Why go out to eat when you can make it yourself at home? You're just going to love this Olive Garden Copycat INSTANT POT Zuppa Toscana. That's right, INSTANT POT! It doesn't get easier than this.
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Shifting into soup mode.
It's officially fall now and I am shifting into soup mode.
The salads of the summer are gone, the leaves have begun to fall, I've busted out my MacIntosh apple candle, and pumpkin-flavored-everything is on store shelves. It's finally fall and it's finally time to get your soup on. Maybe it isn't fall where you are (or when you're reading this), but it can be fall in your heart when you serve up some of this delicious soup. The best part? This Olive Garden Copycat Zuppa Toscana is made in our favorite appliance: the Instant Pot!
So many Instant Pot recipes are "dump and go" and we love them for it! It's great having one of those recipes you can just throw together and know you have supper ready in a matter of minutes. Sometimes though, it's nice to spend a little time developing that flavor! That's what we do in this recipe for Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana. Onions and garlic taste so much better when they are given the chance to sweat a little bit, and we make use of the saute function of the Instant Pot to do just that!
Also, Kale
Kale is an extremely nutrient dense vegetable, meaning the nutrients to calorie ratio is super high. The problem is, it can be a hard vegetable to work into your rotation since it doesn't appeal to everyone. My husband in particular is not fond of kale, but he absolutely loves this soup! I am never one to give up trying new ways to prepare the same old vegetable in hopes of finding something that works, and I'm glad I finally made the Zuppa Toscana everyone was telling me about! I was even happier when I was able to adapt it to become Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, because who doesn't love the instant pot?
Anyway, I encourage you to give this recipe a go, even with kale-haters in your household. They just may be converted and become kale-lovers (well, as long as it is also served with sausage, potato, bacon, and Parmesan of course).
What Do I Need to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana?
- Instant Pot: The most important thing, of course, is an instant pot! I love using this 8qt model for soups. I also love using it for homemade yogurt.
- Ground Italian Sausage: I use "hot" in this recipe, but you can use mild if you have tender tastebuds. If you can't find the ground packs, you can buy the whole uncooked sausages, split the casings, and turn the meat out.
- Onion and Garlic: You just can't have soup without the foundation of onions and garlic!
- Russet Potatoes: These hold up during pressure cooking because of their dense, dry texture.
- Chicken Broth: You can use homemade bone broth, or store bought broth. Whatever you have on hand is fine!
- Seasoning: Just simple salt and pepper is all you need here, since the ground sausage contains plenty of seasoning.
- Bacon: This recipe just isn't the same without bacon!
- Kale: A bunch of kale, trimmed and stemmed (I like using this herb stripper) is added to the soup after cooking. This is THE way to eat kale. In fact, it's the ONLY way I've been able to get my husband to eat kale.
- Heavy Cream: This adds a richness and creaminess to the end product. You can use half and half if that is what you have on hand.
- Parmesan: Just a bit of Parmesan goes a long way in this soup! You're going to want fresh Parmesan for this recipe (no green can for you).
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana - Olive Garden Copycat
Why go out to eat when you can make it yourself at home? You're just going to love this Olive Garden Copycat INSTANT POT Zuppa Toscana. That's right, INSTANT POT! It doesn't get easier than this.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
- 1 large Onion, peeled and diced
- 5 cloves Garlic, peeled and minced
- 4 cups Diced and Peeled Russet Potatoes, 3-4 large potatoes
- 6 cups Chicken Bone Broth
- ¼ tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- ½ tsp. Mineral Salt
- 3 slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 bunch Kale, stemmed and chopped
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
- ½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Set your instant pot to the “Saute” setting and set the timer for 30 minutes.
- Add the sausage, casings removed, to the instant pot, and use a wooden spoon to crumble the meat as it browns.
- Once the sausage is browned, remove the meat from the instant pot and set aside on a plate lined with a paper towel.
- Add the onion to the instant pot and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the instant pot and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth and deglaze the instant pot, using a wooden spoon to scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Hit “cancel” on the Instant Pot and add the potatoes, salt, and pepper.
- Stir well and add the lid to the instant pot. Set the valve to sealing.
- Press “Manual” and set the Instant Pot for 4 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot comes to pressure and cooks for 4 minutes, it will beep. Let it do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Move the valve from “Sealing” to “Venting” and let the pressure release. Once the pin drops, open the pot.
- Set the instant pot to “Saute” and set the timer for 10 minutes.
- Add the sausage back into the Instant Pot and stir.
- Add the bacon and the chopped kale and stir well. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Stir in the heavy cream and serve with shredded parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: โ of RecipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 589Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 1158mgCarbohydrates: 64gFiber: 7gSugar: 6gProtein: 29g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Ashley
This looks so incredibly comforting!! The weather will be perfect to enjoy a bowl this weekend!
Toni Dash
I really loved how flavorful and filling this is!! I will definitely make it again!
Traci
Easy and delicious! The soup is a total keeper ... perfect for game day!
Lizet Bowen
I love soup season. And I'm always happy to find a good copycat recipe. Just so delicious!
Jess
One of my most favorite soups ever! Love that I can easily make this at home in the Instant Pot!
Scarlet
I just got an instant pot so I can't wait to try this Italian soup recipe! Yum!