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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
Hey Tieghan! Do you think using shredded chicken vs. sausage would change the taste?
HI! I am sure shredded chicken will be great! I would add a touch more pesto + crushed red pepper flakes to make up for the lost flavor from the sausage. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
WOW this soup was SO GOOD and so easy!! I took it over to a friend’s house for dinner and 4 of us ate the entire pot! I made it again the next day so we can have it for lunches! For anyone wondering, coconut milk works great for a dairy free option. I also made it without sausage the 2nd time as I had run out….just added a few more potatoes and a few carrots! Amazing!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Erin! xTieghan
This looks delicious and is the recipe that is making me go out and finally buy an instapot! Any recommendations?
Hey Donna! I would recommend the below version. It’s my personal favorite!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you and happy holidays! xTieghan
https://rstyle.me/+71ZIVOIDi41HzfdFAwEHIA
Wow! I just made this for dinner and it is sooo good! The lemon adds the perfect brightness and the pesto adds just a touch of Italian herby flavor. I accidentally only had brats but it still turned out amazing. Thank you!
I am so glad you still loved this recipe Sammy! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This soup is amazing! My 9yr old daughter had seconds and then brought leftovers to school for lunch the next day! The soup is so flavorful. I’ve made another version of zuppa toscana before, but the pesto and lemon in this version just make it that much better
That is so amazing! I am so glad you both loved this recipe Melissa! Thank you! xTieghan
For anyone interested in making this soup a little lighter and lower carb, I replaced the potatoes with a head of cauliflower still delicious!! And just bought your cookbook for my Aunt for her bday, can’t wait to give it to her!
Awh amazing! I hope she loves the book, Shari! Thank you! xTieghan
YUMMM this was so good.
Thank you Libby! xTieghan
This soup was SO good — my husband and i both loved it. But in the instant pot it literally took two hours from chopping to eating… no idea why it took so long, but that was super frusturating. Other than that it was DELISH!
I am so glad you both enjoyed this recipe Ashley! Thank you so much! xTieghan
This recipe was perfect for dinner on a cold Wisconsin night! I made this for my family and everyone absolutely loved it! The flavors work so well together and everything is just so delicious. Definitely a new favorite!
I am so glad you all loved this Emerson! Thank you so much for trying it! xTieghan
Would love to make this…however what would you recommend in terms of substituting Bacon and sausage..to make it vegetarian
HI! You can simple just omit both from the recipe and use 1/2 cup roughly chopped sun-dried tomatoes instead. That will be delicious! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
I made this over the weekend for guests and it was a huge success!!! Even my picky eater ate it without complaint! I also made the puffed pastry cranberry and brie pinwheels and the picky eater ate them all 🙂
That is so amazing! I am so glad you loved this recipe Heather! xTieghan
I made this using the stovetop directions last night and it was SO good. Probably the best soup I have ever made. I think the lemon juice kicked it up a notch which is not something I would normally think to add. Thank you for the yummy recipe!
Yes! So glad you loved this recipe so much! Thank you Jaci! xTieghan
I was so confused about the potatoes. I wish I watched your video before I started. 4 small potatoes is like nothing. So I chopped a few more but I didn’t want to go over board, as to stay true to recipe. When I watched your video, you had tons of potatoes. I think you should reconsider what you have listed on the recipe.
Hi Bridget! I stuck to 4 potatoes in the video..but they may have not been as small as yours! I would recommend adding to your liking! I hope you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Torn between buying the insta 6 or 8 qt . Do you think the 6 will be a big disadvantage . Thank You
Hey Eddie! It just depends how many people you are serving. If you serve more than 6 people regular, get the 8qt. Otherwise the 6qt is great!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Any thoughts on using spinach rather than kale. I know it shouldn’t be cooked as long. maybe just wilted?
Thank you
HI! Spinach will be delicious! Just add it and cook for 5 minutes or until just wilted. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan