Sit back, relax, and enjoy a big bowl of this hot slow cooker creamy gluten free zuppa toscana soup. It is a hearty potato soup that is loaded with so much flavor! The best part is you can make this soup in your slow cooker, so it’s practically effortless!

Two bowls of slow cooker zuppa potato kale soup on a table.

This is a fabulous copycat of Olive Garden’s gluten free Zuppa Toscana Soup, and it gets incredible reviews. The Olive Garden’s version isn’t gluten free because of cross-contamination risks. I had missed it over the years after going gluten free!

My hearty soup is loaded with pancetta, sausage, protein-packed cannellini beans, creamy broth, parmesan cheese, kale, potatoes, and herbs, making this soup so delicious. This crowd-pleasing soup is also perfect for taking for lunch in a thermos!

Fall is right around the corner, and knowing that makes me and my family crave soup! My son has been begging for soup to take in his lunchbox, and honestly, I didn’t want to heat the house making soup. So that’s where this slow-cooker potato soup fits perfectly! We get fantastic soup, and I don’t have to heat the kitchen.

Love soups? You are in luck because I have several other gluten free soup recipes that are family-friendly!

Allergen Information:

This homemade soup is gluten-free, oat-free, egg-free, and nut-free. You can make this soup dairy-free if you use non-dairy heavy cream and parmesan cheese.

A spoon holding up a cut piece of sausage in the soup.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Potatoes – I prefer using russet potatoes because they are less waxy than red potatoes.
  • Kale – Use regular or dino kale.
  • Sausage – I prefer using Aidelle’s chicken sausage to keep the fats lower. They are also gluten free.
  • Cannellini Beans – I use canned beans that have been rinsed.
  • Pancetta – I buy the cubed pancetta package.
  • Onion or Leeks – Use either.
  • Garlic – Freshly minced or jarred.
  • Chicken Broth – I used low-sodium chicken broth. Be sure to check that chicken broth is gluten free.
  • Heavy Cream – Use heavy cream and not half and half.
  • Parmesan Cheese – Use grated or shredded parmesan cheese.

I am sure you have lots of questions…are you ready to make this yummy soup?

Step-By-Step Directions:

Leeks and pancetta cooking in a skillet.

I bet this picture will surprise you! I am typically a “dump and go” crock-pot type of person. I am lazy and often dislike browning things before dumping them in. You will get much better flavors if you cook your leeks (or onion), pancetta, and sausage first.

Step 1: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the pancetta and leeks. Allow cooking until the leeks are soft, about 3 minutes.

Sausage cooking with the leeks and pancetta.

Step 2: Brown the sausage, leeks, and pancetta for 5 minutes over medium heat until the leeks (or onions) are soft.

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Adding the beans and other ingredients to the slow cooker.

Step 3: Now, it gets easy. Dump the cooked sausage mixture and other ingredients into your slow cooker. Your slow cooker will be full until your kale and potatoes cook down. This is okay!

Step 4: Put the lid on your slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. When you come home from work, dinner is ready!!

The top close up view of the soup in the bowl.

Stovetop Directions:

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can make this soup on the stove! Follow the directions above. Instead of adding everything to the slow cooker, add everything to the soup pot. Cover and bring it to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.

Recipe FAQ:

Do I have to use pancetta?

No, if you don’t have pancetta on hand, that’s not a problem. You can replace it with bacon or ham, but keep in mind the soup will have more of a smoky flavor. Either way, this Tuscan sausage soup is amazing!

How do you store this soup?

Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will last around 3-4 days in the fridge, 1-2 days. If you are meal prepping, placing it in individual serving-size containers is nice. It makes it quick to grab and go out the door.

Can you freeze soup?

Yes, you can freeze this Italian sausage kale potato soup. Allow it to cool completely before freezing, then place it in an airtight container (or several containers for individual servings). My preference is freezing the soup in Souper Cubes because the soup is frozen in individual portion blocks. They are easy to store and heat up.

When you are ready to serve the potato kale soup, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Warm the soup up in a pan on the stovetop until it’s hot. Use medium heat so it warms up slowly and doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pan.

More Gluten Free Soup Recipes:

Love This Recipe?

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know it’s delicious. Thank you!

Two bowls of potato kale soup on a picnic table.

Slow Cooker Creamy Gluten Free Zuppa Toscana Soup

Sandi Gaertner
A delicious slow cooker gluten free zuppa toscana soup with white beans, kale, sausage, and potato.
4.91 from 10 votes
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Gluten Free Soup Recipes
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 265 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces pancetta
  • 3 cups russet potatoes diced
  • 1 package sausage like Aidells 5 links
  • 2 cans cannellini beans
  • 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 small onion diced
  • 3 cups kale chopped with stem removed
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon light oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • In a skillet, brown the sausage, onion, and pancetta in oil.
  • Cook for 5 minutes until the onions are soft.
  • Add all of the ingredients to your slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low 6-8 hours.
  • Enjoy hot!

Notes

  1. You can use leeks or onions in this recipe. I rinsed the cannellini beans before adding to the slow cooker.
  2. This soup will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
To make stovetop:
Heat the oil in a soup pot and add the onion, sausage, and pancetta. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 8 minutes then reduce the heat to simmer and cook 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 265kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 11gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 318mgPotassium: 551mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2785IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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12 Comments

  1. I was on the hunt for a creamy, delicious soup and was so glad to come across your recipe. This was a huge hit at my house! Thanks so much for sharing this.