📋Healthy Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Recipe

slow cooker zuppa toscana ina black bowl with a spoon

5 from 1 vote

📋Healthy Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Recipe

If you love Zuppa Toscana soup, you'll love this Healthier Slow Cooker version of The Olive Garden's famous soup! Made with spicy turkey sausage, kale, potatoes, parmesan cheese, and without cream, it's a hearty and delicious crockpot soup.

Course dinner, lunch

Cuisine Italian

Keyword slow cooker, soup, zuppa toscana

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 15

Servings servings

Calories 196kcal

Author Terri Gilson

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound Italian ground turkey sausage - use mild or medium
1 medium white onion - diced
3 teaspoon minced garlic - 2-3 cloves
8 cups chicken broth
4 medium potatoes - cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups 1% milk
4 cups chopped kale
113 g pkg instant mashed potatoes or potato flakes * I use Idahoan Buttery Homestyle Instant mashed potatoes
2 tablespoon light or fat-free grated parmesan cheese
1.5 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk *I use Eagle brand as it's less WW points* *If you use the Lilydale brand of turkey bacon, it's sweeter so skip this condensed milk!

Garnish

2-4 slices chopped turkey bacon

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

In a large frying pan, brown the crumbled Italian sausage over medium-high heat (4-5 minutes)
Drain sausage through a sieve to remove as much excess grease as possible.
Add the cooked ground turkey sausage, chicken broth, onions, potatoes, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker.
Cook on Low for 4-5 hours or High for about 2 hours(cooking times vary by slow cooker).
Once potatoes are tender and you can put a fork easily through them, stir in kale, milk, instant mashed potatoes (or potato flakes), and Parmesan cheese.
Allow to cook for another 10 minutes on high or until thickened.
If desired, add additional chicken boillion (I added an additional 2-3 tbsp) or salt, and/or parmesan cheese to your taste preference.
However, you may not need to do this- it will depend on how it tastes.

Garnish

Garnish with chopped turkey bacon and additional crushed red pepper and/or parmesan cheese or black pepper (optional).

Notes

🔢WW Points

This slow cooker recipe is 4 ww points per serving (1 cup per serving), including the turkey bacon garnish (2 slices), which is HALF the ww points for regular Zuppa Toscana soup! *I use Eagle brand condensed milk, as it's less WW points

*NOTE: Sweetened Condensed Milk.Sweetened condensed milk balances the tanginess of this soup. I use Eagle brand as it has fewer WW points. *If you use Lilydale turkey bacon, it is sweeter than other brands (such as Butterball), so you don't have to use the condensed milk.

Recipe Tips

- Brown the Sausage Well for Extra Flavor. Browning the turkey sausage until it develops a deep golden-brown crust enhances the soup’s overall depth of flavor. Don’t rush this step—let it caramelize properly before draining the grease.

- Use the Right Potatoes for the Best Texture. Red potatoes are ideal because they hold their shape well in soups, but if using russet potatoes, be aware they break down more, making the soup thicker. If you prefer chunkier potatoes, Yukon Gold is a great alternative.

- Don’t Skip the Instant Mashed Potatoes. This secret ingredient helps create a creamy texture without heavy cream. If you prefer a chunkier soup, reduce the amount slightly or mash a few cooked potatoes instead.

- Add the Kale at the Right Time. To prevent overcooking, add the kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking. This ensures it stays vibrant and retains some texture instead of becoming too soft.

❔What to do with leftover condensed milk

You will have quite a bit of leftover condensed milk after you make this recipe. Fortunately, condensed milk will last up to 3 weeks in your fridge (in an airtight container)!

You can also freeze it in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag. Condensed milk will not actually freeze solid because of the sugar content. You can thaw frozen condensed milk overnight in the refrigerator. And it can be frozen for up to three months without any noticeable flavor or texture changes, as long as the container is tightly sealed. Whisk the milk if there is any separation, and note that thawed condensed milk should not be re-frozen. You can read more about freezing condensed milk HERE.

You can use leftover condensed milk to make my Healthy and WW friendly Butter Chicken or indulge in Bread pudding, Rice Pudding or my Coconut Lime Tres Leches Cake.

Nutrition