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This Crockpot zuppa toscana is a rich and creamy, filling soup that’s absolutely bursting with flavor. It’s dairy-free, Whole30, and paleo, too, with bacon, sausage, potatoes, kale, and rich coconut milk or cream. The slow cooker version of my popular Healthy Zuppa Toscana recipe!

Generously sponsored by Kroger Co. but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Two bowls of zuppa toscana next to the sausages used

Soup is the Perfect Fall Meal

As the weather starts to get cooler, we all turn to hearty and rich meals and that’s where this healthy zuppa toscana recipe comes in. It’s so full of amazing flavors, it really is like a big hug!

I always reach for my slow cooker this time of year, it’s so convenient to just dump all of the ingredients in there, let it do its thing, and serve up a hearty and warming family meal.

Why This Recipe is So Good

  • This Whole30 soup is rich and creamy like traditional Zuppa Toscana but totally dairy free and paleo.
  • The combination of coconut milk, kale, potatoes, Italian sausage, and bacon make this healthy zuppa toscana super filling.
  • It’s slow-cooked in the crockpot so it’s an easy hands-off meal that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner.
  • It’s full of natural and healthy ingredients for a great family meal.

Which Sausage is best to use?

I used Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausages for this crockpot meal – they were super flavourful and I love that they only use natural and high ingredients. They are perfect if you are following Whole30 and the flavor combination works so well with the other ingredients in this zuppa toscana recipe.

I got these Aidells Chicken & Apple Sausages at my local Kroger. Be sure to click here to add them to your cart!

Variations

  • If you avoid potatoes, try cauliflower florets in place of the diced potatoes. You can even try celery root!
  • If you’re allergic to coconut or are worried it might have a “coconutty” flavor, swap the coconut milk out for cashew cream. Combine 1 cup raw cashews with 3/4 cup water in a high-speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
A spoon stirring the zuppa toscana in the crockpot

Can You Make This Ahead of Time?

The joy of making this soup in the crockpot is that you can easily fit it into your dinner plans! It takes 3 hours to cook on high, or 6 hours on low, so if more convenient you can set it to go earlier in the day. If you don’t want to serve the soup straight away, you can keep it warm in the slow cooker.

This crockpot zuppa toscana is also perfect for meal prep. Store the cooked soup in an airtight container in the fridge and it will be good for 3-5 days, and it also freezes really well.

Chef’s Tips

  • Don’t overcook the soup after you’ve added the kale. You want it bright green and just wilted.
  • Make a big batch of this on Sunday and eat it all week. Comfiest meal prep ever!
  • Leave out the extra 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes in the soup if you’re sensitive to heat.
The dish served in a white bowl with a spoon

Be Sure to Check Out These Other Crockpot Recipes!

Crockpot zuppa toscana served in a white bowl
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
5 from 27 votes

Crockpot Zuppa Toscana

Prep 10 minutes
Cook 3 hours 10 minutes
Total 3 hours 20 minutes
This Crockpot zuppa toscana is a rich and creamy, filling soup that's absolutely bursting with flavor. It's dairy-free, Whole30, and paleo, too, with bacon, sausage, potatoes, kale, and rich coconut milk or cream. The slow cooker version of my popular Healthy Zuppa Toscana recipe!
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8

Equipment

  • Large skillet
  • Crockpot (or similar slow cooker)

Ingredients

  • 6 slices Whole30-compliant bacon cut into about ½" pieces
  • 1 pound  Aidells Chicken-Apple Sausage
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced, approximately 2 tablespoons
  • 4 medium yellow potatoes about 1 pound 3 ounces, diced into bite-sized pieces
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • ½ of one bunch kale thick stems removed at the bottom, and leaves chopped; approximately 4 cups
  • 2 13.5-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk 27 ounces total, see Notes
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon in a large skillet and remove when crisp. Reserve the grease.
  • Return skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon bacon grease. Cook the Aidell's Chicken-Apple Sausage slices in bacon grease until browned on both sides, about 5-7 minutes.
  • Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 4-5 minutes, adding 1 tablespoon more of bacon grease if necessary.
  • Place the potatoes in the Crockpot or slow cooker. Add the cooked onion-garlic mixture and sausage. Pour the chicken broth over and stir in crushed red pepper, lots of salt and Italian seasoning.
  • Cover and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender – approximately 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
  • Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Stir in kale to combine. Cover and cook on high until the kale is wilted but still bright green, about 15 minutes more.
  • Stir in bacon, season with pepper, and serve.
  • Coconut Milk: Use coconut cream for a creamier, richer soup.
 
Recipe yields approximately 8 servings. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by 8. Result will be the weight of one serving.

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 505calProtein: 18gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 22gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 883mgPotassium: 853mgTotal Carbs: 31gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gNet Carbs: 28gVitamin A: 264IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 5mg
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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Cheryl Malik

In addition to being a certified health coach, certified yoga instructor, and mom of 3, Cheryl is also the recipe developer, editor-in-chief, food photographer, and passionate foodie behind 40 Aprons. Having spent the last 10+ years as a food blogger, she's become known for her flavorful recipes, detailed instructions, gorgeous photography, and down-to-earth approach to food and cooking in general.

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71 Comments

    1. Sure, Emily! The yellow potatoes will come out creamier, but the russet potatoes will work just fine!

      Reply

  2. Hey there! I havent made it yet, but got the ingredients last night and store didnt have coconut milk, so I bought coconut cream. Would that be an okay substitute? If so would I just follow the same ounces? And if not what would you reccomend? Thank you, I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply

    1. The recipe calls for coconut milk, but you can use coconut cream for a creamier, richer soup.5 stars

      Reply

  5. This is EXCELLENT! The flavors are wonderful and this is just such a delicious recipe. I never spend the time to rate/comment but had to on this one. I don’t eat pork so used turkey bacon and cashew cream in place of coconut milk. This is by far one of the best soup recipes I’ve ever made!!5 stars

    Reply

    1. We’re thrilled to hear that, Amy! Turkey bacon and cashew cream are great substitutes. Thanks for your feedback! 🙂5 stars

      Reply

  6. This soup was AMAZING!!! I made it 3 times in 1 week because once my husband and I tried it for ourselves, it was so good that we then made it to take to two other families. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  8. Hello! I have no kale. Can I possibly use some skinny long leaves of fresh lettuce 🥬 mix that I have growing on my back deck right now? I was going to drain a canmof spinach very well, but am out of that as well. 💜

    Reply

  9. I made this for dinner last night and it is probably one of my favorite whole30 meals so far! I did make a few adjustments, I only used one can of coconut milk because it was creamy enough for me that way and I felt more would have tasted too strong of coconut. I also used turkey bacon instead of pork and added a squeeze of lemon juice at the end. It was so good!5 stars

    Reply

  10. I can’t wait to make this! I plan on starting it before work, but I would be gone for about 8-10 hours, can I leave it on low that long or will it overcook?

    Reply

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