Healthier Zuppa Toscana

Healthier Zuppa Toscana

from sailorbailey.com
210 min
4 servings

This healthier crockpot friendly Zuppa Toscana will blow you away with flavor. It's creamy, full of nutrients and way less caloric than the classic.

Ingredients

  • ½-1 lb bacon (*see notes)
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey (*see notes)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓ cup yellow onion, diced
  • ½ tsp salt (*more as needed )
  • ½ tsp black pepper or red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ½ tsp dried oregano
  • ½ tsp dried basil
  • ½ tsp olive oil
  • 2 small russet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, chopped
  • 32 oz chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream (*see notes)
  • 3-4 cups kale, chopped, stems discarded
  • ¼ cup parmesan (for garnish, more as needed)

Directions

  1. 1

    Fry bacon and set aside on a plate. Keep about 1/4 cup of the bacon grease for flavoring the soup (optional). While bacon is cooking prepare ingredients. Heat large skillet over medium high heat with olive oil and brown the ground turkey. 

  2. 2

    Add the chopped onions, seasoning, and garlic. Sauté for about 3 minutes and take off heat. 

  3. 3

    If cooking in a crockpot: Add the ground meat mixture, peeled and cubed potatoes, cauliflower, broth and set on high for 3-4 hours or until the potatoes are cooked through and softened. Before serving, using a slotted spoon, pull out about 1/2 cup of potatoes and cauliflower and blend into a paste (this is to thicken the soup)

  4. 4

    Add the sour cream to the soup, stir, add kale, 2-3 Tbsp of bacon fat (optional) and stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes until soup has thickened slightly. Season with more salt if needed, serve and top with crispy diced bacon and parmesan.

  5. 5

    If cooking on the stove top: add peeled, diced potatoes to a large pot. Add in broth, meat mixture, cauliflower, bacon grease. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and can pierce with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, take about 1/2 cup of the potatoes out and add them to a small blender. 

  6. 6

    Blend into a paste, add it back into the soup. *this is to thicken the soup! Add the kale and sour cream and simmer for another 6-8 minutes. Season more with salt/pepper if needed, serve and top with crispy diced bacon and parmesan.