Instant Pot Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat
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So much tastier and cheaper than the restaurant and it’s on your dinner table in just 30 min!
Featured Comment
why i love this recipe
- Copycat favorite
- Tastier, faster and cheaper than the restaurant version
- Rich, hearty and full of all the sneaked in greens
- Tastes as if it’s been simmering for hours
- Only needs 5 minutes in the IP – quick, easy, effortless
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).
tips and tricks for success
- 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.
- 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!
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, or even turkey sausage!
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
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
Equipment
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.
Video
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I haven’t made this yet, but I have a question. I have dental issues and I’m concerned about the kale getting tender enough. Can I add it during the pressure cooking phase or would that be a bad idea?
I like my kale soft, so I always put it in with everything else.
This looks great. Can you offer this recipe in a crockpot or on the stove? I don’t have insta-pot. Thank you.
Excellent recipe! I used vegan sausage, coconut cream, and veggie broth to make a vegan version and it translated perfectly. Definitely going to work this into the rotation.
Delicious! Definitely a “do again”! I followed the recipe exactly and wouldn’t change a thing.
I veganized this soup and it was easy and delicious! Subbed vegan sausage, veggie broth, and sunflower crème. Big hit with my family ~ will make again often. Thank you!
Soooooo good, made it yesterday and then again today!
I Love your recipes! You have made me a Rockstar in the kitchen! I’m an OR nurse so working long days and my days off during this Pandemic so being a picky eater I enjoy cooking and eating at home…especially now. I’ve taken in a homeless person that I went to high school with and he’s my #1 fan, every time I cook he says it’s the best he’s ever had…thank you! Made the beef stroganoff last night…so damn delicious! Just wondering if you would consider copycat recipes for Olive Gardens…Pasta e Fagioli and Carrabba’s…Mama Mandola’s Silicilian chicken soup. Two of my favorites but can’t wait to try this one as well!
I make this for my roommates and parents all the time! I’ve even made it for a party and everyone was asking me for the recipe. It’s pretty spot on to Olive Garden and goes great with bread.
I love this soup! Our family keeps it in our biweekly rotation, and I always look forward to the left overs. I use the whole bushel of kale, and add a can or two or white beans for extra protein. So delicious! Thank you for sharing such an amazing recipe. I am hooked!
Can I use heavy cream instead of half and half?
No
This is a favorite in our household. Thanks for this recipe! Love your blog!!
yes you absolutely can if you don’t mind the extra fat, it will taste even better.
You can totally make your own half-and-half. Use 3/4c. heavy cream and 3/4c. milk. I did and it worked great 🙂
I used heavy cream because I didn’t have half and half. Tasted great.
Love this recipe. Thank you!
Yes, I do, and it’s great!
Used 1 bunch kale instead of 1/2, hot sausage, and full fat coco milk instead of half and half. Delicious!
this was sooooo perfect! I did add cremini mushrooms and a can of pureed canalinni beans. Thank you so much for the recipe
Love this, been using this recipe for a year now. Suddenly the recipe is not visible on this page (only the video is available)…will you be putting it back up? Specifically I don’t know if we are doing a Natural Pressure Release or a Quick Release.
Please advise, Thanks!
Hi Moses! There was a system glitch last night but all recipes have been restored. I recommend clearing your cache to view the recipe. SO SORRY for the inconvenience!
Whoo hoo! Its back up, thanks!
Directions say quick release
Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐… will make again. I went heavy with garlic and Italian seasoning (instead of only oregano), and used red potatoes instead. We loved it!
This is the best soup! I make it all the time. If you are ill or had surgery this is what I bring. I also made a vegan version no meat vegetable broth and almond milk …it was.. Damn delicious also! thanks for sharing your talents. Monique
This Zuppa was absolutely amazing. The recipe is a 5* keeper!
My husband and I really enjoyed this. We added a dash of hot sauce to our bowls and found it perfect. My daughter wouldn’t eat it because she is 5 and will not eat anything. She said it was “spicy” because she is allergic to flavor. The fact that she thought it was spicy means that it does have a very nice flavor and is not bland. Next time I will add more potatoes and kale because we had a lot of broth left.
Hvaen’t tried it yet but wondering if anyone has done it with vegetarian Italian sausage? Wondering how I should change the recipe if we substitute that. I know part of the flavor comes from the fat that cooks out of the sausage so don’t know what to sub in for that. Let me know if you have any ideas. I love the taste of this soup but my stomach doesn’t like real Italian sausage.
Did anyone respond to this? I’m going to try vegan sausage tomorrow.
Yes made it with vegan sausage and it was really good, we aren’t even vegetarians.
This recipe is FAB!!! I followed the directions directly as stated. The Kale basically taste very similar to spinach, therefore either option is great. Easy to make. Great for family dinner or an entertaining option (Has a nice presentation). My husband is from Louisiana, and therefore robust flavor is required in all recipes. This recipe was added to the “approved list!”
It was good, but not enough flavor. When I make it again, I would use the spicy italian sausage instead