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?
Tag @damn_delicious on Instagram and hashtag it #damndelicious!
My hubby loved it! He was surprised how delicious it is with so few ingredients and Kale of all veggies. Thank you for the amazing Instantpot version.
I’ve made this recipe lots of times now, and it’s a favorite with the whole family! From the 2, 4, and 5 year olds, all the way to all our extended family.
I double the potatoes and kale, as we like a heartier soup. I also dice the potatoes, so that I don’t have to peel them. That also helps to thicken the broth a bit, with the extra potato starch from more potato surface area.
I also use heavy whipping cream, as it’s what I have on hand, and it works very well!
Sometimes I remember to pressure release at 5 minutes, sometimes I don’t, and it turns out great either way.
This turned out better than the restaurant’s!!! I had been sick and want something that tasted good without going to the store, so I substituted a few ingredients. For the kale I used 1 box frozen spinach and the half & half, heavy whipping cream also in my bowl a sprinkle of cayenne pepper just a little. Sooooo yummy!! By the way this was my first time using my Instant Pot Dou.
I nearly cried after making this the first time and realizing I didn’t save the recipe. But I found it again and it is SAVED. I’m anxiously waiting for my next batch to finish pressure cooking. This tastes exactly like the restaurant’s soup… And is much more affordable! I eat what I want and put the rest in the fridge. I warm leftovers in the microwave and it’s still delicious the next day! Thanks for sharing the damnded delicious recipe!
I LOVE this recipe. I’ve made it at least 10 times over the past few years. It’s so refreshing yet hearty, just like the Olive Garden version. So delicious! And very easy to make.
This is a favorite in my house. I am vegan so I use Beyond spicy Italian sausage and vegetable broth. Sub full fat coconut milk for the cream.
THANK YOU! This is the comment I came looking for <3
Very easy and delicious recipe. My family all said it tasted just like the Olive Garden. I added some extra minced garlic but otherwise followed the recipe.
Damn Delicious and so quick! I added a lot more garlic though and served with crispy bacon and parmesan! 🙂
I make this over and over. Its incredible.
I followed the recipe except I used hot Italian sausage and the little bit of spice was just perfect. This is definitely a rotation soup that I will be making monthly-if not more often!
Delicious! I followed the recipe using 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage and 1/2 pound mild chicken sausage and used spinach. Delicious!
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a family favorite. Imagine my surprise when it was just as delicious tonight with lean turkey sausage and no cream.
This is a Huge hit with my family! I think even better than OG’s. Added a pkg of thick cut bacon cooked, put the kale in from the beginning, and then lots of Parmesan Romano cheese on top and it’s the bomb!! Thank you!
Today with it being chilly here in Florida by our standards, I wanted to make soup for lunch. I had been craving Zuppa Toscana. I made the recipe today and omgeeee, I am in love. This recipe is so simple and so yummy. Didnt have to change anything about it at all. I served it with a couple garlic butter breadsticks and it was a hit. Thank you for posting this recipe its going into our favorites file for sure.
I use 1/2 hot & 1/2 mild sausage, peel and dice the potatoes in smaller cubes, double the kale and add the kale before pressure cooking so it’s more tender. This is one of my favorite soups and get so many compliments on the recipe. Thanks so much!
When they say copycat they mean copycat it is spot on delicious made this several times and gonna make it again tonight!!
Oh yeah, you gotta cook 4 slices bacon with the sausage and onions. It soooo makes the whole taste. Delicious!!
Awesome recipe. Delicious. Thanks for doing this. Hubby said this is the best one I have tried yet. Yummy.
Question about the kale. If I were using frozen kale rather than fresh, how much should I use to approximate ‘1/2 a bunch’?
This seems to be a common practice now……..all most all recipes will say so many servngs but not what a serving is.
Having never actually tasted Olive Garden’s soup, I can honestly say my family won’t ever enjoy it as much as this homemade version! My kids come home from college begging for it, so it’s the bomb!!