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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 post is sponsored by Instant Pot.
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 Duo Evo Plus 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!
watch the how to video:
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.
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!}
Wow! Yet another delightful recipe!! I’ve been making all your recipes this week (Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed) and every single one has been incredible!! This soup is amazing!! I followed it to a T minus the kale and subbed spinach because that’s all I had. I can’t wait to make this recipe at the next fall potluck! You are so incredibly talented! 🙂 I’m excited to go to bed tonight just so I can get to lunch faster tomorrow and eat the leftovers!!
Hey Sarah,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan
Delicious and simple. My 18 month old loves it too! It comes together quickly considering how tasty it is. It’s super filling and the perfect fall day lunch!
Hey Gabriele,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Delicious! I had Andouille sausage so that is what I used. Sliced it and sautéed it in a bit of olive oil then drained it of excess oil. Maybe it was the craving for something evocative of Fall but I thought every bite of this was perfect. I did add a piece of Parmesan rind to the soup while it cooked. It adds great depth and flavor. I also used half and half and cut the amount to 1/2 a cup. Again, perfect.
Hey Michelle,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
This soup was SO good! Easy to whip together and so warm and tasty on a cool autumn evening. Thanks!!
Hey Katie,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was very delicious! I doubled it and added a bit more celery just to use up what I had. Made it on the stove and had to use small diced Italian chicken sausage instead of ground but it was still great. My kids loved it!
Hey Angela,
Happy Friday!! I so appreciate you giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
Amazing! Simple and a must make, we have tried many variations of Zuppa Toscana soup and this hands down our new favorite!!
Hey Melissa,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
Can you substitute cream or milk with coconut milk instead? Or are there any other low fat milk substitutions you would recommend?
Hey Christina,
Yes, coconut milk would work well for you here. I hope the recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This is AMAZING!!!! Absolutely worth the time it took. This is probably the best soup I have EVER eaten!
Hey Lisa,
Awesome! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! xTieghan
Could you substitute with sweet potatoes instead?
Hey Michelle,
Sure, sweet potatoes would also work well here! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made this for dinner with homemade bread. So easy and delicious. It was super yummy leftover as well! Will definitely make this again!
Hey Michelle,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Have a great week!? xTieghan
We made and enjoyed this many times throughout the fall and winter last year and I just couldn’t wait any longer this year to make it! It’s a beautiful sunny day where I am and we are headed to the beach tomorrow but tonight is soup night!
I have a hard time finding chicken sausages so just use Italian pork, but I’m always sure to drain the leftover oil to prevent an overly oily soup.
This soup is hearty, healthy, flavourful and divine. A MUST MAKE!!,
Hey Emily,
Happy Sunday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Better than OG soup! So yummy!
Hey Allison,
Awesome! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Have the best weekend! xTieghan
Can I omit the bacon? Would that really change the flour?
Hey Kat,
Totally fine to omit the bacon. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
What non-dairy substitute do you recommend for this recipe? Thank you.
Hey Chelsea,
Coconut milk will work well here. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Love this recipe! I ommited the pesto (just because I didn’t have any). I’ve tried it twice, once on the stove top and now once in the instantpot. I used a 6qt instant pot and it absolutely did not fit, so it was kinda a fail. I think a 8qt was used. Otherwise, it was great!
Hey Amy,
Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed!! xxTieghan
Is this keto friendly?
Hey Ayesha,
Sorry, I am not familiar with keto so I can’t quite say. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
No it’s not as there is potatoes in here! If you omitted them it could be tho.
I am obsessed with this soup! I make it all the time because it’s that delicious!! I’d love to know if you have a basil pesto recipe of your own?
Hey Shaunna,
I am so glad you have been enjoying this recipe! I do have a basil pesto recipe located in the HBH Super Simple Cookbook. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Has anyone tried freezing this??
Hey Dani,
This will freeze just fine for you. I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan