Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana
38 Comments Nov 15, 2022
Updated Feb 17, 2025
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Try Zuppa Toscana made in the crock pot, with potatoes, sausage, and kale. Great for a weeknight dinner. You will love this easy copycat Zuppa Toscana recipe that is an Olive Garden Copycat!
Love Italian soups? Also, try my sausage and white bean soup, Pasta Fagioli Soup, Tuscan white bean soup recipes!
What is Zuppa Toscana?
With many soups to try in the slow cooker, this is a very popular one to try! Zuppa Toscana is a classic recipe you may have seen on the menu at Olive Garden. It is a potato, and sausage soup with cream and kale added at the end. It makes for a hearty dinner; this potato soup just needs some crusty bread!
This soup takes a little bit of prep work but is nothing too time-consuming. I don’t peel the potatoes for this recipe; I like the texture of the unpeeled potatoes in this soup.
Be sure not to add the kale and heavy cream until the end of the cooking time. You may also like my newest recipe for Slow Cooker Potato Cheese Soup!
Recipe Ingredients
- Cooked Sausage: Not sure what kind of sausage to use for Toscana soup? We love Jimmy Dean’s Breakfast sausage (this is ground pork sausage); it’s seasoned perfectly for soup. Some like to use spicy Italian sausage or mild Italian sausage.
- Bacon: Cooked crumbled bacon is added for a smokey pork flavor.
- Russet Potatoes and onion: Russet potatoes are classic for crockpot Zuppa Toscana. Also, add a diced white onion. Scrub potatoes well.
- Chicken Broth: Don’t use water in soups; always use a broth; chicken broth works well for this recipe.
- Seasonings: Plenty of basil, thyme, and minced garlic make the best Zuppa Toscana.
- Heavy Cream: This will make the soup recipe have a creamy broth.
- Kale: Can use fresh kale or frozen kale.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Brown the sausage in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the sausage on paper towels, then do the same for the bacon. Add the cooked sausage, cooked bacon, russet potatoes, onion, minced garlic, seasonings, and chicken broth to the crock pot. Stir.
Step Two – Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.
Step Three – When the cooking time is done, add the chopped kale and heavy cream. Cook for 20 minutes more.
Step Four – Serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
- Toppings – Crock pot Zuppa Toscana is great as is! Some like to put shredded parmesan cheese on top though, it adds a nice touch. You can’ go wrong with freshly ground black pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Sides – If you want to go with an olive garden themed night, serve the soup with homemade Olive Garden Salad and Olive Garden Breadsticks.
Recipe FAQs
Ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey can be used. Though, beware the flavor won’t be near the same. There’s something magical the Italian sausage does to the zuppa toscana soup.
No, you can use spinach instead or skip it all together. If you have never had kale or spinach in soups, it doesn’t have a strong flavor, it really is a nice texture.
To make healthy zuppa toscana; use ground turkey, turkey bacon, and use fat-free half and half instead of heavy cream.
Zuppa Toscana is not a thick soup, it is a broth-based soup that has cream in it. If you want a thick soup, simply mix 3 tablespoons of cold water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add that mixture to the finished dish and it will thicken in about 10 minutes.
Store in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing the leftovers; potatoes and cream don’t freeze well.
Other dried herbs that work well in this recipe are herbs de province, Italian seasoning, sage, or dried parsley.
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Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon
- 1 lb. mild pork sausage, Can use Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage or Italian sausage.
- 4 cups diced russet potatoes
- 1 cup diced white onion
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 2 tsp. minced garlic
- 32 oz. box chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, add at the end
- 4 cups chopped kale, add at the end
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a skillet on the stovetop over medium high heat until crisp, drain and add to the slow cooker. In the same pan, cook and crumble the ground sausage and add that to the slow cooker.
- Add everything else to the slow cooker EXCEPT the cream and kale.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- When the cooking time is done, add the heavy cream and kale, push the kale down in to the soup.
- Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
- Ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey can be used. Though, beware the flavor won’t be near the same. There’s something magical the Italian sausage does to the zuppa toscana soup.
- Store in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. I do not recommend freezing the leftovers; potatoes and cream don’t freeze well.
- Other dried herbs that work well in this recipe are herbs de province, Italian seasoning, sage, or dried parsley.
- Zuppa Toscana is not a thick soup, it is a broth-based soup that has cream in it. If you want a thick soup, simply mix 3 tablespoons of cold water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add that mixture to the finished dish and it will thicken in about 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Thank you . I made this for dinner and it was delicious better than Olive Garden. Everyone got seconds. Will definitely make it again!
Can I use frozen kale?
Yes, frozen kale will work great.
I accidentally put the heavy cream in with the water and broth, will it be ok?
Yes! Heavy cream shouldn’t curdle, so you are good.
Definitely a keeper!!! So delicious and comforting on a cold winter’s day!!! The only I did differently was throw in a can of drained Great Northern Beans. Thank you for this yummy soup recipe!!!
Should I cook the sausage before adding it?
Yes, for sure.
What temperature should the heavy cream be? Can you use half and half?
Soup turned out great. The recipe and Instructions were easy to follow. This soup is delicious and made my house smell soooo good while it was on the crock pot.
If i make this today will it be good to serve tomorrow for my baby shower?
I made this for my family this weekend and it was a huge hit! Husband and both kids devoured it. Other recipes do not include the herbs like this one, but I feel like they add so much to this soup. Will definitely be making again!
Amazing soup!
Can I use frozen kale?
Making this tomorrow! Does half and half hold up well in it compared to the heavy cream?
Heavy cream does better. Experts say the higher fat content in the dairy means it’s less likely to curdle.
Delicious. How can I make it thicker?
You can do a cornstarch and water slurry. Or use cream cheese instead of cream.
I accidentally forgot to cook the bacon before adding, will it still be okay?
Yes, it should be fine!