{"id":21826,"date":"2026-03-18T05:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T11:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kalynskitchen.com\/slow-cooker-cannellini-stew-sausage-kale\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T08:27:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T14:27:01","slug":"slow-cooker-cannellini-stew-sausage-kale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kalynskitchen.com\/slow-cooker-cannellini-stew-sausage-kale\/","title":{"rendered":"Slow Cooker Sausage Stew"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Slow Cooker Sausage Stew has Italian Sausage, tomatoes, cauliflower rice, and kale, and it’s a tasty dinner with Italian flavors! See the link below if you prefer to make the original version with Cannellini beans.<\/i><\/p>\n

PIN the Slow Cooker Sausage Stew to try it later!<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Slow<\/p>\n

Many readers know that I started my carb-conscious eating journey with the original South Beach Diet<\/a>. Back then I ate a lot of dried beans, but for years now I’ve been creating lower-carb versions for earlier recipes that had beans. And this Slow Cooker Sausage Stew<\/strong> is an easy recipe with some of my favorite flavors, and I’ve updated it to be lower in carbs. <\/p>\n

This new slow cooker stew with Italian sausage uses cauliflower rice to replace the Cannellini beans in the original version of the recipe<\/a>. (If you were a fan of that one, you can still find it by using the link.) I tested the new version with my assistant Kara<\/a>, and we both loved it. And my neighbor John came over to be a taste tester, and he also pronounced it delicious!<\/p>\n

One thing I love in this slow cooker stew is adding chopped kale to the slow cooker after the sausage, broth, tomatoes, spices, and cauliflower rice have cooked for a few hours. The raw kale softens perfectly in the last hour of cooking time. Or cook it a little bit longer if you want even softer kale. And the kale is one of my favorite parts of this dish!<\/p>\n

I know my site has a lot of recipes that use Italian sausage, and I never get tired of it. If you’re also a sausage fan who likes the slow cooker, I hope you give this a try. And personally I’d always eat this kind of stew with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on at the table!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?<\/h2>\n

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE<\/strong> link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)<\/p>\n

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  • pork Italian sausage (hot or mild)<\/li>\n
  • Olive Oil<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • canned petite dice tomatoes<\/li>\n
  • Minced Garlic<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • Dried Basil<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • Dried Oregano<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • ground fennel<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • Spike Seasoning<\/a> (affiliate link) or Salt Free Spike Seasoning<\/a> (affiliate link)<\/li>\n
  • canned chicken broth<\/a> (affiliate link) <\/li>\n
  • frozen cauliflower rice<\/li>\n
  • kale<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What sausage did I use use for Slow Cooker Sausage Stew?<\/h2>\n

    I used Kirkland mild Italian Sausage from Costco for this recipe. That comes in a big package so I used six sausage links, but if you’re buying a grocery store pack with only five sausages that will be fine. You can use hot Italian sausage if you want a bit more heat.<\/p>\n

    What other greens can you use for Slow Cooker Sausage Stew?<\/h2>\n

    I loved the slightly-chewy kale in this slow cooker stew, but if you’re not a fan of kale you can use other greens like spinach, Swiss chard, or collards. Softer greens will not need quite so much cooking time.<\/p>\n

    What size slow cooker did I use for the stew?<\/h2>\n

    I used a 5-Quart Slow Cooker<\/a> (affiliate link) for this recipe, but a slightly smaller slow cooker will work. You can use the category for Slow Cooker<\/a> to see all the slow cooker recipes on my site.<\/p>\n

    How to make this sausage stew lower in sodium:<\/h2>\n

    This recipe as written is not extra low in sodium, but you can decrease the amount of sodium by using low-sodium chicken broth.<\/p>\n

    How low in carbs is Slow Cooker Sausage Stew with cauliflower rice?<\/h2>\n

    The updated version of this stew with cauliflower rice replacing the beans has only 9 net carbs per serving, with 14 grams of protein.<\/p>\n

    \"Pinterest<\/p>\n

    How to Make Slow Cooker Sausage Stew:<\/h2>\n

    (This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE<\/strong> link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. I had a big package of mild Italian Sausage, so I used six links. If your store has packages with five links, that will be fine!<\/li>\n
    2. I wanted small bites of sausage all through the stew, so I used this process:<\/li>\n
    3. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and brown the sausage until it’s firm enough to cut.<\/li>\n
    4. Cut the browned sausage lengthwise, and then cut those strips into smaller pieces.<\/li>\n
    5. Put smaller pieces back into the frying pan and cook until sausage is well-browned. (Don’t rush this step; the browning adds flavor.)<\/li>\n
    6. (If this process seems too time-consuming for you, you can squeeze sausage out of the links and cook it in olive oil until fully cooked and starting to brown. Break it apart as it cooks.)<\/li>\n
    7. Transfer browned sausage to the slow cooker. Then rinse out the frying pan with the chicken broth and add that liquid to the slow cooker.<\/li>\n
    8. Add the canned tomatoes, spices, and cauliflower rice to the slow cooker.<\/li>\n
    9. Let it cook for about 2 1\/2 hours on high (or 5 hours on low.) Slightly longer time won’t matter if you get busy.<\/li>\n
    10. I used a whole bunch of kale. First cut the ribs away and discard. Then chop the kale into small pieces. If needed, wash the kale and spin dry in a salad spinner (0r dry with paper towels.)<\/li>\n
    11. Add kale to the slow cooker and let it cook another hour on high (or twice as long on low.) If you prefer softer kale, you can cook it a bit longer.<\/li>\n
    12. I forgot to take a photo showing how the kale wilted down into the finished soup.<\/li>\n
    13. Serve Slow Cooker Sausage Stew hot, with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.<\/li>\n
    14. This stew will keep a few days in the fridge and leftovers can be frozen. You may want to add a little broth when you reheat it. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Make it a Low-Carb Meal:<\/h2>\n

      This tasty slow cooker stew with sausage and kale would be delicious served with one of these:<\/p>\n

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      • Almond Flour Savory Bread<\/a><\/li>\n
      • Low-Carb High Fiber Savory Muffins<\/a><\/li>\n
      • Olive Bread<\/a> <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \"Slow<\/p>\n

        Weekend Food Prep:<\/h2>\n

        This Slow Cooker Sausage Stew recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep<\/a> where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!<\/p>\n