You will fall hard for this easy Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana recipe. You can make this sausage and potato soup in the Instant Pot, crockpot, or on the stovetop. You’ll also find plant-based options in the recipe card.
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You’re in for a real treat with this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, my friends!
Made in the Instant Pot (or slow cooker OR on the stovetop. I mean, seriously, you have options) you’ll find yourself making this Olive Garden copycat soup again and again.
Ingredients
This recipe uses:
- Bacon – the candy of meat
- Sausage – ground, or links with casings removed
- Potatoes – I recommend Russet
- Garlic, and lots of it
- Onion
- Chicken stock
- Heavy cream
- Kale – see notes about using other greens
- Red pepper flakes if you’re feeling it. It’s your world, season as you see fit.
How to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.
Start by pressing saute on your Instant Pot. Let it get hot and then add the chopped bacon to the insert and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. You’ll want to stir it occasionally so that it doesn’t burn.
When the bacon is half-cooked, add the sausage and cook, stirring often, until the sausage is cooked through. All brands of sausage can vary on how much grease they produce, so I recommend draining all but ~1-2 tsp of fat once the sausage has been fully cooked.
Add a splash of the chicken broth and let it sit in the Instant Pot for a minute. Use a wooden spoon or a wooden scraper (like this one) and deglaze (it’s a fancy word for scrape) the bottom of the Instant Pot.
You don’t want to skip the deglazing step for two reasons. One, anything stuck to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert can prevent it from coming up to pressure.
Two, scraping up the bits of caramelized stuck on bacon and sausage adds incredible flavor to the overall soup. Those bits are called “fond”, and now you get to be the coolest person with the nerdiest facts at your next dinner party. Congrats.
After you’ve scraped the bottom of the Instant Pot, add the onions, garlic, chicken stock, and potatoes. If you’re a fan of spice and you’re using the red pepper flakes, go ahead and add them now.
Pro tip: if you prefer that the kale is super duper soft in your zuppa toscana, go ahead and add it with the other ingredients now. Adding it later means it will be al dente. You get to choose!
Lock the lid into place and set the steam release handle (valve on top) to “Sealing”. Press Manual>High Pressure>5 minutes.
When the cooking time is up, do a natural release for 10 minutes, and then flip the vent to “venting” and perform a quick release.
Remove the lid, add the heavy cream, and the kale, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
HOW TO STORE AND REHEAT
Storing Leftovers: Allow the Zuppa Toscana to fully cool before storing it in air-tight containers in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Reheating Leftovers: You can reheat the soup in the microwave. Start with 1 minute, stir, and then add an additional 30 seconds until it is heated to your liking.
Or, reheat on the stovetop for 5-10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring often.
Freezing: You can freeze Zuppa Toscana and store it for 2-3 months with a few recommendations. I strongly encourage you to freeze the soup before you add the heavy cream and kale. This will prevent weird textures in the soup upon reheating. You can add those items to individual portions once thawed and ready to serve.
My favorite way to freeze leftover soup is in 1-cup or 2-cup Souper Cubes. Once frozen, I remove them from the trays and transfer them to freezer-safe silicone bags for the perfect zero-waste freezer method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it depends on the size of the Instant Pot that you’re using. It will easily double in an 8-quart or a 6-quart.
If you’re doubling the recipe, the cooking time remains the same. It will take longer to come to pressure with more volume, but you still only need to cook it for 5 minutes.
My preference is lacinto kale which is also called dinosaur kale or Tuscan kale. It’s a flatter leaf and the ribs are easier to remove. Kale also holds up really well in the soup when reheated.
Yes, absolutely! You can sub in spinach, escarole, or swiss chard without changing the flavor of the soup.
Spinach and escarole are less hardy than kale or swiss chard and they may wilt more when added to the whole pot of soup. If that isn’t the texture you’re going for, you can also add fresh spinach to each bowl and then ladle hot soup over it.
Yes! Use your favorite plant-based sausage, like Beyond’s spicy Italian sausage and either use a plant-based bacon or leave that out.
For non-dairy milk, full-fat coconut milk, cashew milk, or oat milk are my favorite. Do make sure that any plant-based milks are unsweetened and unflavored.
You’ll also want to use vegetable broth in place of the chicken stock.
Heavy cream will give you the best flavor, but I have successfully used half-and-half and whole milk when needed.
If you’re using something other than heavy cream, reduce the chicken stock by 1/2 cup.
Sure thing!
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- This soup is meant to have a thin broth with a hint of creaminess. It’s delicious and so good but it is not a thick cream-based soup like a chowder. If you want to make the texture thicker, remove some of the potatoes, mash them with a bit of the broth, and stir them back into the soup.
- I made this in an 8-quart Instant Pot. It will work in a 6 quart without issue. You would need to make adjustments to the measurements (slide the servings lever on the recipe card below) to make it in a 3 quart.
- Need a low-carb option? Sub in cauliflower florets or radishes.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
You will fall hard for this easy Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana recipe. You can make this sausage and potato soup in the Instant Pot, crockpot, or on the stovetop. You’ll also find plant-based options in the recipe card.
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Set the Instant Pot to saute. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring so that it doesn’t burn.
4 strips bacon
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Add the sausage and break it up, stirring often. Drain all but 1-2 tsp of fat.
1 lb ground sausage
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Add a splash of chicken broth and use a scraper to deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot. Don’t skip this step as anything stuck to the bottom can prevent the Instant Pot from coming up to pressure.
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Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes. If using red pepper flakes, add here.
1/2 cup white onion, 6 cloves garlic, 5 cups chicken stock, 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
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Lock the lid into place and set the steam release handle (valve on top) to “Sealing”. Press Manual>High Pressure>5 minutes.
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When the cooking time is up, do a natural release for 10 minutes, and then flip the vent to “venting” and perform a quick release.
-
Add heavy cream and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
3/4 cup heavy cream, 2 cups kale, salt and pepper to taste
- If you want to make the texture thicker, remove some of the potatoes, mash them with a bit of the broth, and stir them back into the soup.
- You can leave the peels on the potatoes if desired.
- Non-dairy milk or creamer works well in place of heavy cream.
- If you’re doubling the recipe, the cooking time remains the same. It will take longer to come to pressure with more volume, but you still only need to cook it for 5 minutes.
- You can sub in spinach, escarole, or Swiss chard without changing the flavor of the soup.
Stovetop Instructions
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set to medium, cook the bacon and break it up, stirring often. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
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Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are softened. If using red pepper flakes, add here.
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Add cream and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Slow Cooker Instructions
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set to medium, cook the bacon and break it up, stirring often. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Transfer to a slow cooker.
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Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are softened. If using red pepper flakes, add here.
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Add milk and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Nutrition Facts
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 412
Calories from Fat 198
% Daily Value*
Fat 22g34%
Saturated Fat 14g88%
Cholesterol 64mg21%
Sodium 312mg14%
Potassium 1186mg34%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 770IU15%
Vitamin C 37.8mg46%
Calcium 75mg8%
Iron 5.2mg29%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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