Slow Cooker Sausage Stew also has beans and greens, and this is a tasty slow cooker dinner that’s loaded with Italian flavors! See tips for making a version of this slow cooker stew that’s lower in carbs.

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Slow Cooker Cannellini Bean Soup with Sausage and Kale finished soup in bowls

This Slow Cooker Sausage Stew has some of my favorite flavors, and this stew with beans and kale is flavorful and comforting. And Italian sausage, beans, and kale is a classic combination in Italian cooking, and I loved how this turned out.

One thing that was an experiment in this slow cooker stew was adding the kale to the slow cooker after the sausage and beans had cooked for a few hours. And I was so happy with how the raw kale softened perfectly in the slow cooker with just a little more cooking time, and the slightly chewy kale was one of my favorite parts of this dish!

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, I hope you give this recipe a try! And personally I’d always eat this kind of stew with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on at the table, but the recipe is dairy-free if you skip the Parmesan.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

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

What beans can you use for Slow Cooker Sausage Stew?

I loved the Cannellini Beans (white kidney beans) I use for this bean stew, but if you don’t find those at your store any type of dried white bean such as Great Northern Beans will be fine.

What other greens can you use for Slow Cooker Sausage Stew?

As I mentioned, 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, mustard greens, or collards. Softer greens will not need quite so much cooking time.

What size slow cooker did I use for the slow cooker stew?

I used my Crock-Pot 5-Quart Smart-Pot Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe, but a slightly smaller slow cooker will work.

How can you make this Slow Cooker Sausage Stew lower in carbs?

You can use fewer beans and more sausage and kale to make a tasty lower-carb version of this recipe.

Slow Cooker Cannellini Bean Stew with Tomatoes, Italian Sausage, and Kale process shots collage

How to Make Slow Cooker Sausage Stew:

(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 link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Brown the sausages well in a little olive oil  (Don’t skip this step!)
  2. While the sausage browns, dump the Cannellini beans into a colander placed in the sink, rinse, and let them drain.
  3. When the sausage is well-browned slice it into pieces about an inch thick.
  4. Add the beans, sausage slices, tomatoes, spices, and canned chicken broth (affiliate link) to the slow cooker and let it cook for about 2 1/2 hours on high (or 5 hours on low.)
  5. Wash and chop the kale to make 4 cups of chopped kale.
  6. Add the kale to the slow cooker and let it cook 45 minutes longer on high (or twice as long on low.)
  7. I forgot to take a photo when the kale was done, but it was tender but still slightly chewy after 45 minutes.  If you’d like softer kale, let it go a bit longer.
  8. Serve hot with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Square image for Slow Cooker Sausage Stew shown in two serving bowl with spoons and Parmesan cheese on the side.

More Slow Cooker Stew Recipes with Beans:

Weekend Food Prep:

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

Slow Cooker Sausage Stew
Yield: 8 servings

Slow Cooker Sausage Stew

Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes

Slow Cooker Sausage Stew has Cannellini beans, tomatoes, Italian sausage, and kale, and this is a tasty slow cooker stew that's great for a family dinner! Just use fewer beans and more sausage and kale to make a lower-carb version of this recipe.

Ingredients

  • one 19.5 oz. package hot turkey Italian sausage (see notes)
  • 2 tsp. olive oil
  • two 14.5 oz. cans petite dice tomatoes, not drained
  • two 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained (see notes)
  • 2 T minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. dried basil
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. ground fennel (or more)
  • 1 1/4 cup chicken broth or stock (see notes)
  • 4 cups chopped kale leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan, add sausages, and cook turning often, for 10 minutes or until sausage is nicely browned on all sides.
  2. Remove sausage to a cutting board to let it cool.
  3. While sausage cooks, dump the two cans of cannellini beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water (until no more foam appears.)  Let beans drain well.
  4. As soon as the sausage is cool enough to handle, slice it into round pieces about 1 inch thick.
  5. Put sliced sausage, drained beans, tomatoes with juice, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel, and chicken stock into the slow cooker and stir gently.
  6. Let cook for about 2 1/2 hours on high or 5 hours on low.
  7. While the stew is cooking, chop the kale, cutting away and discarding any thick inner ribs.  (Wash kale in a salad spinner if you’re using garden kale.)
  8. After 2 1/2 hours on high (or 5 hours on low), add the kale and stir gently into the stew.
  9. Continue cooking stew about 45 minutes more on high (or 1 1/2 hours on low).
  10. Serve hot, with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.

Notes

Use pork Italian sausage if you prefer. You can use a full can of chicken broth, which is going to be slightly more liquid; reduce the broth if you want to keep it a thicker stew.

I used my Crock-Pot 5-Quart Smart-Pot Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe, but a slightly smaller slow cooker will work.

This freezes well and can be reheated in the microwave or in a pan on the stove.

Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 336Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 559mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 8gSugar: 2gProtein: 30g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Slow Cooker Stew with Sausage, Beans, and Kale in two bowls with Parmesan

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Sausage stew with this many beans would be too high in carbs for a traditional low-carb diet plan, but you can make a tasty lower-carb version of this by using more sausage and kale and fewer beans. With lower-fat turkey Italian sausage this Slow Cooker Sausage would be approved for all phases of the original South Beach Diet. Even though dried beans are a low-glycemic ingredient, remember they’re limited to 1/3 to 1/2 cup for phase one of South Beach, so adjust portion sizes accordingly.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
The Slow Cooker Sausage Stew was first posted in 2012, when I was doing lots of experiments in my slow cooker. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2024.

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