Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

by Diana Rattray

Zuppa Toscana, or Tuscan soup in English, is a regional Italian soup from Tuscany. The soup, a signature dish on the Olive Garden menu, has become popular in the US, and you’ll find hundreds of recipes on the Internet. My version of zuppa Toscana is simple, and the Instant Pot makes it a quick and easy dish to enjoy any night of the week. Since it takes only about 45 minutes to prep and cook, it’s also a great lunch soup.

I used escarole in mine, but feel free to use kale or even spinach. If you like a thicker soup, you can add a flour slurry just before you add the cream and greens. See the variations for amounts.

Recipe Tips

• Sautéing the bacon in the Instant Pot sometimes gives me an error message before it’s done. I just scrape up the browned bits and turn the pot off and back on again to finish. Alternatively, you could cook the bacon in a separate skillet.
• Make sure you scrape up any burnt or stuck-on bits when you add the broth and before you begin to pressure cook.
• If you aren’t eating right away, follow the instructions up to step 9, then do a quick release and keep the soup on the warm setting for up to 3 hours. Refrigerate the bacon and any other prepared ingredients until about 10 minutes before serving time. To finish, switch to the sauté function and add the cream and escarole. Cook until the soup is hot and the greens are wilted. Serve with a garnish of bacon and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

Zuppa Toscana is a hearty dish on its own, but a glass of wine or side of salad or bread can round out the meal and make it special. Here are a few ideas:

Bread – There are many excellent choices when it comes to bread. Serve the soup with a loaf of crusty Italian bread, breadsticks, focaccia, or garlic bread.
Wine – Chardonnay, pinot gris, and sauvignon blanc pair well with the creamy soup, or choose a dry white wine. For red wine lovers, try an Italian wine like Chianti or sangiovese.
Cheese Plate – A cheese plate can add elegance to a meal of zuppa Toscana. Choose Italian cheeses, like fresh mozzarella or a regional Tuscan pecorino.
Salad – Round out the soup meal with a side salad and simple vinaigrette. Or serve the soup with a tangy Caprese salad.
Vegetables – Grilled or roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers or eggplant can be a nice accompaniment to balance the creamy soup.
Dessert – The soup is rich and hearty, so a light, fruit-based dessert, like poached pears or sorbet, is best.

Can I Cook Zuppa Toscana on the Stovetop?

Sure! Just sauté the bacon, sausage, onions, and garlic in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat following steps 2 through 6. Add the sausage back to the Dutch oven with the chicken broth and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the cream and escarole or kale and heat through.

Recipe Variations

You can put your own twist on this delicious soup. Here are a few ideas.

• Swap in turkey sausage, ground chorizo, or ground beef or turkey for the pork Italian sausage.
• Make it spicy with hot sausage instead of mild or sweet Italian sausage.
• For a low-carb version, replace the potatoes with cauliflower florets. Add them to the soup after pressure cooking and continue sautéing just until the cauliflower is tender. Add the cream and escarole or kale and continue with the recipe.
• Sauté 6 to 9 ounces of sliced mushrooms along with the onions to give the soup a more earthy flavor.
• Make it dairy free with coconut milk instead of cream.
• For a thicker soup, combine 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir until smooth. Stir the flour mixture into the soup when you add the cream and escarole or kale. Cook until thickened.
• Add a sliced or diced carrot to the soup along with the potatoes.
• Add a diced red bell pepper for color when adding cream, escarole, or kale.

How to Store Leftover Zuppa Toscana

• Refrigerate leftover zuppa Toscana in an airtight container within 2 hours and enjoy it within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the soup gently until it is hot.
• If you are making the soup ahead for the freezer, don’t add the cream or greens until just before serving. Freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost the frozen soup in the fridge overnight and reheat it gently. Add the cream and escarole or kale and heat until the soup is hot and greens are wilted.

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Browning the sausage in the Instant Pot.

Sauté the onions with the garlic and seasoning then add the sausage back to the pot with the chicken broth and potatoes. Pressure cook for 10 minutes.

Do a quick release, remove the lid, and add the cream and chopped escarole or kale. Use the sauté setting to continue cooking the soup for 2 minutes.

Serve the soup in bowls with crusty bread on the side.