Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 715kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

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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Equipment

Instant Pot (click for my favorite)

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