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This super simple Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana is the perfect cold-weather dinner…great for nights when I’m craving Italian, but want something warming too. Spicy Italian chicken sausage simmered in a creamy basil pesto broth with potatoes, kale, a little lemon, and even a little bacon. Finish each bowl off with a sprinkle of cheese and serve with crusty bread. It’s hearty, full of greens, and so delicious. Great for just about any night of the week. And the leftovers the next day make for the best lunch!
This Italian soup is a recipe I’ve been wanting to create for a while now. I’m not sure what took me so long to test this out, but I’m so happy I finally did, because wow, this is hands down a new family favorite.
Technically this is soup, but it’s definitely hearty enough to serve for dinner on these cold November nights (it’s been snowing here since yesterday…and I could not be happier about it). But the best part? This is SO EASY.
I worked with my Instant Pot to create this creamy soup in just about 30 minutes. I’m sure you guys have noticed, but I’ve been loving my Instant Pot this fall. I’ve found it so useful during this insanely busy time with the launch of HBH Super Simple and all things holiday 2019. It’s really been a lifesaver and I’ve already remade this soup three times since returning home from Chicago last week.
The backstory…
As with a lot of recipes, this idea came from my brother. This time though? It was my oldest brother, Creighton.
He was telling me about one of his favorite soups that he used to get at the Olive Garden – Zuppa Toscana. I’d never heard of it, so of course, I did a little Googling and discovered that the recipe actually sounds quite delicious. A lot of times Creighton can throw some rather interesting recipes at me, but this soup was one I knew I needed to put my own spin on. It took me a while to finally create the recipe, but here it is, and I think you’ll find it’s delicious.
And yes, it’s inspired by the Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden…next up…their breadsticks.
The Details…
As you might guess, this recipe is pretty straightforward and simple.
Start with your Instant Pot on sauté and cook off the bacon. Then add in spicy Italian sausage (I always prefer to use chicken sausage, but pork sausage is great too). Next add in some onions, garlic, celery, and all the usuals.
The key to a good Zuppa Toscana is the spicy sausage and the potatoes. Once you add in the potatoes, stir in some basil pesto. This may not be traditional but it really adds so much to this hearty soup. I’ve found that both the addition of pesto and fresh lemon really lighten things up and truly enhance the Italian flavors.
At this point, simply seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure…just eight minutes. Then release the steam using the quick release.
Once the base has finished cooking, simply stir in some cream, parmesan, and kale.
And that’s it, just 30 minutes later you’ll have a creamy bowl of classic Italian soup. AND, you’ll have only used ONE pot and likely made very little mess. Oh, and be sure to have extra parmesan, fresh thyme, and crusty bread for serving. They really do complete the soup.
See, Super Simple yet so much flavor. This will be great for serving guests over the holidays, or just your family on a cold night. The leftovers reheat well and are delicious the following day for lunch or dinner. I haven’t had a chance to serve this to Creighton just yet, but I know that once he arrives on Friday he’ll be begging me for it. So yes, I will be making this yet again. No complaining here though…love this soup!
Looking for other warming HBH soups? Check out the soup section on HBH’s recipe page.
If you make this Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Instant Pot Pesto Zuppa Toscana.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 487 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
- 3/4 pound ground spicy Italian chicken sausage
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 small yukon gold or russet potatoes peeled and chopped
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 bunch Tuscan or curly kale, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan or asiago cheese
- fresh thyme, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot
- 1. Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the chicken sausage and onions, and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, and potatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off.2. To the instant pot, add the broth, pesto, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.3. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. Set the Instant Pot to sauté. Stir in the kale, cream, and parmesan. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 10 minutes. Turn the Instant Pot off. Stir in the reserved bacon.4. Serve the soup topped with additional parmesan and fresh thyme, if desired.
Stove-Top
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot set over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the chicken sausage and onions, and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, celery, and potatoes, and cook 2 minutes. Add the broth, pesto, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. 2. Stir in the kale, cream, and parmesan. Cook until the kale is wilted, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the reserved bacon. 3. Serve the soup topped with additional parmesan and fresh thyme, if desired.
Slow Cooker
- 1. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot set over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there's excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the chicken sausage and onions, and brown all over, about 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken sausage to the bowl of your crockpot. 2. To the crockpot, add the the garlic, celery, potatoes, broth, pesto, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5. 2. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the kale, cream, and parmesan. Turn the heat to high and cook until the kale is wilted. Stir in the reserved bacon. 4. Serve the soup topped with additional parmesan and fresh thyme, if desired.
{This post is sponsored by Instant Pot. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Half Baked Harvest cooking!}
This post was originally published on November 21, 2019
I set my husband the task of making this recipe. I know he followed it really closely and it’s bangin. Everything you want in a cozy winter soup. A little spicy, savory, hearty without being heavy. The heavy part was the ridiculous amount of buttered bread that was required to dip in. Omgggg make it
Hey Anna,
I’m grateful you tried this recipe and took the time to comment. Delighted it turned out!
This soup was delicious! I made it on the stove top and paired it with sourdough bread with melted butter, garlic salt, and fresh Parmesan cheese.
Thank you for the consistently delicious recipes!
Hi Lisa,
Happy Monday! I love to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks for making it:)
Happy Holidays!
I made this recipe in my slow cooker and it came out great! The flavors work so well together but the pesto really makes it, I love the fresh basil flavor/smell. I used pork Italian sausage because I couldn’t find a chicken version and also made it mostly dairy free with the exception of real parm.
Hey Sarah,
Happy Tuesday! I am so glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you! Thanks a bunch for making it!
I’ve made this SO many times, it’s our fav. We don’t eat meat so we left out the bacon and sausage and added a can of diced tomatoes and tortellini! Top with homemade croutons!
Hey Alexandra,
Awesome! Thanks a lot for making this recipe so often, I’m so glad it is always a hit. Have the best week!
Is this freezer friendly if I make ahead? Prepping for maternity leave and am looking for freezer-friendly recipes. Thanks, looks delish!
Hey Alexa,
You bet, that will work nicely for you! Best of luck and congrats!
My fave recipe ever I think of it all the time ahha- I replace the dairy for coconut cream & then I usually do sweet potatoes instead of regular. It’s amazing. The area I am in the world doesn’t have kale 🙁 do I replace it with spinach? Spinach isn’t my fave really but I could do that I guess.. I just love the kale usually.. any tips? Xx
Hey Lucia,
Thanks so much! Yes, I think spinach is a great option in place of the kale! Let me know how that works for you!
Even better than Olive Garden! I used the stove top method and it was easy. Took about an hour with chopping/simmering. One of my new go to soups!
Hi Kristina,
Fantastic! I’m so glad to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for making it!🍁
It’s tasty but following the instant pot recipe, it almost took 2 HOURS. The recipe saying 30 minutes is truly laughable. It took me almost 30 minutes just to chop all the ingredients. And there’s no way the cook time can only be 15 min when you’re spending time cooking the bacon, then getting the instant pot to pressure, cooking for 8 min, and then you still need to spend 10 min wilting the kale???
Hi Christina,
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback after trying this recipe, I’m sorry to hear this took longer than expected. Have a nice Friday!
One of our most favorite soups. Have made at least a dozen times. Like others, use Italian sausage and swap kale for spinach. Also never seem to have celery when decide to make and don’t miss it. Love the addition of the pesto as takes to next level. Screams to be served with crusty bread.
Hey Michele, Thanks so much for making this recipe, I’m so glad to hear it was a hit! Have a great day! xT
This soup was so amazing, I shared it with my mom so she could make it, too! I made this in the slow cooker with mild italian sausage. I needed a bit extra heavy cream and substituted spinach for kale, but no worries! It was delicious. Immediately putting this into rotation. Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Amy! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for trying out this soup! Have a lovely day! 🙂 xT
I love this soup so much. It’s one of our regulars and my husband gets so excited every time I make it. Thanks, Tieghan!
Hey Hannah,
I appreciate you making this recipe so often and your comment, love to hear it always turns out well for you! XxT
Could I sub coconut milk and wave the parmesan for a dairy free option?
Hi Jenn,
Sure, that would work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe! xT
Tiegs!!!
Here I go making this soup like I do almost every other week and it’s so good I can’t wait to eat it again. My family loves this soup.
Just bought your latest cookbook and am reminded of your previous cookbook signing in WS in Houston. (I learned that day that authors sign new books at book signings so don’t bring the earlier works! Haha whoops! You were wonderful to meet & I continue to wish you & your family the best!
X
Aww, thanks so much for your kind message, Em:) I hope you love the new cookbook and thanks for making this recipe so often! xT
This takes way more than 30 minutes to cook.
Hi Kendra,
So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a wonderful week! xx
Hi!
Approximately what weight of Spinach or kale would be equivalent to “a bunch”
Thanks!
Had this at a friend!
So yummy!
💝
Hi Valerie,
I would say about 1 pound or a little less. So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed! xx