Zuppa Toscana

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian Inspired

Keyword copycat-zuppa-toscana, instant-pot-zuppa-toscana, olive-garden's-zuppa-toscana-soup, zuppa-toscana-recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings servings (may vary)

Calories 665kcal

Ingredients

4 strips regular cut bacon (You may skip bacon and use 3 Tbsp olive oil instead)
20 oz hot or mild Italian sausage casings removed
1 medium onion finely diced
4 large cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 Tbsp dry Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt (may adapt to taste)
1 tsp black pepper (may adapt to taste)
8 cups low sodium chicken stock (May use 6 cups stock and 2 cups water)
4 cups cubed russet potatoes 1/2 inch cubes (around 5-6 medium potatoes)
6 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy cream

Instructions

Turn on the saute function of the Instant pot. Once the pot is preheated, add the bacon. Cook until crisp then remove to a platter and crumble.
Add sausage to drippings. Cook using saute function until most of the pink is gone, about 2-4 minutes. Use a meat chopper utensil or potato masher to break up the meat.
Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes or until the onions have softened. Add the flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir until flour is fully incorporated.
Add the chicken stock and potatoes using a large spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Hit ‘cancel’ to stop the saute function and place the lid on the pressure cooker, making sure the valve is set to sealing. Press the manual/high pressure setting and set the cook time for 5 minutes.
After the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.
Turn the Instapot back on using the saute button and stir in the chopped kale. Let cook without the lid for 2 minutes. Stir in cream, continue to cook for 2 more minutes. Turn off the instant pot and serve.
Please note: At the end of cooking, you may thicken further using a cornstarch slurry. Equal parts cornstarch dissolved in cold water then whisked into the soup to thicken to your taste. Likewise, you can thin further by adding more chicken stock. Serve immediately topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
See Cook's note for stovetop instructions.

Notes

Stovetop Zuppa Toscana Instructions:

In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, cook bacon until crisp over medium-high heat, then remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel lined platter to drain, then crumble. Reserve 3 Tbsp drippings in pot. (Alternatively, you may skip the bacon and begin with 3 Tbsp olive oil.)
Add sausage, cook over medium high heat until no pink remains. Remove to a paper towel lined platter to drain fat.
To drippings in pan add onion, cooking over medium-high for 3-4 minutes, until softened and beginning to brown. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute longer.
Add flour, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper, stirring until fully absorbed and onion is coated.
Stirring constantly, add chicken stock to pot. Bring to a boil, add potatoes. Cook with lid offset, for 12-14 minutes or just until potatoes are fork tender.
Once potatoes are fork tender, add kale and sausage back to pot, bring to a light boil to wilt the kale. Cook fore 5 minutes.
Add cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Cook gently bubbling for 3-5 minutes until fully combined. Mix bacon back into soup, or serve on top.
Serve immediately, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.

Nutrition