This easy recipe for Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is a great copycat for the Olive Garden soup. Loaded with Italian sausage, bacon, and kale.
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One of my favorites (and apparently one of the reader favorites too) is Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana soup. It's the copycat of Olive Garden's famous soup and tastes just like the real thing if I do say so myself. It's so incredibly easy to make at home too. This one has one of the smallest ingredient lists of my Instant Pot recipes, but still packs a huge flavor punch!
Whether you make this one fresh or as a freezer meal, I think you guys are going to love how rich and comforting it is. I also rely on this one when I need a super quick meal. The instructions are incredibly simple and fast.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Super Quick - From fridge to table in under an hour.
- Loaded with Flavor - Get Italian Sausage, bacon, a rich creamy broth, and bright kale in each bite!
- Great way to add veggies
- Tastes just like the Olive Garden Soup
Ingredients
- 1lb Italian sausage - I wouldn't use any other kind of sausage; the Italian variety gives it a ton of flavor that works so well with the rest of the soup.
- 8oz bacon - This should be cooked to crispy and crumbled.
- 1 cup chopped onion - You can use yellow or white onion. It's important that the pieces of onion aren't too big (you wouldn't want a huge bite of onion in your soup).
- 3 cloves garlic - Same idea as the onion; make sure the garlic is minced well to avoid big clumps.
- 2 cups chicken broth - If you happen to have stock or bone broth on hand, even better!
- 2lbs sliced red potatoes - Any potatoes will work in this recipe; I prefer red potatoes because they don't require peeling and they're easy to chop into bite-sized pieces. Something like a russet potato would need to be peeled.
- 3 cups kale - This will only be added at the end so it stays a little crunchy and bright green. If added before you pressure cook, it turns into an over-wilted mess!
- 16oz half and half - Use heavy cream instead of half and half for an extra rich flavor.
Variations & Additions
I'm a big believer in using what you have. You could make a few subs in this soup that still work perfectly.
- Use spinach instead of kale.
- Top with red pepper flakes for a little bit of heat.
- Top with parmesan cheese for a more distinct bite.
- Load it up with more veggies! You could add broccoli, cauliflower florets, carrots, celery, or even mushrooms.
Related: if you love easy Instant Pot recipes, make sure to check out this Instant Pot Cheesy Chicken & Rice Casserole or Red Beans & Rice!
How to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Once it's hot, add the 16oz of Italian sausage and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until it's nicely browned.
- Next, add 8oz of chopped bacon and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned and just starting to crisp.
- Stir in the 1 cup diced onion and 3 cloves minced garlic. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the onion becomes soft, translucent, and begins to brown.
- Pour in 2 cups chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot-this adds rich flavor and prevents a burn warning.
- Add the 1lb sliced red potatoes, spreading them out evenly in the broth.
- Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Manual (Pressure Cook) on High for 15 minutes. When the timer goes off, perform a quick release to immediately release the remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid and stir in the 16oz half and half and 3 cups chopped kale. Let the soup sit on Keep Warm mode for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the kale to wilt and the flavors to meld before serving.
Alternate Method: Crock Pot
Brown sausage and bacon; add to the Crock Pot. Add remaining ingredients (minus half & half and kale) and cook for 6-8 hours on low. One hour before serving, add half & half/kale.
Alternate Method: Stovetop
Brown the meats, onion, and garlic. Then, add chicken broth and potatoes and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Add half and half and kale 15-20 minutes before serving.
Step-by-Step Recipe Video
How to Make This a Freezer Meal
This soup makes a really great freezer meal! If you're making this to freeze, add the following ingredients to your container:
- 1 lb Italian sausage, cooked and crumbled
- 6 oz bacon chopped into 1" pieces, cooked
- 1 cup onion chopped (about ½ onion)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 lbs red potatoes, sliced and blanched (boiled) for 1-2 minutes
When you're ready to serve, add the frozen meal and 2 cups of chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Cook for 15 minutes on manual and add 2 cups of half and half and 3 cups of kale at the end.
This makes for such a simple weeknight dinner!
Helpful Recipe Notes
- I use a 6-quart Instant Pot. It is totally fine to make this recipe in an 8-quart pressure cooker, but I wouldn't go smaller than the 6-quart model if preparing this soup.
- I like using a wooden spoon to scrape up all of those yummy browned bits before pressure cooking.
- For best flavor and color, serve this soup warm within 15-20 minutes of cooking to keep the kale bright and vibrant.
- Pairs perfectly with cheddar garlic biscuits-I like using a store-bought mix for a quick side!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. A tight seal is important-this soup can easily pick up (and share) strong fridge smells!
- For longer storage, freeze in individual portions (Souper Cubes work great!) for easy reheating later.
Hope you love this easy weeknight dinner idea! If you try it, make sure to ⭐️ rate and review the recipe below. Also, make sure to follow along for the latest recipes!
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian sausage
- 6 oz bacon chopped into 1" pieces
- 1 cup onion chopped (about ½ onion)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 lbs red potatoes sliced
- 3 cups kale roughly chopped
- 16 oz half and half
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Once warm, add Italian sausage and cook for 3-4 minutes, until browned. Add bacon and brown for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic to meat. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until onion is browned and translucent.
- Add chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add sliced red potatoes to the Instant Pot.
- Lock on the lid and set Instant Pot for manual, high pressure, 15 minutes. Quick release the remaining pressure as soon as cook cycle ends.
- After removing the lid, add half and half and kale. Stir well and allow kale to slightly cook for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a 6-quart (or larger) Instant Pot-smaller models may not hold the full recipe.
- Serve within 15-20 minutes for best taste and bright kale color.
- Great with cheddar garlic biscuits-store-bought mix works fine!
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days to avoid fridge odors.
- Freeze in single portions (Souper Cubes recommended) for easy reheating.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
