Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup
A rich and comforting slow cooker soup featuring savory Italian sausage, tender russet potatoes, fresh kale, garlic, and onion in a creamy chicken broth. Red pepper flakes provide gentle warmth, while Parmesan adds a savory finishing touch.
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Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 garlic cloves freshly minced
- 1½ pounds russet potatoes scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 13.2 ounces mild or spicy Italian sausage casings removed
- 2 cups roughly chopped kale with stems discarded
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 small onion diced into approximately ½-inch pieces
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ¾ cup heavy cream such as Organic Valley
For Serving:
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place the Italian sausage and diced onion in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook for 4–5 minutes, breaking up the sausage as needed, until the meat is well browned and the onion has softened.
- Stir the minced garlic into the sausage mixture and continue cooking for 1 additional minute, just until aromatic.
- Transfer the cooked sausage, onion, and garlic mixture to a 4–6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken broth, potato chunks, salt, black pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Cover and cook on Low for 4–5 hours or on High for approximately 2 hours. Slow cooker temperatures can vary by model, so continue cooking as necessary until the potatoes are tender.
- Once the potatoes have softened, stir in the chopped kale, heavy cream, and some of the grated Parmesan. Mix thoroughly, allowing the residual heat to gently wilt the kale.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve warm with the remaining freshly grated Parmesan as desired.