Creamy and hearty Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is a rich and delicious potato and sausage soup that will warm you up on chilly nights! Made quick and easy in about 30 minutes in just one pot, the pressure cooker! Even more tasty than Olive Garden!
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Why You Will Love This Delicious Tuscan Soup
Here are the top 3 reasons you need to make this hearty soup recipe:
- This homemade potato sausage soup tastes just like a copycat recipe of the Olive Garden restaurant version!
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is a filling and flavorful soup to serve for an easy fall dinner or during the winter months.
- Easy, quick, and simple ingredients that deliver so much flavor that your whole family will love!
What Is Zuppa Toscana Made Of?
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
Olive oil is used to saute the ground meat and prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Ground sausage is the meat used to give the soup a hearty flavor and slight spice. Substitute mild Italian sausage, pork sausage, turkey sausage, spicy sausage, or even ground beef seasoned with Italian seasoning.
Shallots and garlic add additional flavor and give the Zuppa Toscana a great fragrance!
Chicken broth or chicken stock is used to make the base of the broth. It also helps to pressure cook the potatoes.
Quartered potatoes such as Russet potatoes, baby red potatoes, or Yukon Gold potatoes can be used.
Chopped kale is stirred in at the end until slightly wilted. Use baby kale or baby spinach for a milder flavor and texture.
Heavy cream creates a creamy soup broth. Use coconut cream or unsweetened coconut milk to make the recipe dairy-free.
Parmesan cheese and cooked bacon are excellent toppings for zuppa toscana soup. Use crispy bacon bits if you are short on time.
Salt and black pepper are basic seasonings added to the end to finish the dish. The recipe generally doesn't need a ton of extra salt, but lots of black pepper gives this hearty soup great flavor.
Taste and Texture
This potato and sausage soup is full of Tuscan flavors like garlic and Italian seasoning. It is a savory soup with strong flavors of ground sausage and hearty potatoes.
The texture of the soup is like a chunky potato soup with savory meat. It is a creamy broth-based soup rather than a creamy and smooth texture like a loaded baked potato soup.
How to Make This Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
Step 1
Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot using the Saute mode. Add the sausage and cook until it is no longer pink and cooked through.
If desired, remove the sausage to a side dish and remove the excess grease. Cancel the saute mode and then return the sausage to the pot.
Step 2
Add in the potatoes and broth. Cover the pot with the lid and turn the pressure knob to sealing. Cook on manual high pressure for 12 minutes.
Step 3
Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, do a quick release to relieve the remaining pressure.
Use a wooden spoon to stir in chopped baby kale or baby spinach. Stir the kale in the broth until it becomes wilted.
Step 4
Stir in heavy whipping cream to create a creamy broth.
Allow the soup to cool and thicken for at least 10 minutes. Serve hot with crusty bread and a side salad.
Expert Tips
- Follow the recipe card as written for the best results.
- Taste the soup prior to salting. This soup recipe is already quite savory due to the bacon, Parmesan cheese, and sausage, and may not need additional salt.
- Sprinkle red pepper flakes or chili flakes to make the recipe spicy.
- Reheat over medium heat on the stovetop until heated through.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
Generally freezing soup with dairy results in a grainy texture when reheated. To freeze the Zuppa Toscana, omit the cream when you are making it and add it back in upon reheating.
To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely and then store it in a freezer-safe container like Souper Cubes for up to 3 months.
To make dairy-free Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, use coconut cream or full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream.
For a lighter Zuppa Toscana recipe use turkey sausage and omit the bacon. Consider reducing the amount of heavy cream.
See the recipe card notes for low-fat and lighter ingredient modifications.
Since this is a chunky potato soup, many potatoes will work in this recipe. Use Yukon Gold, Russet potatoes, red potatoes, or even fingerling potatoes.
When making a creamy potato soup recipe, the best potato for soup tends to be Russet potatoes due to their high starch content.
Adding the heavy cream before cooking or when the soup is too hot will lead to curdled soup. Add any dairy right before serving to avoid curdled potato soup.
When your potato soup lacks flavor, generally adding in some salt will do the trick. Season to taste.
Other Instant Pot Recipes You'll Love!
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Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe
Equipment
- Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker or Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground sausage
- 1 medium shallot chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups potatoes quartered
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 handfuls kale chopped, ribs removed
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil using saute mode. Add the sausage and cook until it is lightly browned and no longer pink.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 pound ground sausage
- Stir in the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Cancel saute mode.1 medium shallot, 4 cloves garlic
- Add the potatoes and chicken broth. Cook in the Instant Pot for 12 minutes on manual high pressure.2 cups potatoes, 4 cups chicken broth
- Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes then do a quick release to relieve remaining pressure.
- Stir in kale until wilted. Stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper. Top with cooked bacon and Parmesan cheese.2 handfuls kale, 1 cup heavy cream, 4 slices bacon, ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Amy
How can you make this without an insta-pot? Can it be done in the crockpot
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I would think so! I would just wait to add the quinoa to the very end and I would add it cooked.