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overhead shot of soup with sausage, kale, and potatoes in a bowl with a gold spoon and bread.

Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana

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With a short list of ingredients, this easy lightened up crock pot zuppa Toscana is a hearty one pot meal that's a simple slow cooker meal everyone will love!
Course dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Diet Gluten Free
Keyword crock pot, Crockpot, Slow Cooker, soup, zuppa toscana
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 40 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 619

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ pounds sweet Italian pork sausage
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch pieces
  • 1 quart low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼  teaspoon kosher salt

To Add at the End

  • 4 cups chopped kale
  • ¼  cup cream
  • red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions

  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and break into bite sized pieces. Brown on one side, about 3 minutes.
  • Flip the sausage pieces, add the onion, and cook until the onions are softened and the sausage is browned on both sides, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring frequently. Drain any excess grease and discard, if desired.
  • Carefully transfer the cooked sausage and onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the diced potatoes, stock, water, and salt, stirring to combine.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
  • Uncover and remove about 1 cup of cooked potatoes and ½ cup cooking liquid to a medium bowl. Set aside.
  • Add the kale, cover, and cook on high for 15-30 minutes, or until the kale is tender.
  • While the kale is cooking, using a fork, mash the potatoes with the cooking liquid until smooth.
  • When the kale is tender but still bright green, add the mashed potato mixture and cream, stirring to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

Notes

  • See blog post, above, for substitution suggestions including dairy-free, storage, and more. 
  • For an even lighter version, use bulk chicken sausage in place of pork and half-and-half in place of cream.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 (of 6) | Calories: 619kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 702mg | Potassium: 1209mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4755IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 177mg | Iron: 4mg
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