Sausage Cream Soup with Potatoes and Kale (Slow-Cooker)

Rich and very flavourful, this Slow Cooker Tuscan Sausage Soup is a hearty, veggie-filled comfort food option for cold days. This slow cooker soup with sausage, potatoes and kale is naturally gluten-free and can be easily customized. Next time you’re looking for a comforting and nutritious meal, reach out to this recipe, dump the ingredients in the crockpot, then set it and forget it.

1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed (450 g)
1 large onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
6 cups chicken broth
6 russet potatoes, cut into ½" cubes
½ lb baby bella mushrooms, sliced (220 g)
4 cups kale, chopped

Garnish:
1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

In a skillet, add Italian sausage and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat until the sausage is browned and cooked through. Drain the fat drippings from the pan. Add onion and celery and continue cooking for 2 or 3 minutes, stirring regularly. This step is optional but ensures we eliminate most of the fat from the sausage meat. If you’d like to throw everything in the slow cooker, remember that the final dish might be greasy.

In a bowl, combine whipping cream with garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper.

Add the cooked sausage meat, onion and celery to the insert of the slow cooker. Add potatoes, mushrooms and seasonings; cover with chicken broth and the whipping cream mixture. Add more broth if necessary.

Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours.

Once the time is over, stir in the kale, give a quick stir and reheat until the kale is just wilted and the sauce is smooth. Adjust seasoning of the Tuscan sausage soup with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve the soup immediately with freshly grated Parmesan and more chili pepper flakes, if you like.

Makes 8 servings.

Cook's Notes:

Variations:

• Any greens can be added in place of kale. If you don’t have kale on hand, add some Swiss chard or spinach once everything has cooked through.
• If you want to make this soup keto or low-carb-friendly, leave out the potatoes, or substitute cauliflower instead.
• Feel free to use turkey sausage, kielbasa, or smoked sausage instead of Italian sausage.

Storage:

• You can enjoy the sausage soup leftovers for up to 2 days. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove with a little more water.
• Freezer: To avoid the plastic aftertaste, freeze the slow cooker Tuscan sausage soup in a glass container. The leftovers will keep for up to 3 months. To reheat, microwave for 6-7 minutes or boil on the stove, adding a little water to loosen the soup if necessary.