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’ve been using this recipe for years. I also add in bacon bits when I add the kale.
This is delicious. As another cook mentioned I used spinach because that’s what I had and used milk for the same reason. I made a salad along with garlic toast. It sure was an easy recipe and will make it again.
I personally don’t like this. Not a fan of Italian sausage, but my S.O. Will eat the whole pot. 1st time I made it with the half and half and kale. The kale didn’t wilt well. This time milk and spinach and he said it was even better than before. This one’s a keeper!
I have an 8 quart instant pot and plan on making this for a big group, do you think I can double the recipe and still fit it all in the pot?
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know how it turns out! Good luck! 🙂
It’s delicious, going to make for the 2nd time tomorrow night for some friends. I did double this in the 8 quart, used a 5 lb bag of potatoes minus two of them. .. however I was not able to add all of the 12 cups of broth. I just filled it up to right before the max fill line, left the cook time as instructed and added the rest after it was done pressure cooking along with the half and half and almost a whole bag of pre cut kale (I tore of any big ribs because I don’t like them) It all fit in the pot. Love this recipe.
Thank you for this review about doubling it. That’s what I came to the comment section looking for. I needed to double for a big group. This was perfect, hoping it turns out well. Thanks for sharing,
First Instant Pot recipe we tried. Awesome. We have the mini version and we just cut the recipe by 2/3 and it was perfect.
I love Zuppa Toscana at OG. And this is a real winner. I had to use up some mild Italian sausages but added red pepper flakes. Was perfect. Thanks so much.
Wow man. This soup is amazing and has so much flavor. Did not have to add any salt either. PERFECT and the kids loved it. It’s a keeper at my house.
Yummy, easy and fast.
Where are these spoons from? I love them!
West Elm. 🙂
Can I use chicken sausage? Is it just as good?
Chicken sausage is just as good, if not better. I use the spicy chicken sausage from Sprouts and have never had leftovers after making this.
Best ever my family loves it, lots of flavor.
Any idea if this would hold up in the freezer?
Unfortunately, soups that contain milk or cream, like chowders and bisques, do not hold up well in the freezer as they tend to take on a grainy texture and separate when defrosted and rewarmed. 🙁
Freeze it before you add the cream and kale!
I’m new to using the instant pot and this soup came out amazing and it was so fast and easy to put together
We loved it. But as I was making it my daughter reminded me to cook bacon to garnish, this put it over the too
NOW I understand why you named your site what you did! I made the beer bread to go with Zuppa Toscana soup. Absolutely delicious!
This was delicious. I used spinach instead of kale just because I had it on hand and needed to use it. This will definitely be added to my collection of go-to soup recipes.
SO YUMMY! I’m not a big meat eater and have fallen into the habit of only making chicken for dinner… which is driving my poor husband crazy! I decided to surprise him and make this as it’s one of his favorite meals from Olive Garden. We both loved it and the sausage is so good in this soup. Thank you thank you!
Do you know that Premio makes chicken sausage? Our favorite is the sweet Italian flavored one. So good!!!!
Family favorite!
Sweet!
I made this a couple days ago and it was delicious! I think even better than Olive Gardens! It was very easy and quick to make in the instant pot, I won’t be making it any other way from now on. Thank you!!
Awesome, thank you!
I have been making Zuppa Toscana for years but have recently used this recipe 2x for the instant pot instructions. It is very good and you NEED TO MAKE THIS! 🙂
I used whole milk both times because it was all I had on hand. Last night, I was also short on chicken stock but had an opened beef broth that needed to be used…so I ended up using 4 cups chicken stock, 2 cups beef broth. I also added a tad of cream cheese (also bc I had a bit left and it needed to be used) and through in a couple of handfuls of baby carrots. My 4 year old ate it up. It was delicious both times I have made it (1st time I followed the recipe and 2nd time i deviated) and I love how versatile it is.
Absolutely the Best! Made in my new 8 quart Instant Pot twice now, following recipe exactly. We just love this recipe. Have to add that my wife and I went to Olive Garden and had it. While very close, we like this IP recipe slightly better – go figure.
Even better!