Vegan Zuppa Toscana
Homemade Vegan Zuppa Toscana with Italian sausage, hearty potatoes, and tender kale in a creamy broth. Just like the popular Olive Garden soup but plant-based.
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Servings: 6
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Equipment
- 1 large stockpot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 package (400g) vegan hot Italian sausage such as Beyond Meat
- 1 tablespoon olive oil if needed
- 1 small onion diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and diced
- 6 cups vegetable broth use chicken-style veggie bouillon to make it extra savory; see notes
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 packed cups Tuscan (lacinato) kale about 1 bunch, stalks removed, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cashew cream or vegan heavy cream substitute recipe follows, or see notes for substitutions
- salt and pepper to taste
Homemade Cashew Cream
- 1/2 cup raw cashews soaked 4+ hours or overnight
- 3/4 cup water
Optional Garnishes
- vegan parmesan-style shreds such as Follow Your Heart or Violife
- vegan bacon crumbles
Instructions
Homemade Cashew Cream (optional)
- Make sure raw cashews are very well soaked (at least 4 hours or overnight). If you forgot to soak them, try boiling them for about 10 minutes and then letting them sit in the hot water for about 30 minutes. You can do this while prepping other ingredients.
- Drain the cashews and add them to a high speed blender with fresh water. Blend until as smooth as possible — at least a few minutes. Set aside.
Vegan Zuppa Toscana
- Brown the sausage: In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, thoroughly brown the vegan Italian sausage, breaking it up into crumbles. Remove browned sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Sauté aromatics: To the same pot, add olive oil if needed. (Depending on the brand of vegan sausage, you can sauté in the drippings.) Add diced onion, diced celery, sliced carrot, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
- Cook potatoes: Add in the cubed potatoes, vegetable broth, bay leaf, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low/medium-low to establish a rapid simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.
- Cook kale: Stir in sliced kale and simmer for an additional 3-5 minutes, until wilted and tender. If you prefer your kale extra tender, add it earlier — about 10 minutes after the potatoes.
- Add sausage and cream: Stir back in the browned vegan sausage crumbles and cashew cream (or other vegan cream substitute). Bring the soup back up to a very gentle boil for about a minute or 2 to heat everything through.
- Adjust: Taste and season to preference with salt and pepper. How much salt will depend on your brand of vegetable broth. Regular veggie broth will likely need extra salt. Chicken-style bouillon tends to run salty, so you may not need to add much extra.
- Enjoy: Garnish with fresh parsley, vegan parmesan, and optional vegan bacon crumbles. Serve with crusty bread.
Notes
- Store bought vegan cream options: Country Crock Plant Cream or Silk Dairy-Free Heavy Whipping Cream Alternative.
- Chicken-style veggie broth: You can use a vegan chicken-style or beef-style bouillon in this recipe to make it taste more savory. Edward & Sons makes good bouillon cubes, and Better than Bouillon makes a good bouillon paste.
Did you make this recipe?We’d love for you to leave a review on the website! You can also share a photo on IG and tag @sarahsvegankitchen_ or #sarahsvegankitchen.