Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is your favorite restaurant soup made quick and easy in the pressure cooker. Loaded with sausage, bacon, potatoes, and kale in a creamy broth, it’s hearty, tasty, and sure to be a crowd-pleaser!
Ever since I tried lasagna soup in the Instant Pot and discovered how quick and easy it is to make, I’ve been on a mission to convert my favorite soups into pressure cooker-friendly recipes. I also have a broccoli cheese soup coming on the blog soon!
I still love to use my crockpot, especially when I need to run around town on errands and want a hot meal waiting when I head home, but on busy days when we want fast gratification, nothing beats the ease and speed of the Instant Pot.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, for example, is piping hot and ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes yet tastes like you slaved in the kitchen all day long. You get a hearty and tasty soup with minimal effort, and for far less than it would cost you to enjoy the same serving at our favorite restaurant.
This Tuscan-style soup is loaded with comfort food flavors for a guaranteed dinner winner. It makes a great meal starter yet is equally satisfying as a main course served with sides of your favorite breadsticks and tossed salad.
Cooking instructions
- Cook the bacon, onions, and garlic. Using the Instant Pot’s SAUTE feature, cook chopped bacon until it begins to render fat. Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Brown the Italian sausage. Cook, breaking apart with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned. Drain excess grease from the pot.
- Add potatoes and pour in chicken broth. Stir to distribute.
- Pressure-cook. Close the lid of the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is on the SEALING position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes and then do a QUICK release. Open the lid and switch to the SAUTE feature.
- Add heavy cream and kale. Using the SAUTE feature, continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetable is just wilted and the broth is heated through.
Chockful of meat, potatoes, and kale, this Tuscan-style soup is a powerhouse of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, but due to the nature of its ingredients, such as the heavy cream and bacon, calorie and fat content clock in high at 697 kcal and 54 gms per serving. Check out my suggestions below on how to successfully adapt the recipe.
Healthy substitutions
- Swap the pork with turkey or chicken sausage for a lower calorie and fat option.
- Substitute heavy cream with Half and Half or whole milk.
- Replace the potatoes with cannellini beans for extra fiber or with cauliflower florets to make Paleo-compliant.
- Add more vegetables such as chopped celery, carrots, and zucchini to amp up the nutrients.
How to serve and store
- Serve as a meal starter or as a light lunch or dinner with your favorite tossed greens and bread rolls.
- For leftovers, allow to cool completely and store in airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw completely and warm-up gently in a saucepan over medium heat.
More pressure cooker recipes
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, crumbled
- 4 baking size Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups baby kale, torn into pieces
- 1 cup heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using the Instant Pot’s SAUTE feature, cook chopped bacon until it begins to render fat.
- Add onions and garlic and cook until softened.
- Add Italian sausage and cook, breaking apart with the back of a spoon, until lightly browned. Drain excess grease from the pot.
- Add potatoes and pour in chicken broth. Stir to distribute.
- Close the lid of the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is on SEALING position. Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes and then do a QUICK release.
- Open the lid and switch to SAUTE feature.
- Add heavy cream and kale. Continue to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetable is just wilted and broth is heated through.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
- Cut the potatoes in uniform size to ensure even cooking.
- For a lower calorie or fat option, swap the Italian sausage with ground turkey or chicken.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
Carrie says
I love this recipe. Easy to remember the ingredients and every time I make it, it’s a hit! So simple, yet very, very tasty. And did I mention I’m a novice cooker, and I have no problems!
lalaine says
Thank you for the feedback. This is one of my favorite soups and I am glad you like it, too 🙂
Carrie says
This is a go to recipe for me! And everytime I make it, someone new becomes a fan. I have also replaced the potatoes with turnips for lover carbs and LOVE that version just as much, if not more. Thank you so much for creating & sharing.
lalaine says
Thank you for the 5-stars! I am glad you’re able to adjust the recipe to your liking. Turnip sounds like a healthier and tastier substitute.
Tina says
I love that you give tips to make recipes healthier.
lalaine says
I am glad you find the tips helpful 🙂
Kirstin says
SO GOOD!!! And so easy! Taste just like Olive Garden!
lalaine says
Thank you for the 5-stars! I am glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Kim H says
Because my hubby doesn’t like Italian sausage I substituted smoke sausage for the Italian sausage. It’s really yummy!! One of favorite soups.
lalaine says
Thanks for the feedback. I’m glad you were able to make the recipe work well for you!
Kellie says
I made this last night and loved it. Not often that I come across a recipe where I wouldn’t change a thing! Yum…. And so easy and fast to make.
Teresa says
My family loves this recipe. We actually like it better than Olive Gardens soup. Very easy to make. I love my Instant Pot. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Katie says
Hi, do you have any recommendations to sub for the heavy cream? I’m a dairy free gal. 🙂
lalaine says
You can try almond or oat milk. 🙂 Or maybe coconut milk?
Chase D says
*chef kiss*