Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is my new go-to Instant Pot Recipe! Every time we go to Olive Garden I get Zuppa Toscana and I just love that I can make this DELICIOUS copycat recipe at home in under 30 minutes! We first fell in love with this hearty and creamy soup at Olive Garden but I love this quick pressure cooker version even more. This Zuppa Toscana Recipe is loaded with sausage, bacon, potatoes, spinach, and so much flavor.
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Easy Copycat Zuppa Toscana
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana for the win! Today is the day for my favorite Instant Pot recipe yet!!! This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana has my heart and I’m SO excited to share it with you.
After all the food we all ate yesterday for the Super Bowl (We made Cowboy Queso, Simple Spiced Baked Wings, Baked Chicken Tacos, and Guacamole Egg Rolls!) I knew I wanted an easy and comforting meal today, and this definitely hit the spot.
When you don’t want to slave away over a stove or prep for hours on end for oven recipes, the Instant Pot can be your best friend. It turns this super popular Copycat Zuppa Toscana Recipe into an even quicker delight, one the entire family is sure to love!
Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana made in an Instant Pot
If you’ve ever eaten at Olive Garden, then I know you’re a big fan of Zuppa Toscana. I know people hate on Olive Garden a lot, but they put this soup on the map and I thank them for it.
Its so hearty and comforting that even though people love it as a starter, I love it as a main course as well. I’m a sucker for creamy soups (Our Creamy Chicken Soup is my favorite soup on the PLANET) so I knew this would be right up my alley. Make it in an instant pot?? Now I’m obsessed.
Look at all the creamy base, hearty potatoes, and spicy sausage. Is this the perfect soup recipe??
How to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Tuscana
If you’re looking to try your chops at another Instant Pot recipe, I hope you give this one a try. The veggies are tender, the meat is perfectly cooked, the creamy broth is TO DIE FOR…It’s a new favorite. Instant Pot Zuppa Tuscana for the win! For a great recipe to go alongside, check out these Copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks! MMM!
For more Instant Pot Soup Recipes we love be sure to check out some of our popular favorites, Black Eyed Pea Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Ham and Bean Soup.
Don’t have an Instant Pot? Try this stovetop Zuppa Toscana recipe instead!
More soup recipes to try:
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
- Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Soup
Watch the recipe video or see the recipe card below for full details on How to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon cut into ¼-inch strips, cooked crisp, divided
- 1 large sweet yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced/crushed
- 1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
- 4 cups unsalted chicken broth, divided
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium Yukon gold potatoes cut into 2-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1½ cups heavy cream divided
- ¼ cup dry or semi-dry white wine
- 2 cups chopped fresh baby spinach leaves
Optional Garnishes
- Freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- Crusty Bread
- Fresh Parsley
Instructions
- Peeled or unpeeled potatoes can be used in this recipe. If using unpeeled, be sure to scrub the potatoes and remove any potato eyes before using. Cut the potatoes into 1½-inch chunks and place in a steamer basket that fits your Instant Pot (I use this Optional Steamer Basket for my 8-quart Instant Pot (The first time I made this soup, I didn’t have a steamer basket, so I used the Instant Pot trivet (steamer rack). The slots are a little large, but it worked well. Be sure to cut the potato chunks large enough so they don’t fall through the spaces in the rack.
- Set Instant Pot to Sauté and add the bacon strips. Fry until just crispy but not so crispy they end up crunchy hard. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.
- Add the diced onion to the pot and cook the onion until translucent, about 2-3 minutes – stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and sausage to the pot and cook until sausage is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 5 minutes. Stir often.
- Transfer the sausage/onion/garlic mixture to a second paper towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Pour the bacon/sausage fat into a heatproof bowl, and keep it in a sealed container, in the fridge for later use.
- Place the Instant Pot insert pot back in the Instant Pot with the setting still set to Sauté.
- To deglaze the pan, slowly pour 2 cups chicken stock into the pot, while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. Once the pan is deglazed, add the red pepper flakes, kosher salt, black pepper and stir.
- Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Set the steamer basket, with the prepared potatoes, in the Instant Pot and lock down the lid. Set the Pot to manual and pressure-cook the potatoes on HIGH for 4 minutes. When cooking time is done, cover the release valve with a kitchen cloth and use the quick pressure release.
- When the pressure valve drops, carefully remove the lid and the potatoes from the pot. The potatoes should be ‘almost’ fork-tender or fork-tender but NOT falling apart.
- Add the remaining 2 cups chicken stock to the liquid in the pot and set the Instant Pot to Simmer/Sauté.
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup heavy cream with 3 tablespoons cornstarch and add the mixture to the liquid in the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often until smooth and the soup thickens a bit.
- After the soup thickens, add the remaining 1-cup heavy cream, half the crispy bacon lardons, the onion/garlic/sausage mixture, potatoes, wine and the spinach. Mix well. Simmer, stirring often, until the soup is the desired consistency (and the potatoes are fork-tender).
- Serve with a topping of crispy bacon lardons and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan (if desired).
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
This was like olive garden cooked my favorite soup in my kitchen! so easy and took little time to make. Thank you, thank you for my new favorite soup recipe. I shredded some cheese right into the soup after it Was done cooking. It was delicious.
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that. So glad you loved it!
Super yummy. I Admit, i was lazy though, i just put the potatoes on top of the onions, sausage and such and pressure cooked it all, with all four cups of the liquid, was still superb & TEXTURE was fine. But
loved the recipe, haVe never had this soup out and about, but will MaKe again. Thanks for sharing,
Ha! You’re my kind of cook Lea! I love that idea. So glad you loved it, thanks for letting me know :) :)
Hi Becky. Could this soup be made in a crock pot? how would you change the directions?
I haven’t made it that way so I’m so sorry I’m not sure! Here’s a similar recipe I found in a crockpot version: https://homemadehooplah.com/crock-pot-zuppa-toscana/
Can the dairy be omitted? Want to make for my sister who is in town but she is gf and df because of allergies.
Thanks becky
Omg, looks so yummy! Is there another way to cook This? I can’t afford a crockpot, let alone an instant pot. I do rice, everything on a propane stove.
Sure! Here’s a great recipe. We used spinach instead of kale and made some other changes…but you could use our ingredients and their cooking method. Hope you love it!
Thank you! ????
I don’t have an instant pot either but I don’t see the recipe. Please repost the link.
Hi Joyce! The recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Let me know if you have issues! Thanks :)
I still don’t see the alternative recipe for doing it on the stove ????
I’m sorry I misunderstood. This is an instant pot recipe and I haven’t made it on the stovetop. I know that many bloggers have so if you search on google I’m sure there are some great recipes for stovetop. Sorry for the trouble!