Slow Cooker Tuscan Soup
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sausage browned with onions and garlic till sizzling. Grease drained to keep flavors tight. Broth, crushed tomatoes, and spices tossed in a slow cooker. Cook low and slow, spices meld, liquid bubbles quietly. Cream, parm tossed in mid-cook for that silky vibe. Penne pasta joins late—no mush. Kale chopped fine, stirred last minute; keeps crunch, adds bite. Unexpected twist—swap sausage for ground chorizo. Spicier, smoky, punchier. Watch timing close. Aroma rich, thick with herbs and umami. Garnish with heavier parmesan—sharp, crusty contrast. Keeps well, flavours deepen next day. Dinner for a crowd, but leftovers sing too.
Prep:
25 min
Cook:
Total:
Servings:
12 servings
#slow cooker
#Italian-American
#comfort food
#pasta soup
#one pot meal
Sausage sizzling, onions softening, garlic aroma rising—this step sets the stage. It smells earthy, intense. Too often sausage ends up bland cause folks rush or skip draining fat—fat equals flavor but excess dulls broth. Slow cooking lets spices settle in deep. Tomatoes lose sharpness, become velvet red pools. Cream and cheese fold in like finishing a jazz solo. Adding pasta at the end keeps it from turning to glue—been burned there, learned fast. Kale tossed late keeps its snap and color vibrant, no soggy green mush. Switch out sausage for chorizo for heat or keep mild Italian for mellow warmth. This is not dainty soup but bowl-filling, soul-soothing, crowd-pleasing comfort.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground chorizo sausage, casing removed
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
- 8 oz penne pasta
- 4 cups kale, chopped, tough stems removed
About the ingredients
Chorizo as substitute boosts smoky heat, I prefer fresh ground over links for better texture—breaks apart faster, no casing hassle. Can use spinach if no kale on hand but toss it even later so it doesn’t wilt away messily. Parmesan? Freshly shaved okay in a pinch but shredded melts better. Use whole milk instead of heavy cream if aiming lighter; soup less rich but acceptable. Onion can be yellow or white; yellow gives sweeter depth. Garlic—don’t skip, mincing finely speeds up flavor infusion. Watch salt carefully as sausage and broth can be salty. Crushed tomatoes canned good quality only — cheap brands taste metallic, ruins vibe. Penne better than small shells or rotini here; holds up under slow cook heat.
Method
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat, add chorizo, onion, garlic.
- Break up sausage as it cooks, listen for frequent sizzling; cook till no pink, about 7-9 minutes.
- Once browned, drain excess grease carefully to avoid soggy finish.
- Transfer sausage mixture into 6 qt slow cooker, add broth, crushed tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Cover; cook on high for 2-2.5 hours or low for 3.5-4.5 hours depending on your slow cooker quirks.
- Add heavy cream, half of shredded Parmesan, and penne pasta directly into slow cooker.
- Stir; cook uncovered for another 18-22 minutes, watch pasta closely to avoid overcooking—should be al dente, not mush.
- Stir in chopped kale, let cook uncovered 8-12 minutes more until kale wilts but keeps texture.
- Serve hot, garnish with remaining Parmesan, cracked black pepper if desired.
Cooking tips
Start on stove—listen and watch sausage. It’s done when no pink remains, edges crisp but not burnt. Drain fat if too much pools; greasy soup is flat, not rich. Dump everything into slow cooker—don’t stir too hard, you want spices spread evenly but not mashed. Lid on tight. High setting cooks faster but can toughen kale later; low setting dues to slower flavors melding but time heavier. Pasta last stage—watch it like a hawk; pasta and cream don’t cooperate well over long haul. Kale last to keep bite, toss in too early you get that slimy leaf texture no one wants. Final garnish brings bright, sharp contrast. Serve immediately or refrigerate—the flavors deepen overnight but add pasta fresh next day or it becomes gluey.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Brown chorizo with onion and garlic in a hot skillet. Listen for steady sizzle, no steam. Fat should render but drain before slow cooking or broth turns greasy. Careful here keeps soup cleaner, flavors sharper. Skipping drain is common rookie mistake, ends flat.
- 💡 Add pasta late — last 18-22 mins tops. Watch close. Overcooked penne loses shape, turns gluey quick. I check around 15 min mark now. Pasta variety matters; penne holds well, shells less so under long heat. Fresh pasta? Even shorter time. No pasta? Add more broth or by end gets thick like stew.
- 💡 Kale tossed in last 8-12 minutes. Chop finely but keep stems removed tough bits. Kale wilts but keeps bite, dancing between tender and crisp. Early kale means slimy leaves and dull color. Spinach swap works only if added even later. Texture here is big deal.
- 💡 Heavy cream and half Parmesan in mid-cook after initial slow simmer. Cream softens acidity, Parmesan blends in salts, rounds flavors. Add cream too early and it separates, turns oily. Parmesan melts better if shredded; shaved flakes stay separate and clumpy when heated.
- 💡 Don't rush salt amount because sausage and broth already salty. Taste early and adjust last minute for better control. Substitute fresh ground chorizo if spicy is wanted but keep casing off. Canned crushed tomatoes must be good quality; cheap can spoil color, taste metallic. Slow cooker quirks vary — adjust low/high time accordingly.
Common questions
Why drain fat from chorizo?
Fat renders in pan, too much left makes broth greasy, soup dulls flavor. Drain carefully, leave some for richness, not excess oil pool. Helps later slow cook base taste. Skip this and soup feels heavy, flat. Works different with lean meat though.
Can I swap penne pasta?
Yes but texture shifts. Small shells, rotini get mush faster. Shorter pasta cooking time needed if fresh. Sometimes I leave out pasta and serve with crusty bread instead. Pasta late addition crucial or soup too thick. Alternative grains not ideal here.
Common problems cooking with kale?
Toss kale in last. Too early means slimy texture, overcooked dull green. Chop fine but not mush. Remove tough stems or leaves get fibrous bites. If spinach used, add even later or just before serving. Timing controls final crunch, color retention.
How to store leftovers?
Store in airtight container, fridge up to 3 days. Pasta absorbs broth and thickens, reheat with splash of broth or water. Freeze okay but pasta softens more, best fresh if possible. Reheat slowly, stir occasionally to prevent sticking or drying out.
