaptable recipe. I substituted 2 links of chicken sausage with sundried tomatoes for the impossible sausage and subbed finely chopped Calabrian chilis in oil for the sundried tomatoes. (I thought I had sundried tomatoes in my pantry but then noticed the jar of Calabrian chilis 🙂 Since they are very spicy, I only used 2 t and it was just the right amount of spicy for us. Loved this soup and will definitely make again.
Thanks Michelle
Hi Danita! You’re becoming one of my favorite people! Haha! 🙂 Love what you did here and glad you were able to make this recipe your own! Thank you!
We’ve made this multiple times now, once with veg sausage and once with chicken sausage. It’s so delicious and satisfying either way! Definitely a keeper.
Hey Lindsay! So wild seeing your name pop up here! Hahaha! And…you’re too kind. So happy that you and yours enjoy it!! 🙂
Wow, this was fantastic! I’ve never had/made this kind of soup before but it will definitely be in my regular rotation now. My husband (who is not vegetarian) absolutely loved it, as well. It is so hearty and comforting, it’s like the best hug you’ve ever had.
Hi MarySue! Aww! I love to hear that! So happy that you all enjoyed it! Thank you for giving the recipe a try!