Vegan Zuppa Toscana
Ligia Lugo
Published:
February 11, 2026
Last Modified:
February 18, 2026
Rustic root vegetables, savory vegan sausage, and a pile of fresh kale come together in a lightly spiced broth while a swirl of almond milk gives this Vegan Zuppa Toscana a delicately creamy finish.
As you stir a simmering pot of this old-world style soup on a chilly day, you’ll be transported to a rustic Tuscan kitchen, filled with golden rays of sun and swirling aromas of fresh garlic and sharp red pepper.
My first taste of Zuppa Toscana was actually from one of those dehydrated soup mixes, and while it honestly was good (albeit over the top salty!), I knew I could do better with a homemade version. I swapped pasta in favor of potatoes, giving my Zuppa soup a buttery earthiness, and coaxed some extra richness by using a lightly creamy broth.
The creaminess all starts with a vegan roux – which aside from producing a velvety rich Tuscan soup that you’ll love for dinner tonight – is a foundational technique that you can carry on to countless other recipes, like Easy Vegan Gravy and Dairy Free Scalloped Potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
- Olive oil – You’ll be using the oil to sauté over fairly high heat, so make sure to choose a lighter weight, high quality olive oil here to avoid burning.
- Ground vegan sausage – You can buy pre-ground plant-based sausage or, if you’re using link sausage, just remove the casing and pulse briefly in the food processor until crumbly. I love the way that Impossible Spicy Sausage (as featured in my Best Vegan Hot Dog taste test and review!) tastes in this soup recipe, but feel free to swap in a non-spicy Italian sausage if you’re not a fan of the heat. Other options: an equal amount of crumbled tofu or cooked lentils make great substitutes.
- Vegan butter – You’ll be combining butter and all-purpose flour together to create a roux, the thick base that helps to make your soup rich and creamy. You can use any type of vegan butter you already know and love, or check out my Best Vegan Butter review for a few of my favorites.
- Red pepper flakes – My family loves spice, so I double down on the heat, using both spicy sausage and red pepper flakes in my vegan zuppa toscana! It is perfectly fine if you want to skip the heat though, just leave this ingredient out.
- Vegetable stock – This ingredient will play a leading role in the overall flavor of the soup, so make sure to choose a rich and deliciously flavored vegetable stock such Kitchen Basics vegetable stock. What about vegetable broth, you ask? You’re not alone! One of my friends actually just asked me the other day what’s the difference between the two and I told her this: stock is typically cooked with more aromatics and simmered longer, giving it a deeper flavor and more saturated coloring than broth, which is often lighter in both flavor and color. As you can imagine, stock will therefore give your Zuppa a better flavor, but broth can be used in a pinch.
- Unsweetened almond milk – This ingredient will build upon the butter + flour roux you make, bringing a silken thickness to your finished soup. Almond is my go to plant milk for many recipes, but almost any dairy free milk (except coconut milk) will do here. Soy, cashew, or oat milk are other great options.
- Potatoes – Spuds fall into two main categories: waxy and starchy. Opting for a waxy variety such as Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe will ensure that the chunks of potato in your finished Zuppa Toscana will hold their shape, rather than mushing into the soup and making it mealy.
- Kale – Using fresh kale is important, as it provides a crunchy texture and bright flavor that is lost when frozen. Make sure to remove the woody stems before chopping.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Brown sausage. Heat your olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the ground vegan sausage. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sausage is lightly browned, then transfer it to a bowl and set aside.
- Make roux. Return your pot to medium heat and add the butter. Allow it to melt completely, then sprinkle in the flour and stir vigorously to combine. Let the mixture continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when the mixture has a cohesively thick texture–like nut butter–and a toasty, buttery smell. Congrats, you just made a roux!
- Add veggies. Stir in your chopped onions and carrots, tossing until all of your veggies are evenly coated in the roux. Let the veggies cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until slightly softened.Â
- Add seasonings. Time for flavor! Toss in your minced garlic and red pepper flakes, then season with salt and black pepper as desired. Stir to bring it all together and let it cook briefly, about 30 seconds or so is all it needs.Â
- Add stock. Pour in the vegetable stock, using your stirring spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you do so. This not only keeps the bits from burning on the bottom of your soup, but also brings all of their roasty, umami rich flavor up into your soup itself!Â
- Cook potatoes. Stir in the almond milk, then add your peeled and cubed potatoes. Cover with a lid and let your soup cook for about 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. To see if they’re done, just poke them with a cake tester or paring knife; if it slides through the entire potato chunk with ease, you’re good to go!Â
- Return sausage. Toss in the ground vegan sausage you browned to perfection earlier, and also stir in the chopped kale at this point.
- Finish and serve. Let the soup cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until the kale is wilted, then remove from the heat and serve! Hunks of crusty bread for dipping and mopping are optional, but highly recommended!
Tips From Ligia
To keep peeled potatoes from oxidizing:
Store them completely submerged in a large bowl of cool water as you prep. Remove them one at a time to chop, returning the cubes back to the water before you fish out the next.
How To Store
Refrigerating Allow the soup to cool briefly, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.Â
Freezing Pack your leftover soup in a freezer-safe container, then freeze for up to 3 months. The texture of the vegetables, especially the potatoes, will not be as good after freezing, but the flavor of the soup will still be tasty!Â
Thawing Transfer the frozen soup to the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it and allow it to thaw overnight.
Reheating Pour your leftover Vegan Zuppa Toscana into a saucepan and heat it gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, until warmed through.
Vegan Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz. ground vegan sausage
- 2 Tbsp vegan butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups chopped fresh kale
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the ground vegan sausage. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sausage is lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Return the pot to medium heat and add the butter. Once melted, vigorously stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes until you have a thick paste.
- Stir in the chopped onions and carrots, tossing to coat with the roux. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, just until slightly softened.
- Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes, then season with salt and black pepper as desired. Stir and cook briefly, about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the vegetable stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you do so.
- Stir in the almond milk, then add cubed potatoes. Cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when poked with a cake tester or paring knife.
- Stir in the browned vegan sausage and chopped kale.
- Cook for another 1-2 minutes, just until the kale is wilted, then remove from the heat and serve with crusty bread as desired.
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