Description
This Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup is a hearty and flavorful Italian-inspired dish featuring savory Italian sausage, tender potatoes, and nutritious kale all cooked to perfection in a pressure cooker. Creamy and comforting, this soup is perfect for a quick weeknight meal or cozy dinner, ready in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casings removed; mild or spicy)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 4 medium potatoes, cut into cubes (russet recommended)
- 4 cups kale, chopped (about 1 small bunch)
Liquids and Dairy
- 6 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Instant Pot: Set your Instant Pot to the sauté setting, following your manufacturer’s guide to get it ready for cooking.
- Brown the sausage: Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot, add the Italian sausage, and cook for about 3 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink.
- Sauté aromatics: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the sausage. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add seasonings and potatoes: Stir in red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then add the cubed potatoes and pour in the chicken broth, stirring everything together.
- Pressure cook: Secure the Instant Pot lid, making sure the steam release valve is set to “Sealing.” Select the Manual or Pressure Cook setting and set the timer for 5 minutes.
- Release pressure: Once the cooking cycle finishes, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes. If you need to speed it up, carefully perform a quick release following your Instant Pot’s instructions, then remove the lid.
- Add kale and finish: Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add the chopped kale, set the Instant Pot to sauté again, and cook uncovered for 2 minutes until the kale softens slightly. Stir in the half and half or heavy cream to finish the soup.
- Serve: Turn off the Instant Pot by pressing cancel. Serve the soup warm, optionally garnished with grated Parmesan cheese or crispy bacon bits for extra flavor.
Notes
- For a spicier soup, use spicy Italian sausage and increase the red pepper flakes slightly.
- Russet potatoes are recommended for this recipe as they hold shape well and absorb flavors nicely.
- Using low sodium chicken broth allows better control over the salt level in the soup.
- Natural pressure release allows the soup to finish cooking gently and enhances flavor melding.
- If preferred, you can substitute heavy cream with half and half for a lighter version.
- Garnish options like Parmesan cheese or bacon bits add a nice finishing touch but are optional.
