This Zuppa Toscana is keto friendly, but you don’t have to eat keto to love it

Well that fresh start I spoke of last week sure wasn’t what I expected. I know you’re not here to read about politics, so I won’t go there. But my oh my.

Enough about that. Let’s talk about something we can all agree on – great food.

This week’s recipe is for Zuppa Toscana, meaning “Tuscan Soup” in Italian. Like any great recipe, there are tons of variations. This version is a delicious creamy soup filled with ground Italian sausage, and it’s low carb and keto (if that matters to you). The cauliflower and spinach offer a veggie component, making it healthy — or at least balanced.

This recipe is by a cookbook author and blogger named Kyndra Holley. And the funny thing is, I already own her cookbook, “Craveable Keto.” If you happen to be new to keto, it’s a good book to start with – at least that’s what a friend of mine who eats 100% keto told me.

My mom found this recipe online and raved about it. I had a bowl, and agreed — it’s crazy delicious. I don’t personally follow a low-carb or keto diet, but it doesn’t matter. This soup is worth making. It packs delicious flavor and warms you right up. My mom added 4 ounces cream of cheese per single batch of soup for extra creaminess.

The only drawback is that a single recipe isn’t enough. Go ahead and double it so you have plenty of leftovers to share with a neighbor or enjoy for the week. It seems these days that a big batch of something in the fridge is a welcome respite from daily cooking, which commences when the weather is warmer.

I’m making a double batch of this soup and also the slow cooker Beef Stroganoff I wrote about a couple weeks ago. It’s just nice to have a few dinner options ready to heat and eat. A big day of meal prepping tends to pay off as the week sails by and is filled with other activities, although none of them social.

Here’s looking forward to brighter days ahead, and until then, keep your bellies full of soul-warming food like this soup.

Zuppa Toscana Soup

6 slices bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

4 cloves garlic, minced

Sea salt and ground black pepper

1 pound bulk ground Italian sausage

Pinch of red pepper flakes

6 cups chicken stock

1 small head cauliflower, cored and cut into small florets (about 4 cups)

1 cup heavy cream, more to taste

2 packed cups fresh spinach or kale

Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crispy. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot, leaving the drippings in the pot.

To the bacon drippings, add the butter, onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until the onion is translucent and the garlic is fragrant.

Add the Italian sausage and red pepper flakes to the pot. Cook until the sausage is browned, about 10 minutes.

Pour the stock into the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender.

Stir in the cream and spinach and cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the spinach is wilted and the soup has started to thicken. Add the cooked bacon to the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. To reheat, add soup and a little cream to a sauce pan and warm on the stove top.

PeaceLoveandLowCarb.com

This story was originally published January 12, 2021 at 10:50 AM.