Low-Carb Zuppa Toscana

This recipe is inspired by Patrick Maese’s Zuppa Toscana Soup at patrickmaese.com. Visit Patrick’s website for the original Keto Zuppa Toscana Soup recipe with additional notes, plus lots of other low-carb recipe ideas.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 4 oz pancetta, diced
• 1 lb ground Italian sausage, spicy or mild
• 14 oz riced cauliflower
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 48 oz chicken stock
• 12 oz cauliflower florets
• 1 bunch kale, leaves de-stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 2 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
• 1 pinch salt & pepper
• optional garnish: Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated, Italian parsley, chopped, red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. In a large sauté pan over high heat, fry the diced pancetta till crispy, and set aside for garnish.
2. Season the ground pork with salt and pepper and brown in the sauté pan. Cook the pork, leaving a little pink, then remove from pan and set aside.
3. Using some leftover rendered fat from the pork, sauté the diced onions and riced cauliflower for 4-5 minutes with a pinch of salt & pepper, then add garlic and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
4. Return the ground pork to the pan, add 48 oz of chicken stock and simmer for 3-4 hours. The riced cauliflower will break down and thicken the broth over the long simmer.
5. An hour before serving, preheat oven to 425°F and toss cauliflower florets with a little oil. Roast cauliflower in the oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Add roasted cauliflower and torn kale leaves to soup base and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes.
6. At the very end, add heavy cream and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese to soup. Stir to combine. Taste & season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
7. Serve with crispy pancetta and additional grated cheese. Red pepper flakes and Italian parsley are also great optional garnish.

Nutritional Information for one 12 oz serving:

Calories: 550, Fat: 44g, Carbs: 12g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Protein: 23g