This Vegan Zuppa Toscana is a delicious variation of the classic soup. It’s vegan, dairy, gluten free and can also be made low carb too, that option is listed down below. I love the flavors in this soup. This soup can be made in a pot on the stove, in the crockpot or in the instant pot, I will list details on how to make it using all three below.
This soup is hearty and delicious and I love what the tofu adds to this dish, The tofu is completely optional but I do love the protein it adds to the dish. If you aren’t used to eating tofu, tofu doesn’t have much of a flavor on it’s own but instead takes on the flavors it’s surrounded with and this soup is filled with deliicous garlic, onion and herby undertones and the tofu takes those on.
I use a cashew cream to add the creaminess to this vegan zuppa toscana soup that it’s known for. To do this, you will need to soak your cashews, preferably for at least an hour prior to blending and adding to this soup, that way they will blend completely and add a creamy, no texture addition to the soup. To soak, just place cashews in warm water and let them sit for 1-6 hours, drain the water, add some broth from the soup and blend until a smooth cream forms.
Another part of this soup that helps with flavor is the parmesan cheese, obviously that isn’t vegan so nutritional yeast can be used as a garnish if wanted.
What you need to make Vegan Zuppa Toscana:
Serves 6
- 1 cup cashews – soaked in water for at least 1 hour
- 1/2 cup red or white onion – diced
- 3 tablespoons garlic – minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon ground marjoram – optional, adds a nice herby-ness
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- Dash cayenne pepper – more for some spice
- 5 cups diced potatoes or cauliflower florets for low carb version
- 4 large leaves Tuscan Kale or Swiss Chard – chopped into big chunks
- 64 ounces vegetable stock
- 16 ounces firm or extra firm tofu – optional but highly recommended, diced into little squares
- Pinch of salt – adjust to desired preference
- Pinch of Black pepper – adjust to desired preference
- Nutritional yeast as a garnish – optional
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water for at least 1 hour, set aside.
- In a large stock pot, add onion, garlic and olive oil and sauté until onion and garlic start to soften.
- Add sage, marjoram, Italian seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper, potatoes or cauliflower, diced kale, vegetables stock and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, simmer for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain your cashews and scoop out about 2 cups of broth from the soup and add to your cashews, blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth.
- Add mixture into the soup.
- Dice up tofu and add to soup, cook for 3-4 minutes more then taste soup and adjust the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to desired levels.
- Serve with optional nutritional yeast on top and enjoy.
Instructions for Crockpot
- Soak your cashews next to your crockpot while this soup cooks.
- Add onions, garlic, olive oil, sage, marjoram, Italian Seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper potatoes or cauliflower, kale, and vegetable stock and a pinch of salt and pepper to the crock pot. We will add the tofu at the end out cooking.
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours.
- Drain your cashews and add about 2 cups of broth to the cashews and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until they are smooth and add mixture to the crockpot.
- Dice up the tofu and add to the hot soup, let tofu sit in soup for 5 minutes and enjoy, add nutritional yeast on top if desired.
Instructions for Instant Pot:
- Soak cashews in water for at least 1 hour, set aside.
- In the instant pot, add onion, garlic and olive oil and sauté until onion and garlic start to soften.
- Add sage, marjoram, Italian seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper, potatoes or cauliflower, diced kale, vegetables stock and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Place to lid on the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with a quick pressure release.
- Drain your cashews and scoop out about 2 cups of broth from the soup and add to your cashews, blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth.
- Add cashew mixture into the soup.
- Dice up tofu and add to hot soup and let it sit for a few minutes, adjust the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to desired levels and enjoy.
- Serve with optional nutritional yeast on top and enjoy.
Here are a few other recipes you may love:
Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake
Vegan French Macaron Cookies
Vegan Marshmallow Creme
Vegan Creamy Tomato Vegetable Soup
Vegan Meatballs
Vegan Caramel
Vegan BBQ “Meatballs”
Vegan Vanilla Muffins Four Ways
Vegan Chili
You can find more by searching vegan on my search bar, the little magnifying glass at the top corner of my page.
Vegan Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews – soaked for at least 1 hour
- 1/2 cup red or white onion – diced
- 3 tablespoons garlic – minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1 teaspoon ground marjoram – optional adds a nice herby-ness
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning or dried Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon dried basil or 1 tablespoon fresh basil
- Dash cayenne pepper – more for some spice
- 5 cups diced potatoes or cauliflower florets for low carb version
- 4 large leaves Tuscan Kale or Swiss Chard – chopped into big chunks
- 64 ounces vegetable stock
- 16 ounces firm or extra firm tofu – optional but highly recommended diced into little squares
- Pinch of salt – adjust to desired preference
- Pinch of Black pepper – adjust to desired preference
- Nutritional yeast as a garnish – optional
Instructions
- Soak cashews in water for at least 1 hour, set aside.
- In a large stock pot, add onion, garlic and olive oil and sauté until onion and garlic start to soften.
- Add sage, marjoram, Italian seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper, potatoes or cauliflower, diced kale, vegetables stock and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, simmer for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Drain your cashews and scoop out about 2 cups of broth from the soup and add to your cashews, blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth.
- Add mixture into the soup.
- Dice up tofu and add to soup, cook for 3-4 minutes more then taste soup and adjust the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to desired levels.
- Serve with optional nutritional yeast on top and enjoy.
Crockpot Instructions
- Soak your cashews next to your crockpot while this soup cooks. Add onions, garlic, olive oil, sage, marjoram, Italian Seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper potatoes or cauliflower, kale, and vegetable stock and a pinch of salt and pepper to the crock pot. We will add the tofu at the end out cooking. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours. Drain your cashews and add about 2 cups of broth to the cashews and blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until they are smooth and add mixture to the crockpot. Dice up the tofu and add to the hot soup, let tofu sit in soup for 5 minutes and enjoy, add nutritional yeast on top if desired.
Instructions for Instant Pot
- Soak cashews in water for at least 1 hour, set aside.In the instant pot, add onion, garlic and olive oil and sauté until onion and garlic start to soften.Add sage, marjoram, Italian seasoning, basil, cayenne pepper, potatoes or cauliflower, diced kale, vegetables stock and a pinch of salt and pepper.Place to lid on the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes with a quick pressure release. Drain your cashews and scoop out about 2 cups of broth from the soup and add to your cashews, blend in a blender or with an immersion blender until mixture is smooth.Add cashew mixture into the soup.Dice up tofu and add to hot soup and let it sit for a few minutes, adjust the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to desired levels and enjoy. Serve with optional nutritional yeast on top and enjoy.