Vegan Sausage Zuppa Toscana Recipe
This Vegan Sausage Zuppa Toscana is a hearty, flavorful soup that combines plant-based sausage, tender potatoes, and fresh greens in a creamy coconut milk broth. It offers a delicious dairy-free take on the classic Italian soup, perfect for a comforting vegan meal any time of year.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb vegan sausage (sausage crumbles, or sausage removed from casing)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 cups vegetable stock (or one 14-oz can)
- ¾ lb potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ inch pieces)
- 2 cups lite coconut milk (or 1 14-oz can)
- 4 cups baby spinach (or 3 cups kale leaves)
- ¼ cup basil leaves (or other fresh herbs such as parsley leaves)
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice the onion, peel and dice the potatoes into approximately ½ inch pieces, mince the garlic, and wash the spinach (or kale) and basil thoroughly. To save time, dice the potatoes while the sausage is cooking in the next step.
- Cook the vegan sausage mixture: In a 4-5 quart soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the vegan sausage crumbles along with the diced onion and minced garlic. Cook this mixture for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently with a spatula to crumble the sausage further. Continue cooking until any liquid released by the sausage evaporates and the sausage browns nicely. This step develops deep flavor and texture.
- Add oregano and set aside sausage: Stir in the dried oregano, then remove the cooked sausage, onion, and garlic mixture from the pot and place it on a plate to rest.
- Cook the potatoes: To the same pot, add the vegetable broth and the diced potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until the potatoes become fork-tender but still hold their shape well.
- Add remaining ingredients and finish the soup: Stir in the lite coconut milk, baby spinach (or kale), fresh basil leaves, red pepper flakes, and the cooked sausage mixture back into the pot. Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste preferences. Bring the soup to a gentle boil, ensuring the spinach wilts fully, then immediately remove the pot from heat to prevent overcooking. Serve the soup hot for best flavor and texture.
Notes
- You can substitute kale for spinach; use 3 cups of chopped kale leaves as an alternative.
- For a lighter soup, use lite coconut milk or substitute with another plant-based milk that is unsweetened and neutral-flavored.
- Dicing the potatoes while the sausage cooks is a great time-saving tip.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the level of spiciness.
- This soup can be stored refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
Keywords: Vegan sausage soup, Zuppa Toscana, plant-based soup, dairy-free soup, Italian vegan recipe, coconut milk soup
