Next Post
Slice n’ Bake Salted Chocolate Butter Pecan Cookies.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
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
Very, very nice recipe. The flavors worked so well together, the proportions were right on, and it was easy!
Thank you for inspiring me to cook with your wonderful photography and informative videos!
Thank you! I am really happy you have been enjoying my recipes and I hope you continue to! xTieghan
Made it on the stove top and it was delicious! I don’t like bacon and had some gifted duck fat, so I used that instead. I also omitted the Parmesan for my stomach’s sake. Even with the changes I made it was so flavorful, comforting, and still light. Will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much Addison! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Wow this was delicious! Perfect for a chilly night. Thanks for sharing- it’s a new favorite in our house!
Thank you for trying this one, Emma! I am really glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This was delicious! We loved it. Everyone went back for seconds. The broth is phenomenal for bread dunking!!
That is so great to hear! Thank you Krista! xTieghan
This soup was fantastic! Kids and adults alike all loved it, and it will be a regular here! Thank you for such wonderful recipes!
Thank you Doris! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
I am a forever follower! I search your recipes daily! I made this tonight for my in-laws and husband and it was a complete success! Everyone raved about it. Thank you. I followed the recipe exactly! I wouldn’t change a thing.
I am so happy you all enjoyed this recipe, Diana! Thank you so much for trying this one! xTieghan
I struggle to find soups that feel filling and this one was great! Thanks to the comments, I left out the meat and used sundried tomatoes, and replaced the cream with coconut milk. It was a bit salty so I may use 4 cups veg stock to 2 cups water next time, but it’s still delicious and easily adapted.
Thank you Jane! I hope you love this more the next time! xTieghan
Hi, what brand of ground chicken sausage did you use? Couldn’t find ground chicken at Whole Foods
Hey Ashley,
I get mine at Whole Foods, next time try asking the butcher for some help! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This is so yum! Hubby dislikes kale, so I chopped celery leaves (1/4 cup) to add the green. Also upped the bacon – a hubby request . . . so needed zero salt. An absolute keeper!
Thank you so much Brenda! xTieghan
This was a hit! Made it for my weekly dinner night for the boys. Almost doubled everything…subbed coconut milk for heavy cream because I had it on hand. Sooo good. Also used hot Italian pork sausage instead because the store didn’t have chicken sausage.
Thank you so much Rachel! I am really glad you enjoyed this recipe! xTieghan
What potatoes would your recommend for this soup, russet or Yukon?
Hey Sofia,
I like to use Yukon potatoes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Thank you so much! This is a fantastic recipe, my family absolutely loved it!
Thank you so much Candace!! xTieghan
LOVED this recipe – added a little bit of fresh butternut squash purée and sage, too! Perfect with a thick slice of bread. Thanks for creating and sharing.
Thank you Juliana! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
We don’t have celery so would you recommend using carrots or bell peppers to substitute for that?
Thanks so much!
Hey Jenny,
I would use carrots. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! This looks so good, I wanted to try adding white beans to this recipe. What do you think about that addition and at what point in the recipe would you add them? Thanks! 🙂
Hey Claudia,
I think beans would work well here, I would add them with the potatoes. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan