Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup

4.67 from 3 votes

Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup is comfort in a bowl! Almost like a Zuppa Toscana with low fat options and full fat flavours!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Slow Cooker Soup

Servings: serves

1 pound ground hot Italian sausage browned, or any other sausage - chicken, pork, beef or turkey
1 onion peeled and diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
2 celery sticks diced
5 cloves garlic or 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth good-quality
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons vegetable stock powder like Vegeta, or chicken/beef bouillon powder — chicken adds better flavour
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt adjust to your tastes
1/3 teaspoon cracked black pepper, (adjust to your tastes)
600 ml evaporated milk or half and half, or reduced fat cream - full fat may also be used if not watching calorie intake
3 heaping tablespoons cornstarch mixed and dissolved well in 2 cups of milk, I use 2% milk
1 pound fresh gnocchi found in the fridge section of your supermarket
4 cups shredded kale leaves, stems removed (or baby spinach leaves),
1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch pepper to taste

Place the browned sausage, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, broth, Italian seasoning, Vegeta (or bouillon), onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper in a crockpot or slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Add the evaporated milk (or half and half or cream), milk/cornstarch mixture and gnocchi. Stir and replace cover. Cook another 30 minutes until the soup has thickened and the gnocchi has softened.
Add in the chopped kale (or spinach), cover for an extra 5 minutes or until just beginning to wilt.
Taste test and season with extra salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with optional parmesan cheese and bacon. (If soup thickens too much when cold, just add extra milk in half cup increments until achieving desired consistency while warming it up to serve.)

Tips:

You can also use chicken sausage, normal beef or pork sausage, or even turkey. Just make sure the sausage you use is Italian because that's where the flavour is!
optional toppings: freshly grated parmesan cheese and crispy bacon