Zuppa toscana, but make it crockpot! Mild Italian sausage, yukon gold potatoes, kale, and a creamy broth simmer all afternoon in the slow cooker. There's no flour and no cornstarch, either. You mash some of the potatoes right in the pot, and that's what makes it thick and creamy without feeling heavy. Stir in a handful of cheddar at the end and you've got a big pot of soup that feeds a crowd.

A bowl of creamy vegetable and sausage soup served in a patterned porcelain bowl with a spoon.

A Soup That Actually Fills You Up

I haven’t done many soups for Crock-tober, mostly because so many of them leave me hungry an hour later and fall flat on flavor. That's not the case with this one! It’s Italian sausage, a whole onion, and Yukon gold potatoes in a thick, creamy broth that tastes like it took way more effort than it did. Mashing some of the potatoes right in the crockpot is what makes it hearty enough to call dinner, no bread bowl required. My husband and I both went back for seconds, and it’s officially earned a spot in our fall rotation.

A woman with long red hair, wearing a brown sweater and jeans, smiles while standing in a modern kitchen beside a counter with fresh lettuce and hibachi steak bowls. Marble backsplash and gold kitchen accents are visible in the background.

A person sits cross-legged in a meditation pose with their hands resting on their knees, peacefully imagining delicious hibachi steak bowls. The simple black outline contrasts against a white background.

Stocking up on soups for the season? My crockpot chicken tortilla soup kicked off Crock-tober. My Cozy Sausage & Tomato Gnocchi Soup is the tomato-based cousin to this creamy one. And if you want cheesy and saucy, Creamy Lasagna Soup is calling.

Ingredients & Notes

Mild Italian sausage - This is where most of the flavor comes from, so don't swap it for plain ground meat. Brown it in a skillet first and drain off any fat before it goes in the crockpot.
Yukon gold potatoes - Cut into ¾-inch cubes. These do double duty, some stay chunky, some get mashed to thicken the soup.
Onion and garlic - A whole white onion and four cloves of garlic.
Chicken broth - Low-sodium, since the sausage and cheese bring plenty of salt.
Coconut milk - This makes the broth creamy. You can also use heavy cream too.
Kale - Stirred in for the last 30 minutes so it wilts but doesn't turn to mush.
Cheese - I used cheddar here, and I've also made it with parmesan.

How to Make Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

Ground meat browning in a stainless steel skillet on a stovetop. — **Step 1** : Brown the sausage in a skillet.

A slow cooker filled with diced potatoes and crumbles of cooked meat. — **Step 2** : Add all soup ingredient to the crockpot and cook low and slow.

A hand uses a fork to stir a mixture of chopped potatoes and ground meat in a slow cooker. — **Step 3** : Mash ⅓ of the potatoes.

A person pours a can of cream into a slow cooker filled with potato and sausage soup. — **Step 4** : Pour in milk or cream.

Creamy potato and sausage soup with greens cooking in a slow cooker. — **Step** 5 : Stir in kale and cook for 30 mins.

A bowl of creamy potato and sausage soup topped with shredded cheese and a spoon. — **Step 6** : Stir in cheese and serve.

Tips

Don't skip the mash. Mashing a third of the potatoes is the step that makes this recipe. It's what turns brothy into thick and creamy.
Drain the sausage. If there's fat left in the skillet, pour it off before the sausage goes into the crockpot.
Finish on HIGH. After adding the coconut milk and kale, switch to HIGH for the last 30 minutes.
Want heat? Add red pepper flakes, or stir in a spicy cheese instead of cheddar.

Check out these recipes for more crockpot meals

PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!

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