This hearty, savory, and a little spicy keto zuppa tuscana, made with sausage embraces the power of antioxidant-rich superfood kale while spicing it up with some freshly made, spiced pork meatballs. Don’t worry if you’re pressed for time, you can always substitute the meatballs for some loose Italian sausage. Just be sure to check for fillers that include extra carbs.
Keto Zuppa Toscana Meatball Soup with Sausage and Kale
Makes: Serves 8 (about 1 ½ cups per serving)
Prep Time: 15 minutes| Cooking Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour
Nutritional Facts: 4g Net Carbs| 429 Calories | 33g Fat | 5g Carbs | 28g Protein | 1g Fiber
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 8 cups bone broth
- 1 medium, diced yellow onion
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 cups, torn kale leaves
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
Steps:
- In a large bowl, stir together the pork, salt, sage, thyme, and allspice until well combined. Form the mixture into ½-inch balls. Set aside.
- In a large stockpot, combine the bone broth, onion, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
- Strain the solids from the broth, and return the broth to the stockpot.
- Add the Parmesan and cream and cook, stirring, over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the kale, wine, and uncooked meatballs. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the kale is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, divide the soup among eight serving bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes. Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
This soup recipe comes from the cookbook I authored with Rachel Gregory, a board-certified Nutrition Specialist, Athletic Trainer and Strength and Conditioning Coach. It’s called the 21-Day Ketogenic Diet Weight Loss Challenge: Recipes and Workouts for a Slimmer, Healthier You
PrintKeto Zuppa Tuscana Meatball Soup with Sausage and Kale

This hearty, savory, and a little spicy keto meatball soup, made with sausage embraces the power of antioxidant-rich superfood kale while spicing it up with some freshly made, spiced pork meatballs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 8 (about 1 ½ cups per serving) 1x
- Category: Soups
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground pork
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried sage
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 8 cups bone broth
- 1 medium, diced yellow onion
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 3, minced garlic cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup grated parmesan
- 3/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 2 cups, torn kale leaves
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the pork, salt, sage, thyme, and allspice until well combined. Form the mixture into ½-inch balls. Set aside.
- In a large stockpot, combine the bone broth, onion, Italian seasoning, lemon juice, rosemary, garlic, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes.
- Strain the solids from the broth, and return the broth to the stockpot.
- Add the Parmesan and cream and cook, stirring, over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the kale, wine, and uncooked meatballs. Cook for another 10 minutes or until the kale is tender and the meatballs are cooked through. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- To serve, divide the soup among eight serving bowls and garnish with red pepper flakes. Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Serves 8 (about 1 ½ cups per serving)
- Calories: 429
- Fat: 33g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
Keywords: Keto Zuppa Tuscana
12 comments
This soup is awesome. Flavor is amazing. A couple of things – though I figured out fromt he photos when to add the onions, it should be listed in the steps. Second, the liquid in the finished soup is quite runny. And third, the kale and parmesan in our soup stuck together into tasty but awkward masses.
Overall, though, the flavor was so good I will make it again!
Thanks! I updated the recipe to include the onions – whoops! The broth is definitely accurate, it is meant to be thin like a chicken broth vs. thick like a chowder. It’s a preference for me, I like it really brothy, but I think you could thicken it up with some arrowroot powder or xanthan gum.
This soup is amazing! Hearty and filling…I changed nothing about the recipe and have already passed it on to a handful of friends! Keep up the good work!
This soup is delicious, my family loved it. It is a new favorite!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
This looks good and I plan to try it but….it shows the meatballs on what looks like parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Are the meatballs baked in the oven? If so, for how long?
Hi Debra! There is no need to precook the meatballs. They are cooked right in the soup.
A great recipe that is now on regular rotation in my house.
★★★★★
A great way to get bone broth in. Would have never thought to use it in a creamy soup recipe, but it was amazing.
★★★★★
Can’t wait to try this! What makes up your ital seasoning? Is it a particular blend or whatever herbs you have on hand. Thanks in advance!
It’s a store-bought mix that has oregano, basil, marjoram, rosemary and thyme but any version of that mix would be fine.
Hi there, what level heat are you cooking when adding the kale, wine and meatballs? The recipe says about 10 minutes – is that on low?
Thank you!
Hi! Yes you keep it on low, as long as it’s at a simmer you’re good.
★★★★★