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Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup) is hearty and full of amazing flavor. This Olive Garden copycat soup is an all-time family favorite! Pressure cooker Zuppa Toscana is a very delicious, awesome soup to make in your Instant Pot!

A little spicy, creamy, and hearty, this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana is just fabulous!
Originally published 9/8/2017
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)
If you are looking for a super delicious soup to make in your Instant Pot®, you have found it!
There is a reason that so many cooks have made a copycat recipe of this yummy Olive Garden Sausage Potato Soup recipe. It just hits all the right notes.
I get compliments EVERY time I make this pressure cooker Zuppa Toscana recipe, even from my picky eaters.
About the Meat in Zuppa Toscana
- My go-to is a flavorful bulk Italian sausage (or Jimmy Dean, etc.). I buy 1 pound of hot, and 1 pound of mild and use both. This gives enough spice and flavor, but not too spicy. Use all hot or all mild if you like.
- Another way incredible flavor is added to this Instant Pot soup is with bacon. Smoky bacon. Just a few slices of a good smoky bacon take this already amazing soup right over the top and into the clouds!
- I highly recommend it. I mean, bacon. How bad can that be? Either way you make it, you will end up with a rich, hearty, and very satisfying, rustic Italian inspired Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)!

The Greens to Use for Zuppa Toscana
- The usual greens to add to Zuppa Toscana is kale. It is hearty and wilts just enough in the hot soup.
- You can vary from the usual way of making Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana by using spinach instead of kale.
- Use either fresh baby spinach, or frozen chopped spinach (the kind in the box) thawed, and add it after cooking, just before adding the cream.
- Both versions are wonderful!
Can I Make This Zuppa Toscana Non-Dairy?
Yes you can! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk, such as unsweetened coconut milk or almond milk, etc. Since you add it after cooking, the flavor stays intact.
Can I Freeze Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana?
Yes! I like to freeze it in portion sizes in a freezer baggie or air-tight container.
Pro-Tip: To reheat, be sure to thaw the soup first, and reheat slowly.

Instant Pot Pasta E Fagioli (pasta and bean soup)
Instant Pot Beef Barley Vegetable Soup
Instant Pot Ham Hock and Bean Soup
Instant Pot Turkey Soup
If you make this pressure cooker Zuppa Toscana Olive Garden Copycat soup recipe, please let me know! Just leave a comment with a star rating. Thank you!

Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana (Sausage Potato Soup)
Equipment
- 6-quart or 8-quart Electric Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 3 strips Thick Cut Smoky Bacon, chopped
- 2 lbs Ground Hot Italian Sausage (use ½ hot and ½ mild if you don't like spicy)
- 1 Large Onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon Oregano, dried
- 4 large cloves Garlic, pressed or minced
- 4-6 Medium Potatoes, halved and sliced ½ inch thick
- 6 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 Bunch of Kale** chopped, with rib removed
- 1 - 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream (or whole milk, half and half, etc.)
Optional Substitute for the Kale
- 12-ounce Pkg Frozen Chopped Spinach (thawed) or fresh Baby Spinach*
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, and add the chopped bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon renders out most of its fat. Remove and set aside.
- Add the sausage and brown it, stirring a few times. If you can get a good browning on it the flavor will be even better!
- Spoon out most of the fat (all but 1 Tablespoon of the fat, enough to cook the onions).
- Add the onions, stir them.
- Add the oregano.
- When the onions start to turn translucent, add the garlic and stir.
- Pour in the broth, stirring, and make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot to get up any browned bits (deglaze).
- Add the potatoes, and add the bacon back in.
- Check to make sure the contents don't go over the Max Fill line marked on the inner liner.
- Cancel Sauté mode.
- Close the lid, set the steam release knob to Sealing.
- Set to Manual (or Pressure Cook), and choose 5 minutes* (High Pressure). The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
- After cooking cycle ends, allow a 10 minute NPR (Natural Pressure Release).
- Do a Controlled Quick Release for the rest of the steam, and when the pin in the lid drops, open the lid.
- Add in the kale, (or thawed spinach, if using) and stir well. Cover and let heat through for 5 minutes or so to soften the kale. If using spinach, just stir it in and proceed to the next step.
- Stir in the heavy cream.
- Serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make InstaPot Zuppa Toscana Recipe
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Ong!! This soup was amazing! I was too lazy to defrost bacon..and I used chicken sausage…and wait for it….RADISHES instead of potatoes because we are low carb. Everyone LOVED it…even my very sometimes picky MIL! Going in our regular rotation for sure!!
Awesome! Thank you! Radishes is such a creative idea!
I made this soup tonight with just a couple changes….I didn’t have chicken broth so I used Vegetable base (better than bullion brand) and I also threw in sliced baby Bella mushrooms at the same time as the spinach. The sausage I used was homemade venison sausage (hubby got one this year!). Talk about delish! My husband raved and had seconds and my 3-yr old finished her dinner in reasonable time. I’ll definitely be making this again!
Awesome!
I made this with kielbasa and red potatoes. Also I didn’t have kale or spinach on hand. It came out great! On my second day of eating this soup for leftovers. I also added a little Cajun seasoning to the pot before starting the pressure. I highly recommend this recipe!
Yum! Sounds delicious! I really like the adaptations you made.
This recipe was really good. My family loved it. I didn’t have spicy sausage so just used regular and added some black pepper at the end and it had the perfect kick. Thanks for the recipe!
That’s great, Sarah! I’m so happy that your family loved this soup! Thank you for your review!
I’m planning on making this but I only have a basic crock pot with only low and high. Settimg Do you have instructions for cooking this way? Thanks!
Here you go, Holly! Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana
Thank you for the great soup. I have made this soup on the stove too many time, but absolutely loved it in my instapot. Thanks
This recipe is perfection! Have made with and without bacon, both ways are delicious but I think the bacon does add something extra. Thank you for sharing, this will be in heavy rotation!
That’s great, April! So glad you liked it!
This looks so good. What size instapot is it made in? I have a 3 at. Do I just cut in half?
This is made in a 6 qt. Yes, cut in half for the 3 qt. I hope you like it!
Third time I’ve made this! My family loves it! I did add mushrooms! Thank you!
Yum. Just made it for my family. I used Chicken spicy Italian sausage and it came out great. Quick and easy for a weeknight dinner. Everyone added salt and pepper to their liking. We’ll make this again. Thank you!