This Instant Pot zuppa toscana recipe only takes a few ingredients and hardly any effort to make from scratch. Using the Instant Pot means it requires even fewer utensils than normal and makes the cleaning afterwards easier.
Before we start cooking, here are a few interesting facts you may want to know about today’s recipe.
What Is Zuppa Toscana?
Originally from Italy, zuppa toscana, literally translated as “Tuscan soup,” has been popularized by the Italian-American restaurant chain, Olive Garden.
A classic Tuscan soup consists of olive oil, water, potatoes, kale, onions, carrots, celery, cannellini beans, tomatoes, and sometimes zucchini. A type of Tuscan cured bacon is added to give the soup a more savory flavor.
At restaurants, you will find a few slices of toasted Tuscan bread next to your bowl of warm zuppa toscana.
The Olive Garden version of this soup is much richer due to an addition of heavy cream and garlic purée. Italian sausages also replace Tuscan bacon because they’re easier to find in the US.
Tuscan soup tends to have large amounts of calories, fat, and sodium due to its rich ingredients. But that won’t be the case for today’s recipe.
Is Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Healthy?
Yes! We had to alter a few things about the recipe to fit within our health guidelines, but it came out great. Here’s what we did to make it healthy:
We only used a touch of heavy cream to cut down on saturated fat. We replaced some of it with milk because it’s lower in calories and fat, but still creates a rich and delicious soup.
Our zuppa toscana recipe also contains sausages so we had to pay close attention to the sodium content.
We cooked the sausages in unsalted chicken broth to let them season the soup. By doing so, we were able to cut down on salt — we only needed to add ¼ teaspoon for the entire 4 servings of soup.
To learn more about your recommended saturated fat and sodium intake, check out our healthy eating guidelines.
Ingredients You Will Need
Here is a quick look at the ingredients for today’s zuppa toscana recipe:
- Olive oil: We recommend using extra virgin olive oil as it is more fragrant and adds flavor to your soup.
- Sausage: We’re using smoked sausage, but you can use Italian sausage or even bacon if you want.
- Flavorants: We’re using both raw and powdered garlic and onion to give the dish a more savory aroma and taste.
- Vegetables: Carrots, potatoes, and kale are full of carbs and fiber. They make the soup more filling and can keep you full longer.
- Liquids: As mentioned, we’re using unsalted chicken broth, milk, and heavy cream. You can replace chicken broth with water or vegetable stock if you want.
- Herbs: We’re using freshly chopped parsley but thyme would also be a great fit to this recipe.
- Salt and pepper: These enhance the flavor of the soup.
Tips for Making
Since today’s zuppa toscana is so simple, we only have one tip for you, and that is soaking the potatoes.
Once you’ve cut potatoes into cubes, put them into a tub of tap water. Potatoes tend to oxidize quickly when exposed to air. Soaking them can prevent them from browning.
Although brown potatoes don’t affect the taste of your soup, they can be visually unappealing. We try to avoid letting them brown.
How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers
We recommend letting the soup cool completely before putting it in an airtight container. It can last up to 3 days in the fridge or a month in the freezer.
Soups like instant pot minestrone and Zuppa Toscana tend to freeze exceptionally well.
To reheat your zuppa toscana, transfer it to a microwavable container and put it in the microwave for 2 minutes.
With frozen soup, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight or defrost it in the microwave before you reheat.
For more easy and nutritious instant pot recipe, take a look at our healthy and delicious instant pot dinner roundup or best Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes.
What to Serve With
Zuppa toscana can be a great appetizer or soup course for any meal. Since this soup already contains carbohydrates, you don’t need to add more to your main course.
We recommend serving this soup with a simple chicken or beef dish to make a wholesome, comforting meal.
Some More Tasty Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love
These Instant Pot side dish recipes are some of our most delicious picks:
- Instant Pot Potatoes and Carrots Recipe
- Instant Pot Ratatouille Recipe
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Recipe
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe
This Instant Pot zuppa toscana recipe is our own take on Olive Garden's iconic menu item. Let's check the ingredients and see how to make it.
- cook TIME 32 mins
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 42 mins
- COURSE Side Dish
- CUISINE Italian
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 190 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 20 oz potatoes (cubed)
- 4 oz smoked sausages (finely diced)
- 3 oz kale (roughly chopped)
- 2 oz onions (finely diced)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic (minced)
- 2 oz carrots (finely diced)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups unsalted chicken broth
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream
- 2 tbsp parsley (finely chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
Sear the sausage: Turn on your Instant Pot, set it to “Sauté,” and wait for it to heat up. Add 1 tbsp olive oil and 4 oz diced sausages. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
Sweat the vegetables: Add 2 tsp minced garlic, 2 oz diced onions, and 2 oz diced carrots. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
Toast the spices: Add 20 oz potatoes, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1/2 tsp garlic powder to the pot. Stir for 2 minutes to awaken the spice aroma and coat the seasonings evenly.
Add liquid and cook: Add 2 cup unsalted chicken broth, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream to the pot. Stir a few times to combine. Cover with the lid and turn the valve knob to “sealing position.” Set your Instant Pot to the “Steam” program for 25 minutes.
Add kale: After 25 minutes, carefully turn the valve knob to release the steam before opening the lid. Set to “Sauté” again. Add 3 oz kale and cook for another 1 minute.
Garnish and serve: Ladle the soup into a deep dish or bowl. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer