The Best Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana – Olive Garden Copy Cat

Zuppa Toscana is a favorite in our family – and this Instant Pot version is DELICIOUS! 

Copycat Zuppa Toscana Recipe

When I first went to college, a friend posted on Facebook about THE BEST SOUP EVER. 

I asked her to send it to me, and I was so excited when it arrived in my email. 

It was a recipe for Olive Garden’s Zuppa Toscana – and at that point, I’d never had it (up until that time in my life, Olive Garden wasn’t a place we frequented as much as we do now). 

I made it right away and immediately fell in love with it. It also became something that my mom often made for family get-togethers, church potlucks, and more. 

It’s just so delicious. 

Over the years, I’ve seen this soup gain popularity. There are tons of recipes for it online, and whenever there is a soup potluck at church, there’s always sure to be a couple pots of it in the line. 

There are a lot of ways to make it – in the slower cooker, on the stove pot…and they all are great ways!

Today, I wanted to share the Instant Pot version I came up with. This is based on the recipe I’ve tweaked over the years, and it’s one of my favorite things to make!

One thing I will say – don’t be afraid to be generous with your seasoning! The last time I made it, I figured there was enough salt from the sausage, so I skipped it…but believe me, it needed the salt. I added more in afterward, and it tasted substantially better. 

Equipment Needed

You just need an Instant Pot!

Ingredients

Russett Potatoes 
Water 
Better than Boullion – Chicken. You can also just use plain chicken broth and skip the water. I just really like Better than Boullion. 
Onion
Garlic (minced garlic is best, but you can just use garlic powder if you’d like). 
Bacon Bits (the Kirkland brand is my favorite)
Italian Sausage
Oregano
Heavy cream
Kale
Grated Parmesan cheese

FAQ

What can I substitute the heavy cream with? You could use half and half. My mom has also just used regular 2% milk as well with success. Heavy cream just tends to yield the creamiest results 🙂 

Do I have to use kale? I know some people will use spinach instead, so that is an option. I wouldn’t omit kale or spinach altogether, though. 

Can I freeze this? Yep! 

How can I make this in the slow cooker? I would put all the ingredients except for the heavy cream and kale in the slow cooker for 2-3 hours on high, or 4-5 on low. Stir in the heavy cream and kale shortly before serving. 

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Printable recipe can be found below 

Ingredients:

• 2.5 pounds russet potatoes, sliced
• 6 cups water
• Better than Boullion (you could also just do 6 cups of chicken broth – whatever is easiest)  
• ½ cup chopped Onion
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic
• ¼ cup Bacon bits
• 1 lb Italian Sausage
• 1 tablespoon Oregano
• 1 cup Heavy cream
• A couple bunches of Kale, chopped
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt  (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)

Instructions:

• Turn instant pot to saute. Cook and crumble sausage.
• Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.
• Add in broth, bacon bits, and oregano and stir. 
  
• Add in potatoes. 
  
• Put lid on.
• Put on soup setting for 5 minutes.
• Naturally, release pressure for 5 minutes. Then release all the pressure immediately using quick pressure release. 
• Add heavy cream, stir.
• Add in seasonings to taste. Also add in about 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  
  
• Stir in kale and let it wilt for a few minutes. 
  
• Serve! Delicious when parmesan cheese is served on top. 

Other Olive Garden Recipes You May Enjoy:

• Olive Garden Five Cheese Marinara
• Copycat Olive Garden Giant Sausage Stuffed Rigatoni Recipe
• Olive Garden Loaded Pasta Chips Recipe – Copycat Recipe

Other Instant Pot Soup Recipes You May Enjoy:

• The Best Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Posole Instant Pot Soup Recipe
• Pressure Cooker Enchiladas Soup (INSTANT POT)