Easy Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana
on Jan 15, 2026
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This crock pot zuppa toscana is the perfect cozy, comforting and satisfying family dinner to come home to at the end of a busy day. It may remind you of a similar Olive Garden soup, packed with Italian sausage, potato and kale, but I’ve tweaked my version to pack in even more goodness and flavor.
The best crock pot zuppa toscana
If you’ve ever wished you could make Olive Garden’s popular zuppa toscana at home, my easy version has the same great flavor, but it’s so convenient to make since you make it in your slow cooker. I’ve also added in a few extra ingredients such as cannellini beans and sundried tomatoes to make it even more tasty and nutritious.
If you’ve never tried this soup before, it’s a hearty, creamy sausage, potato and kale soup inspired by Italian soups (the name simply means ‘Tuscan soup’, after all!). While these don’t traditionally contain cream, they’re simple, seasonal, and built on vegetables, beans, and sometimes tomatoes – just like the soup we’re making here!
Make dinner out of this easy and delicious crock pot soup by serving it with fresh crusty bread, or 2-minute olive oil toasts. Alternatively, just enjoy it by itself since it’s packed with all those satisfying chunks of potato!
And if you like the sound of this, don’t miss this Olive Garden copycat crock pot chicken gnocchi soup as well!
📌Recipe snapshot
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 6 to 7 hours cooked in the slow cooker on low, or 3 to 4 hours on high
- Serves: 5 to 6 for dinner with crusty bread
- Key ingredients: Italian sausage, potatoes, chicken broth, kale, cannellini beans, sundried tomatoes, seasoning/herbs, heavy cream
- Why you’ll love it: Olive Garden copycat (without leaving home!), easy weeknight dinner for busy days, family-friendly, ‘extra’ ingredients for even more flavor, set & forget until dinner time!
Key ingredients and substitutions
- Italian sausage: A good quality Italian pork sausage is one of the keys to plenty of flavor in this soup. You can use either sweet bulk sausage, or sausages in their casings (squeezed out – don’t worry, it’s easy!). If you want a little kick, you can use spicy Italian sausage instead.
- Potatoes: You’ll need potatoes that hold their shape while cooking for a long time. I would suggest all-purpose or ‘waxy’ potatoes such as Yukon Gold or red potatoes. In a pinch, you can use any kind!
- Paprika and Italian herbs: Regular, smoked or sweet paprika are all fine. You can add a little more if you like! I also add an entire tablespoon of dried mixed Italian herbs. If you don’t have them, use a mixture of thyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil (any or all of these). A bay leaf adds extra flavor too, although some Italian herb mixtures include some bay already.
- Cannellini beans: Olive Garden’s creamy sausage and kale soup doesn’t include these, but I like to add them for extra goodness and a more traditional Tuscan ‘vibe’! Other kinds of canned beans would work, too. Try navy beans, borlotti beans, butter beans, or even chickpeas.
- Chicken broth (stock): This forms the base of the soup. If you can, use a good quality broth with a short ingredients list and with chicken or chicken bones listed first!
- Kale: This adds bright green color and nutrition. Add it only during the last 30 minutes of cooking to keep it bright and fresh I usually grab pre-washed and bagged baby kale from the supermarket salad section for convenience. Sturdy kale is perfect in this recipe, but you can easily substitute it for spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens, or even savoy cabbage.
- Heavy cream: You’ll add this during the last 30 minutes of cooking, too – just 1 cup in the whole pot of soup so it won’t taste too rich. If you like, you can substitute with a lighter cream or even half and half.
- Sundried tomatoes: Around half a cup of chopped sundried (or semi-dried) tomatoes adds delicious bursts of flavor without overpowering the soup. It’s really important to only add these towards the end along with the kale and cream. If you cook them for longer they lose much of their tangy flavor.
- Grated parmesan: This is optional, but I think a good sprinkle of this tangy cheese over each bowl of soup provides the perfect tasty garnish.
How to make an easy crock pot zuppa toscana
It’s very quick and easy to get your zuppa toscana prepped and cooking in your slow cooker! I’d say you need around just 15 minutes to get everything into the pot. Switch the slow cooker on, go about your day, and come home to the welcoming aroma of savory sausage in a creamy broth with perfectly tender potatoes and beans, and tasty bursts of sundried tomatoes.
Feeling hungry now? Here’s all you have to do:
First, if your slow cooker has a saute function, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl. Saute some chopped onion and crushed garlic along with the sausage meat. Whether you’re using bulk sausage or sausage squeezed out of their casings, you’ll want to break the meat up with a wooden spoon and stir until nicely browned.
If your slow cooker doesn’t have a saute function, simply use a large frying pan or other pan on the stovetop to brown the onions, garlic and sausage.
Next, add the potatoes, beans, paprika, herbs, and salt and pepper.
Pour over the broth (stock) and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Around 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, stir in the kale, cream and sundried tomatoes.
If you like, you can sprinkle parmesan cheese over each bowl of soup before serving!
Helen’s Top Tips
- Try to use best quality ingredients. Since this creamy sausage, potato and kale soup recipe calls for just a few pantry ingredients, it will be even more delicious if you can use good quality sausage, broth, and sun-dried tomatoes (bright red ones are usually good!).
- If you’re using regular sausages in their casings, simply run a small sharp knife down the center of each, then squeeze the meat out straight into the crockpot (on saute function) or into a hot pan.
- Add the cream, kale and sun-dried tomatoes last – around 30 minutes before the end.
- Check the seasoning before serving. Add more salt and pepper if you would like. Alternatively, let everyone add their own at the table. If you are serving with parmesan sprinkled over, remember that parmesan is quite salty, too.
How to serve
- I would describe this Olive Garden zuppa toscana copycat as a cross between a soup and a casserole. It’s very satisfying with the hearty sausage, potatoes and beans! For this reason, it makes a perfect midweek family dinner served steaming in bowls with grated parmesan cheese on top.
- Any fresh bread will go perfectly on the side. If you’re serving the soup to guests, you could go the extra mile with parmesan toasts, no-knead Italian focaccia bread or 2-minute olive oil toasts.
- Serve with grated parmesan cheese on top. Alternatively, try this amazing Italian pangrattato recipe (otherwise known as ‘poor man’s parmesan’!).
Storing the soup
You can keep the tasty Tuscan-inspired soup covered or in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. I think this is one of those recipes where the flavors are even better after a night in the fridge!
You can reheat it gently on the stovetop, or in individual bowls in the microwave. If it has thickened too much in the fridge, simply add a splash more broth, cream or milk.
Sadly, this creamy sausage and potato soup isn’t really suitable for freezing. Cream-based soups can split, or the potatoes can become grainy. One option to get around this would be to freeze the cooked soup without the cream, and only stir it in when re-heating.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, as long as your slow cooker is big enough. You’ll need a slow cooker that’s at least 5 to 6 quarts (5 to 6 liters), but if you double the recipe you’ll need a 7 to 8 quart slow cooker (7 to 8 liters).
Yes. On the stovetop, you’d simmer the soup for 15 to 20 minutes. Then add the cream, kale and sundried tomatoes and simmer for an extra 5 minutes, roughly. The soup is ready when the potatoes are tender but not falling apart.
To make it in your Instant Pot, pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then natural release the pressure for 10 minutes. To finish, stir in the kale, cream, and sundried tomatoes and heat through for 2 minutes.
It’s similar, but this version of the popular soup is heartier with the added beans, it has an extra hit of tangy flavor from the sundried tomatoes, and the seasonings are more Mediterranean inspired. In short, my soup is slightly more rustic and closer to a traditional Tuscan soup recipe. So you could say it’s even better than Olive Garden’s!
It can be, but you’ll need to make sure that the sausages, broth, and even the seasoning blend are gluten free.
More hearty crock pot recipes
- If you love the sound of this recipe, you’ll like this crockpot chicken gnocchi soup too – also an Olive Garden copycat!
- You can make this chicken and butternut squash satay curry in your slow cooker or Instant Pot, or on the stovetop. It’s delicious any way!
- You can easily make a meal out of this pumpkin red lentil soup if you add your favorite bread on the side.
- For something a little different, go with this slow cooker Korean style chicken stew!
Easy Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, any kind
- 1 pound Italian pork sausage, sweet or spicy bulk, or regular sausages in their casings
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 3 medium potatoes, (or 2 larger ones – red, Yukon Gold, or all-purpose will hold their shape) diced into small chunks about 1cm square.
- 1 can cannellini beans
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried mixed Italian herbs, (or a mix of thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, bay – any or all of these)
- ½ teaspoon salt, (or to taste – ½ teaspoon might not be enough for you, so taste and adjust at the end)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth, (stock)
- 4 cups kale, (I like pre-washed and bagged baby kale. If using another type, wash it and remove any tough stalks.)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped into pieces
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan, optional, sprinkled over each bowl of soup, to serve
- fresh bread or toast with olive oil and salt, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- If your crock-pot has a saute function, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl, then saute the onion for a minute or two. Add the crushed garlic and the sausage (squeezed out of their casings if using regular sausages) and cook, stirring and breaking up, for a few minutes or until lightly browned. Alternatively, you can do this in a frying pan or pot on the stovetop, then transfer to your slow cooker. This step simply seals in the flavors and prevents a greasy soup.1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 pound Italian pork sausage
- Add the diced potatoes, beans, paprika, Italian herbs, salt and pepper, and chicken broth. Slow cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours.3 medium potatoes, 1 can cannellini beans, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 tablespoon dried mixed Italian herbs, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, 4 cups chicken broth
- 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the kale, heavy cream, and sun-dried tomatoes.4 cups kale, 1 cup heavy cream, ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
- Stir the soup well. Serve out into bowls, and sprinkle around a tablespoon of grated parmesan over each bowl (if you like). Fresh bread or toast drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt is great for dipping!⅓ cup grated parmesan, fresh bread or toast with olive oil and salt
Hello again from the S.of France.,
It was pelting with rain here yesterday (It still is) so I thought I would try your Zuppa Toscana. I had the wrong kind of cabbage (a pale green football !),and the wrong beans (red kidney beans),but it was still delicious, so thank you. Next time, I will try it with blette (Swiss Chard)and more appropriate beans .
Best regards, Mike Robinson.
Oh thank you so much for letting me know! I love that you made it work with those substitutions. So happy you enjoyed it!