Who doesn’t love Olive Garden’s delicious Zuppa Toscana? This healthy version tastes just as good and you can feel good about eating it, too! Better yet, it’s easy to make and only calls for one pot. I’m all about less dirty dishes!
We’re entering a season where we’re on the go a lot so having healthy, simple and quick meals to go to is a must!
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Eat the Green!
This version of the soup calls for kale. When my kids saw it they turned their noses up. But after trying it in this soup, they were sold! And since kale is so good for you, I call that a win! With tons of vitamins and minerals including vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, fiber, iron and more, kale has been labeled a “superfood” and benefits your whole body. It’s been known to lower cholesterol, improve eye and heart health, fortify bones, detoxify the body, and can possibly lower the risk of cancer.
That’s a lot of punch in this leafy vegetable! I think I’m going to look at more ways to incorporate kale in our everyday diet!
If you’re not a fan of kale, you can substitute it for spinach! Spinach is another vegetable full of healthy benefits!
Ghee
This recipe also calls for ghee. I had never even heard of ghee until last summer when some co-workers and I did the Whole 30 together. If you’re not familiar with ghee, it is clarified butter. It is made by melting butter until the liquid fats separate from the milk solids. The solids are removed. Removing the solids takes away a lot of the lactose, making ghee easier to digest for people with dairy sensitivities.
Ghee can also be cooked at a higher temperature than regular butter, making it an excellent choice for frying.
It has a slightly different taste than butter. I’ve most commonly heard it described as nutty. It doesn’t have to be refridgerated and can be used in place of other common oils.
Zuppa Toscana
This soup is so easy to throw together making it great for nights when you need a quick meal!
You start by melting the ghee in a large pot and then adding the sausage until cooked through. Drain the sausage and return to the pot. Add in your chopped onion (I use my KitchenAid chopper to make quick work of this!) and Italian seasoning.
Saute until onion starts to turn clear. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
Dice your potatoes. I like to keep the peeling on for added nutrients, but feel free to peel them first if you prefer! Add the potatoes along with the chicken broth (I like to use homemade bone broth or organic free range) into the pot and bring the soup to a boil.
Reduce the heat and let it simmer for approximately ten minutes. Add the kale and milk (you can substitute almond milk for a dairy-free version) and cook for another five minutes or so.
Serve with a side of crusty french bread!
This healthy version of Zuppa Toscana is hearty and delicious, sure to be a crowd pleaser! I hope you’ll give it a try and let me know what you think in the comments! As always, I love hearing from you!
Healthy Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 lb Italian sausage (can use turkey)
- 1/2 large white onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 6 cups organic chicken broth
- 3 lbs red organic potatoes diced
- 5 oz fresh kale stem removed
- 1 cup organic milk
Instructions
Melt ghee in a large stock pot and add sausage cooking through. Drain the sausage and return to pot. Add onion, cooking until it starts to turn clear. Add Italian seasoning and garlic, sauteeing for another minute. Add diced potatoes and chicken broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add kale and milk and simmer for another 5 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
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Cate says
I’m definitely going to have to try this with turkey. It looks amazing!
Dori says
Oh turkey would be good!!