Zuppa Toscana Soup

Zuppa Toscana Soup is a copycat recipe of the favorite Olive Garden classic.  This zuppa toscana recipe is made in the Instant Pot and has instructions to make it in the Crock-Pot or on the stove.  It is a healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love!

Memories of Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup

Growing up we visited the neighboring “big city” of Beaumont, Texas on a weekly basis.  Our family of four would spend a few hours at the mall, maybe go see a movie, and then enjoy dinner out before making the 30-minute drive home.  (What I once thought was such a LONG trip!)

Oftentimes we ended up at Olive Garden…  Partly because of the delicious breadsticks (before I knew I didn’t do so well with gluten!) and also due to my love of their zuppa toscana soup.  The rich, creamy broth full of spicy sausage and chunks of kale were so comforting on a cold, wintry day.

Much like many other recipes here on Evolving Table, I wanted to take this Olive Garden zuppa toscana soup recipe and put a bit of a healthy spin on it.  So not only is this zuppa toscana copycat recipe gluten-free, but it is also made dairy-free with a special substitution for the heavy cream normally used.

So read on below to see what ingredients you will need, how to make zuppa toscana soup in the Instant Pot, how to substitute heavy cream in soup, and the best way to store and reheat this Olive Garden zuppa toscana recipe.

Ingredients in Zuppa Toscana Soup

The typical Olive Garden zuppa toscana recipe is made from a few easy to find ingredients:

• Bacon – Feel free to use turkey bacon if you would prefer.
• Italian sausage – You will definitely want to use MILD Italian sausage so you can better control the spiciness of the soup.
• Russet potatoes – You can use red or white potatoes, but russet potatoes have the most similar texture to that found in the Olive Garden zuppa toscana recipe.
• Onion – A sweet onion will give this soup a subtly sweet flavor.
• Red pepper flakes – These are crucial in achieving the spice you know and love.
• Kale – Make sure you buy the kale that comes in a bunch, not the kind that comes in a bag for best taste and texture!

To Peel or Not to Peel the Potatoes

It is completely up to you, but I prefer to keep the SKIN ON the russet potatoes in this recipe.

Not only does the skin give the soup a nice bit of color and texture, but potatoes’ skin is also LOADED with nutritional benefits.

I am sure you have heard that potato skins are a good source of fiber.  But did you also know they are full of Vitamin C, Potassium, and Vitamin B6?  So if you do not have a picky eater in the family, go ahead and save yourself a bit of time and keep the potato skins on.

If you are leaving the skin on, do not forget to give your potatoes a good scrub.  After all, they have been growing in the ground!  Also, if you want to spring for a few organic ingredients, organic potatoes and organic kale would be great ones to choose in this recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup

Now that you have your ingredients chopped and prepared, it is time to start making this zuppa toscana soup recipe in your Instant Pot.  (Full instructions in the recipe card below.)

1. Turn your Instant Pot to the saute function and cook up the bacon pieces.  Set them on a paper towel to drain.
2. Next, add your onion and garlic.  Saute for 2 minutes and then add the ground Italian sausage.  Cook your sausage until cooked through.
3. Add your broth, potatoes, and seasoning ingredients.  Close the lid, set the pressure release valve to sealed, and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes with a 10 minute natural pressure release.
4. Whip up the cashew cream in place of heavy cream and mix into the zuppa toscana soup with a bit of chopped kale.
5. Serve Zuppa Toscana Soup with a sprinkling of parsley and the bacon pieces and enjoy!

Cook’s Tip: Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any of the bits or pieces that are stuck.  This will help prevent a “Burn” error notice on your Instant Pot.

Best Dairy-Free Heavy Cream Alternative

One of the hardest things to replace when cooking dairy-free recipes is heavy cream.  There is something so texturally pleasing when cream is added to a soup.  If you are like me, you sometimes take the hit on your stomach just to get a taste of that creaminess!

Until… I discovered the magicalness of cashew cream!  My mother-in-law made a soup recipe that I would have SWORN was loaded with dairy.  But I knew better.  When I asked her what she used she told me it was simply a combination of raw cashews and almond milk.  What?!  How could that be?

So ladies and gents, I am here to tell you… your life will be changed once you discover the magic of using cashew cream in soups in place of heavy cream!

It does take a little bit of forethought, but all you need to do is soak your cashews for at least 1 hour in warm water, drain them, and then puree them in a high speed blender with an equal amount of milk.

Voila!  You have the best dairy-free alternative to heavy cream you have ever tasted!

Stove-Top or Crock-Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe

The best part about this zuppa toscana recipe is how versatile it is.  While this particular recipe is made in the Instant Pot, you can also make it in a Dutch oven or in your crock pot.  Here are the changes you will need to make:

• Stove-Top Zuppa Toscana Soup:  Follow the instructions outlined below but set your Dutch oven to Medium heat instead of the sauté function.  Once you have added your broth, potatoes and seasoning ingredients, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover your pot with a lid, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until your potatoes are fork tender.
• Crock-Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup:  Follow the sauté instructions outlined above by sautéing your ingredients in a separate pan or pot.  Add these to the crock-pot with the potatoes, broth, and seasoning ingredients.  Set your slow cooker to Low and cook for 4-6 hours, or until potatoes are cooked through for a Crock-Pot zuppa toscana recipe.

How to Store & Reheat Zuppa Toscana Soup

One great thing about this recipe is how much soup it makes!  If you are not feeding 6-8 people, you will find you have quite a bit of leftovers.

Store in refrigerator:  Make sure the soup comes to room temperature before storing in a container and placing in the refrigerator.  Soup will keep well for up to 4 days.  (Do NOT add kale if storing for more than 24 hours.)

Store in freezer:  Follow the instructions above and store in refrigerator for at least 8 hours before transferring to the freezer.  You will want to make sure you are using an airtight, plastic container such as these plastic soup containers.

My personal favorite way to reheat soup is to add it to a pot and heat over medium for 10-15 minutes.  However, if you are a bit impatient, reheating this zuppa toscana soup in the microwave will work great, too!

Other recipes like this Zuppa Toscana:

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Potato Corn Chowder | Vegan

Chicken Pumpkin Chili in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

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Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Zuppa Toscana Soup is a copycat recipe of the favorite Olive Garden classic.  This zuppa toscana recipe is made in the Instant Pot and is a healthy, gluten-free, dairy-free, and easy dinner recipe the whole family will love! 

Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Italian

Keyword zuppa toscana recipe, zuppa toscana soup

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 450 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

• 4 oz. bacon finely chopped
• 1 sweet onion finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 lb. Italian sausage ground, mild
• 6 cups chicken broth regular sodium
• 2 ½ lbs. russet potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
• ½-¾ tsp. salt to taste
• ½-¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp. black pepper to taste
• ⅔ cup raw cashews soaked for 1 hour in warm water
• ⅔ cup almond milk or cashew milk
• 1 bunch kale finely chopped
• Parsley optional

Instructions

1. Place raw cashews in a bowl of warm water and let soak for 1 hour.
2. Set Instant Pot to the sauté function and sauté chopped bacon for 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove bacon pieces and place on a paper towel to drain.

3. Add diced onion and crushed garlic to the Instant Pot with remaining bacon fat and sauté for 2 minutes. Add sausage and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain all fat from pot except for 2 tablespoons.  Discard the rest.

4. Pour in chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to ensure there are no bits or pieces stuck. Add potatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
5. Cover with lid, set pressure release valve to sealed, and set Instant Pot to high pressure for 6 minutes. After timer goes off, let soup sit in Instant Pot for 10 minutes (10-minute natural pressure release) before releasing the pressure valve.
6. While soup is cooking in the Instant Pot, place cashews and milk in a high speed blender or food processor and blend for 1-2 minutes, or until completely smooth.
7. Once soup is done cooking, stir in cashew cream and add chopped kale. Serve soup with bacon pieces and fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• Stove-Top Zuppa Toscana Soup:  Follow the instructions outlined above but set a Dutch oven to Medium heat instead of the sauté function.  Once you have added your broth, potatoes and seasoning ingredients, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover your pot with a lid, and cook for 20-25 minutes or until your potatoes are fork tender.
• Crock-Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup:  Follow the sauté instructions outlined above by sautéing your ingredients in a separate pan or pot.  Add these to the crock-pot with the potatoes, broth, and seasoning ingredients.  Set your slow cooker to Low and cook for 4-6 hours, or until potatoes are cooked through for a Crock-Pot zuppa toscana recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Zuppa Toscana Soup Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 450 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 9g56%

Cholesterol 52mg17%

Sodium 1311mg57%

Potassium 1035mg30%

Carbohydrates 32g11%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 16g32%

Vitamin A 710IU14%

Vitamin C 31.6mg38%

Calcium 85mg9%

Iron 3.2mg18%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.