Vegan Zuppa Toscana Soup

This Vegan Zuppa Toscana Soup is my meat-free take on a traditional Italian soup. Italian spiced vegan ground “beef”, soft and buttery potatoes, and vibrant kale in a creamy dairy-free broth. This warming, comforting soup is so easy to make and it’s incredibly flavorful, no one will know it’s vegan!

There’s nothing quite like a warm, comforting bowl of soup, and this Vegan Zuppa Toscana is a plant-based twist on the classic Italian favorite. Made with hearty potatoes, flavorful vegan sausage, fresh kale, and a creamy dairy-free broth, it’s a cozy one-pot meal that’s both nourishing and satisfying.

Instead of dining out at Olive Garden, you can make your own version at home with a handful of simple ingredients. This soup is perfect for weeknight dinners or when you’re craving something comforting yet wholesome, this soup brings all the rich, savory flavors of Tuscany straight to your kitchen—without the dairy or meat.

History of Zuppa Toscana Soup

Zuppa Toscana translates from Italian to “tuscan soup”. Traditionally this soup is made from kale, potatoes and onion, but also commonly includes zucchini, cannellini beans, celery, carrots and tomato pulp. It’s classically made with a powdered chili and extra virgin olive oil broth and served with toasted Tuscan bread and Italian bacon.*

Of course in America- we creamed it up and added more meat 🤣. My version of zuppa toscana soup is kind of in the middle of the two. I include a vegan Italian “sausage” crumble, potatoes and kale in a creamy dairy-free soup broth consisting of vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, plant milk, tapioca flour (as a thickener), salt and pepper. The rest of the flavor comes from the homemade Italian sausage crumble, which I go into more detail about below. The main thing to note about making this copycat soup at home is that this wonderfully flavorful vegan soup recipe is really quite simple to make.

The Ingredients

Vegan Italian Sausage Crumble. This might be the key ingredient in this soup to make it taste “meaty”, and Italian, and hardy. I should do a whole blog post just on this vegan Italian sausage crumble because it would be a great meatless replacement for sausage in so many recipes! The plant-based ground “beef” I used is from Abbot’s Butcher. It’s my current favorite beef replacement. It tastes great and is made with clean, plant-based ingredients you can recognize with no fillers or heavy oils and additives.

To make the vegan Italian sausage, you’re going to combine the thawed plant-based ground “beef” with garlic, thyme, parsley, fennel seeds, rosemary, oregano, basil, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together and place in an airtight container in the fridge to marinate overnight so the flavors come together. When you’re ready to make this soup, just cook in a skillet as you normally would ground beef or Italian sausage!

💡 Marinating the “meat” is optional. It enhances the flavor slightly, but it’s not necessary.

Kale. I used lacinato kale in this soup, but you can use curly kale as well. For some reason I feel like the lacinato (dinosaur 🦖) kale gives me more tuscan vibes, lol. You will need 2 cups worth of kale, stems removed.

Potatoes. For that soft, buttery, silky smooth texture and flavor I used gold potatoes. You will need 4 cups of peeled and chopped gold potatoes, about 3 large potatoes.

Onion. My go-to onion is usually sweet yellow onion, which I used in this recipe. You will need 2 cups of chopped sweet yellow onion.

Garlic. This recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic, diced.

Vegetable broth. You will need 32 ounces of vegetable stock/broth. preferably organic vegetable broth.

Plant milk. I used soy milk, but you could also use another plant milk of choice. My recommendation would be soy, oat, cashew, or coconut as they are “creamier”, but you can certainly use almond or your other favorite plant-based milk.

Nutritional yeast. Boosts the cheesy flavor, adds some great B vitamins and plant-based protein.

Tapioca flour. Used as a thickener so the soup isn’t super watery. You could also use regular gluten-free flour, but I like to use tapioca flour because it’s also grain-free.

Salt & pepper. To taste.

I know that most Zuppa Toscana soup recipes call for bacon… there aren’t a lot of plant-based bacon options that are also gluten free at this time, so I chose to omit it. But if you’d like to add your favorite cooked plant-based bacon on top feel free to do so.

How To Make This Soup

First, make the Italian sausage crumble the day before. It will probably still work if you didn’t marinate it overnight, but I like to really get that Italian sausage flavor in the plant-based ground. Cook the ground sausage in a skillet over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil until browned and cooked through. Set aside.

Prepare the produce. Peel and chop the potatoes, chop the kale, onion and garlic.

Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and then add the diced onion. Sprinkle with salt and allow the onion to cook until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.

Next, sprinkle the tapioca flour over onion and garlic in pot, and stir to combine, until all the flour is absorbed. 

Pour in vegetable stock, stirring as you pour.  Add the plant milk and then add the potatoes and bring to a boil. The liquid should cover the potatoes. If not, try a smaller pot. Gently boil the potatoes about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender. Lower the heat to medium-low.

Add in the cooked “sausage”, nutritional yeast and kale.  Stir and cook over low heat 5-10 minutes until kale is wilted.

Season with salt and pepper and serve!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different plant milk instead of soy milk?

Absolutely. The recipe was developed using soy milk, but you may substitute oat milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, or another creamy plant milk. Just pick one that isn’t too watery to maintain the soup’s creaminess.

Do I have to marinate the vegan sausage crumble overnight?

No, you don’t have to. Marinating overnight gives deeper flavor integration, but if you’re short on time, you can mix and cook it the same day. It still works, though with slightly less depth.

What can I substitute for Abbot’s Butcher ground beef?

You can use any plant-based ground “beef” alternative you prefer, just make sure they’re gluten-free if needed. If you’d rather go whole-food, plant-based, you can use lentils, crumbled tempeh, mushrooms, or even finely chopped walnuts for a hearty texture. Each option will give a slightly different flavor and texture, but all should work in this soup.

Can I use a different kind of potato?

Yes. I like to use gold (yellow) potatoes because of their creamy texture, but you can swap with red potatoes, or russet potatoes. Just adjust cooking time slightly if needed.

What kind of kale should I use?

I used lacinato (dinosaur) kale, but curly kale works as well. Just be sure to remove the thick stems and chop it into bite-sized pieces.

Can I sneak in other vegetables (e.g. zucchini, carrots) to this soup?

Yes — feel free to customize. Traditional Zuppa Toscana sometimes includes zucchini, carrots, or celery. You can add them to your liking, though you may need slight tweaks to cooking time or liquid ratio.

How many servings does this make?

The recipe yields about 4–6 servings, depending on portion sizes.

How do I store leftovers, and how long do they last?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. When reheating, warm on the stove, stirring occasionally. You may want to add a splash of plant milk or broth if it seems too thick after chilling.

Can I freeze this soup?

While it’s possible, freezing cream-style soups sometimes affects texture. If you freeze it, do so in airtight freezer-safe containers, and when reheating, stir well and add additional liquid (plant milk or broth) to restore creaminess.

Is the tapioca flour necessary? Can I use another thickener?

Tapioca flour is used to thicken the soup, while keeping it grain-free and gluten-free. You can substitute with another gluten-free flour such as rice flour, cornstarch, or even arrowroot, but adjust quantities and add gradually.

Let me know what you think about this cozy, healthy copycat Olive Garden recipe down below in the comments section, as well as giving it a five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐ rating ️ so that others can discover a healthier alternative to make at home! Tag me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest if you make it!

Products Used In This Recipe

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* source: Wikipedia.com