Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
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Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup is my copycat version of my favorite Olive Garden soup. Ready in less than 30 minutes and you don’t even have to leave your house.
Let me start by saying I absolutely LOVE the Olive Garden’s soup, salad and breadstick lunch. And I know I’m not alone. I’m pretty sure everyone goes there primarily for the breadsticks!
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We’re sharing tips to help you get the best results with this recipe. If you don’t need the tips, scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and a printable recipe card.
Zuppa Toscana is one of my favorite soups on their menu, but I don’t always feel like getting ready to go out for dinner. So I decided to make a copycat version that I’m thrilled to share it with you today.
And don’t forget this soup freezes well, too. Which is super convenient for nights you don’t feel like cooking but want a home-cooked meal.
Most versions of this soup contain bacon, but I chose to skip that to save on time and calories. Trust me, you won’t even miss it!
If you are a soup lover like me, you’ll want to don’t forget to try my Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup, Instant Pot Chicken Corn Chowder, Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup and my favorite Taco Soup!
The Instant Pot quickly became my best friend when I learned how easy it was to use. At first, it was a little intimidating, but they are so much safer than the old electric pressure cookers. And the fact they are multi-functional, well that’s a plus too.
Copycat Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup
Italian sausage – feel free to use sweet or hot, your choice. For a healthier version you can swap this out for ground turkey – it’s just as good.
Potatoes – I chose to use Russet. You’ll want to keep the thickness of the slices even when cutting. You can use a mandoline to make this task easier.
Chicken broth – grab the low sodium version. If you don’t have chicken broth, vegetable broth would be the next best.
Kale – you will want to remove and discard the tough ribs before adding it to the soup.
Half & Half – if you don’t have half & half you could use heavy cream or greek yogurt thinned with milk for a lighter option.
Garlic – get fresh cloves, you won’t be sorry. The flavor is so much better. But if you are in a pinch grab a jar of minced from the store.
Onion
Salt and Pepper – To taste.
Freshly grated parmesan – this is optional, but definitely recommended.
Get the complete ingredients & directions in the recipe card below.
Tips for Making Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot
- Don’t skip the deglazing step or you may get a burn notice.
- Never overfill the inner pot. There’s a max fill line on the inside for you to use as a guide.
- I love using the keep-warm function. Just remember to stir it every once in a while until you turn it off.
- Your inner pot is dishwasher safe, so it’s easy to clean up.
How To Freeze Leftover Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
Once the Zuppa Toscana has completely cooled, add it to a freezer bag or use a vacuum sealer. If you are storing it in bags, lay them out flat to save space in your freezer.
Store portions in smaller freezer containers to make it convenient for the next time. You can also store leftover soup in Mason jars.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes:
- Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice
- Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes
- How to Make Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
**Save Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe for Later**
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Italian sausage, sweet or hot
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium Russet potatoes, halved and sliced ¼” thick
- 4 cups chicken broth
- ½ bunch curly kale, ribs removed & discarded, leaves roughly chopped
- ½ cup Half & Half
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly grated parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add sausage and chopped onions. Cook, breaking meat apart and stirring frequently, until browned (about 4-5 minutes). Add garlic & continue cooking until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Drain excess grease.
- Add broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits (aka deglaze). Turn off the Saute mode.
- Stir in potatoes. Make sure the contents don’t exceed the Max Fill line on the inner liner.
- Close and seal the lid and set the steam valve to Sealing.
- Select Manual High-Pressure setting and set the timer to 5 minutes. The pot will take 5-7 minutes to come to pressure.
- When the cook cycle ends, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure.
- Carefully open the lid when the pressure has fully released. Add chopped kale and stir until wilted.
- Add Half & Half and stir until heated through (1-2 minutes).
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Don’t skip the deglazing step or you may receive a burn notice.
- Substitute with ground turkey for a healthier version.
- Store leftover soup in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutritional Estimate
Nutritional information is provided as a reference, using an online calculator. We recommend verifying the information independently for accuracy.
