Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana Soup (Instant Pot version too)

I rarely eat at Olive Garden, but when I do - I order Zuppa Toscana.

Isn't that such a fun name to say?  "Zuppa Toscana" this translates into "Tuscany Soup"

The cold weather is finally here.  It arrived last night.  I got home from work and all I wanted to do was make soup.  So I made the world's fastest chicken soup...seriously...it was fast.  Now I want to plan my weekly schedule around when I can make soup.  Soup is good, it is true, and it is beautiful.  I think I love the cold weather solely because I get to make and eat more soup.

I try not to eat dairy, and some of my people don't eat dairy either - so I made this dairy free by using coconut milk instead of heavy cream/milk.  If you love dairy and can eat it by all means use heavy cream/milk/ or half and half.

Zuppa Toscana

1 pound ground Italian Sausage, chicken or pork*

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes*

4 slices bacon chopped (optional)

1 large onion, diced

1 TBS minced garlic

64 ounces chicken broth

8 small red potatoes sliced in half, then sliced thin

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 Large bunch of Kale - cleaned, stems removed, and chopped

In large stock pot cook the Italian sausage and chili flakes until browned and no longer pink.  Remove from pan, drain, and set aside.  Cook the bacon in the same pan until crisp.  Drain off some of the fat - not all of it!  Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes of medium/high heat - stirring every once in a while.

Pour the broth over the bacon/onion bring to a boil.  Add the potatoes and boil until tender.  Reduce heat and add in the coconut milk and sausage.  Add the Kale and cook for a few minutes.  I like my kale crisp so I only cook it for a minute or 2.

*If you can't find ground sausage you can also use Italian sausage links cut up into slices.
*If you like your soup spicier add up to 1 1/4 tsp chili flakes

Updated Instant Pot Version (2/1/19)

Turn instant pot on to saute mode.  Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered.  Remove from pan. If you aren't using bacon just add a TBS of olive oil instead.  Add sausage and saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.  Add onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes.  Then add the meat back in, the potatoes and the broth.  Stir.  Seal lid and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.  When done wait for 5 minutes before releasing the pressure.  Add in the kale and the coconut milk and stir until kale is to desired tenderness.