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!
This is was my first time making this soup and it’s amazing!! Can’t get enough. The only thing I swapped was oat milk & butter for the half and half.
I add a whole pack of bacon, and use spinach leaves instead of kale. Delicious.
Added Boulder hot Italian sausage and bacon
Made this soup a few times now. 2 days ago I doubled the recipe, hoping to freeze half. It never made it to the freezer. The whole family couldn’t stop eating it. Damn delicious indeed.
Any recommendations on how to make this if you don’t have an instapot?
Just google it for stove top and it gives great recipes for it .
Just do the same but simmer until the potatoes are cooked and the kale is tender on your stovetop.
Excellent , and my family LOVED it, thank you so much for sharing.
Kelsey
Awesome recipe! I added 1/2t of red pepper flakes for a tiny kick!
I used to eat this on my breaks when I worked doubles at OG – dead ringer. Now, you got a copycat for the breadsticks? Hint: Lotsa butter; lotsa salt 🙂
I’ve made this recipe several times now, and it’s always a group favorite. Great instant pot meal. I add some lemon and sometimes pesto, and add red peppers.
BRILLIANT. I take my mentor kid to OG and we both loved the Zuppa Tuscana, so I’ve made this 6 or 7 times, I’m losing count bc it’s just so Great!
I always read the comments too:
Yes to 1 tsp red pepper flakes or using hot sausage.
Also, use the full 12oz bag of Aldi’s kale – I do an extra wash and debone it and cook it with everything else for best texture. I tried spinach instead and it’s too floppy, I like the firmer kale better.
And I like to fill up my IP –
I add another 4 cups of chicken broth, 3 more sliced potatoes.
it saves well and freezes perfectly, even with the half & half added.
Thanks for this! Such great leftovers for lunch and later nite snacking.
So I did make one little change, as I’ve never been a big fan a kale ( thanks to growing up as it being used mainly as garnish), but I substituted spinach it it’s place. ..needless to say if the kids don’t complain about me sneaking it in it was a hit!!
Easy recipe to follow! I’ll be making this for dinner tomorrow. Thank you.
I have made several copycat recipes for this soup and this was by far the best and easiest! This will be on our family rotation from now on!
I topped with Parmesan and my hubby and I added red pepper flakes for a little heat but this recipe needs no adjustments
OMG! i have never liked this soup. This was definitely DAMN DELICIOUS!! I don’t eat Kale either, so I cooked from beginning and 3 minutes longer…Kale melted in your mouth! THANK YOU!!!
I just barely got an Instant Pot for Christmas and this was the first meal I made in it. Delicious! Great way to christen my new appliance. Thank you for sharing.
Turns out amazing every single time. I’m single so I use my 3qt duo mini and half the recipe. Shopping at Aldi makes this recipe even better because it’s so stinking cheap and delicious. LOVE this!!
Soooo goooood!! A complete hit!! Love it so much!! Thank you! Is my fave meal at Olive Garden so It was great to make it at home. Used canned coconut milk instead of half and half:)
Normally, I’d add Kale (or other greens) at the end of the recipe to steam-cook for 5-10 minutes. When do you add Kale to this recipe?
My family loves this. So easy to make. Thanks for sharing.
So good. And it freezes well too.
I’ve never froze soup before, do you just put it in a freezer bag and remove the air? Or is there another method? Thanks!!
This is my go to IP soup recipe. It comes out amazingly every time.
I love this soup! I also add a 1/2 c of mild Cheddar Cheese and add more chicken broth as well. Thanks
This is DELICIOUS and so easy to make!!!
First, what I did different.
I used and 8qt instant pot (some recipes will not fit in a 6qt). I used spinach instead of kale so I didn’t have my friends turn against me. I used half hot and mild Italian sausage. And last I took the casings off all by myself, thank you very much.
This recipe is truly worth the moniker “Damn Delicious”. I added parmesan cheese cuz I like the taste.
Fantastic thanks for sharing