Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
by Chungah
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So much tastier, cheaper + healthier than the restaurant-version! On your dinner table in just 30 min, a quick weeknight family favorite soup!
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why you’ll love this zuppa toscana copycat recipe
- Olive Garden favorite. Yes, we can make restaurant-quality soup right at home. This copycat recipe is much more tastier, faster and cheaper than the restaurant version!
- Has that simmered-all-day flavor. With the help of the Instant Pot, the soup tastes as if it’s been simmering for hours on end, allowing all the flavors to fully infuse the broth in just a few short minutes in the pressure cooker.
- Quick, easy and effortless. There is zero babysitting here! We’re talking convenient hands-off cooking where the IP does all the work for you, yielding a rich, hearty, cozy soup, full of all the sneaked in greens (perfect for picky eaters) with only one pot to clean up.
WHAT IS ZUPPA TOSCANA?
Zuppa toscana is a soup from northern Italy in Tuscany. Translated word for word, zuppa toscana literally means Tuscan soup, also known as minestra di pane in Italy (bread soup).
Why make zuppa toscana in the Instant Pot?
Cooking this Olive Garden favorited soup in the Instant Pot offers convenience and hands-free cooking while locking in all the flavors as if it’s been simmering all day in just a fraction of the time.
How to make olive garden zuppa toscana in the instant pot
- Crumble the sausage. Using the sauté function in the Instant Pot, crumble the sausage until browned, draining the excess fat but leaving just enough for flavor.
- Add aromatics. Add in onion, garlic and oregano, stirring until the onions are translucent. Sautéing the onions and aromatics in the sausage fat will build a rich flavor base for the soup.
- Pressure cook. Stir in potatoes and chicken broth, stirring well, and pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the finishing touches. Stir in kale (or any other leafy greens) until wilted before adding in half and half or heavy cream.
- Serve. Garnish generously with fresh Parmesan and serve warm with crusty bread and a simple side salad.
what to serve with Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat: Frequently Asked Questions
Mild or spicy Italian sausage is great for bold authentic flavors. Turkey sausage is also a solid option.
Spinach, cabbage, swiss chard and collard greens are all great subs.
Half and half is equal parts of whole milk and cream. For 1 cup half and half, you can substitute 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream or 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the half and half (cream soups tend to separate when frozen) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding half and half when serving.
No Instant Pot, no problem! We have a favorited stovetop version here.
Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 russet potatoes, chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add olive oil and sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until sausage is lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and oregano until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in potatoes and chicken broth; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Stir in kale until wilted, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Use mild or spicy sausage. The sausage is a key ingredient in zuppa toscana. Be sure to use high-quality mild or spicy Italian sausage for authentic flavors, crumbling the sausage until browned.
- Russet potatoes serve as a natural thickener. The potatoes will release starch into the broth to create that velvety, restaurant-quality richness. They will also soften under pressure absorbing all the flavors of the broth, becoming extremely tender and “buttery”.
- Add in leafy greens. This is a great recipe to sneak in leafy greens for those picky eaters. Kale, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, or arugula are all great options. Always add the leafy greens at the very end to avoid mushy greens.
- Finish with half and half or heavy cream. Half and half will yield a lighter version whereas heavy cream will yield a richer, velvety consistency.
- Make it dairy-free. Need a dairy free option? Substitute coconut cream or skip the half and half.
- Add garnishes. Garnishes are always optional but a fresh sprinkle of grated Parmesan or some crispy bacon will certainly take your soup to the next level, adding more flavor, texture and contrast.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
Did you make this recipe?
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Delicious! Thanks. I cut it in half because we’re down to two in my household. I also use Italian spices instead of oregano and I always add a splash of fish sauce to soup or stew. And no salt, because sausage seems to hold salt in, especially in the instant pot. Spinach instead of kale for me. I made a pot of it for a family who had a member recovering from difficult surgery. They said the second day they were fighting over the leftovers.
So delicious. Used whole milk in place of half and half and still very tasty.
I made this tonight and loved it! I used bratwurst instead of Italian sausage and omitted the garlic. Also used Italian seasoning instead of oregano. Served with side of bread. Delicious!
This recipe is awesome!! I make it every few weeks – I always double the recipe to freeze or to have extra to give to family or friends. If I am freezing I don’t add the kale Or dairy – I wait to add kale / half and half after it’s thawed and reheated. It’s just us great without the half and half – I’ve also substituted oat milk for a dairy free option – you can’t wrong with this recipe
We love this recipe so much, it is a delicious meal that comes together so quickly. Thank you for sharing!
Very delicious and full of flavour! I would definitely make this again. I used the whole “bunch” of kale because the other half would have just gone to waste if I didn’t use it up.
The recipe says it makes 6 servings and it was more like 8. I had enough soup to feed an army and I’m only one person meal prepping for myself for the week. I would probably halve the recipe if I made it again.
Tasty, but it doesn’t have the depth of flavor that Olive Garden’s soup does. Super easy though.
This recipe is delicious and easy! I substitute the sausage with Jimmy Dean’s mild sausage chub.
Absolutely amazing!
We veganized this recipe and it was so “damn delicious” my father in law kept asking “Can she eat this?” while slurping his own portion happily. Our slight alterations: we subbed Beyond Meat brand’s Sausage and coconut milk for the half&half.
The slight how-tos that people ask for details about: No need to remove any casings, it will all disintegrate…and coarser chunks make for good texture. No, there won’t be extra fat too drain off.
Sit unopened tin of full fat coconut milk in hot water when you start making the soup. This will soften the coconut cream to mix it in smoothly. Open tin when you would normally mix in half&half cream. Stir in the coconut milk. (No, It doesn’t have any coconut flavour at all.) You can reduce calories and fat content by using light coconut milk, but soup will not be as creamy.
What did you substitute the broth with?
This was so delicious and I believe it tastes better home made than the Olive Garden’s.
Please make a copycat recipe for Olive Garden’s chicken gnocchi soup! I love your recipes and know you’d do it right.
My family request this ALL THE TIME. Such a great recipe. I sometimes add a can of garbanzo beans as well. This is such a quick easy crowd pleaser and easy to adjust for a crowd!
One of our favorite soups! We add a few carrots in with the potatoes. I love the kale in it for its texture. Awesome with a side of some dinner rolls or sourdough toast 🙂
Awesome selection of recipes
Is there a way to cook on top of stove?
So delicious! My very picky husband loved it too. Will definitely make this again! Thanks Damn Delicious!
Omg. This is RIDICULOUSLY delicious and RIDICULOUSLY easy! I am NOT what anyone would call a good cook, and at age 57 and having raised 3 kids, that’s not something I’m proud of, but this soup especially, along with several other of your recipes have given me a huge dose of confidence in the kitchen and warned me rave reviews! This soup is incredibly delicious, I made it exactly as written with the exception of subbing fresh baby spinach for the kale and its mouthwatering. It’s cooking in the IP right now for the second time in a week! If it’s even possible, this tastes even better the second and third day! I sprinkle some red pepper flakes on top and a generous dose of Parmesan cheese and I think it’s just as good as Olive Garden, actually I think it’s better. THANK YOU CHUNGAH for giving me confidence in the kitchen, teaching this “old dog” some new (kitchen) tricks, and for making me LOVE cooking for the first time in my LIFE! It feels awesome to be making so many things that not only don’t suck, but that earn RAVE reviews (for something *I* made?!?! WOW!!!!
Absolutely fantastic and so easy! I’ll definitely be this again!
This is delicious. First thing I made in IP.