Description
Hearty Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup is a comforting and flavorful Italian-inspired soup featuring savory Italian sausage, tender potatoes, kale, and a creamy broth enriched with parmesan cheese. Perfect for chilly days, this easy slow cooker recipe delivers a warm, satisfying meal with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat & Vegetables
- 375 grams of Italian sausage meat (without casings, mild or spicy, approximately ¾ lb)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ lbs Russet or gold potatoes (about 4 medium, peeled and cubed)
- 2 cups kale, roughly chopped
Liquids & Seasonings
- 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- A pinch of red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
- ¾ cup cream (10-30% fat)
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the sausage and vegetables: Remove the Italian sausage meat from casings if necessary. Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Peel and cube the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, and roughly chop the kale.
- Brown the sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, crumble and cook the Italian sausage until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed to avoid greasy soup.
- Combine ingredients in slow cooker: Transfer the browned sausage, chopped onion, minced garlic, cubed potatoes, chicken broth, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) into the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Cook the soup: Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours (120 minutes) until the potatoes are tender and the flavors meld together.
- Add kale and cream: About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the chopped kale and cream. Cover again and continue cooking until the kale is wilted and the soup is heated through.
- Finish with parmesan: Just before serving, sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese into the soup and stir well to combine for added richness and flavor.
- Serve warm: Ladle the soup into bowls and enjoy immediately, ideal for a cozy, filling meal on cold days.
Notes
- This soup is perfect for meal prep and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- For a lower fat option, use light cream or half-and-half instead of heavy cream.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for a milder taste.
- Feel free to swap kale with spinach if desired; add spinach in the last 5 minutes of cooking as it wilts faster.
- Using low sodium chicken broth allows you to control the saltiness more precisely.
- This recipe pairs well with crusty bread or garlic bread for a hearty meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
