Description
Zuppa Toscana is a hearty Italian-inspired soup featuring spicy hot Italian sausage, tender russet potatoes, fresh kale, and a creamy broth enriched with heavy cream. This comforting one-pot meal is prepared quickly using an Instant Pot, making it perfect for a flavorful weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 pound hot Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 2 cups chopped kale
Liquids and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
To Serve
- Parmesan cheese, optional
Instructions
- Heat and Sauté: Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the olive oil. When hot, add the hot Italian sausage and finely chopped onion. Break the sausage apart with a spoon or spatula and cook for about 5 minutes until the sausage is thoroughly cooked and the onions have softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Broth, Potatoes, and Seasoning: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, add the diced potatoes and dried oregano, then stir everything together to combine evenly.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, lock it, and set the pressure cooker to high. Cook for 5 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before performing a quick release to unlock the lid safely.
- Add Kale and Cream: Open the lid and stir in the chopped kale and heavy cream. Let them heat together for about 2 minutes until the kale begins to wilt and the soup turns creamy.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and top with optional freshly grated Parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- For a milder version, use sweet Italian sausage instead of hot.
- Russet potatoes work best as they hold their shape and add creaminess to the soup.
- Use low-sodium chicken broth to control the salt level.
- Letting the pressure release naturally improves texture of the potatoes.
- Parmesan cheese adds a nice salty finish but is optional.
- Fresh kale offers the best flavor and texture; stem the leaves if desired.
- Cooking time in the Instant Pot includes 5 minutes of pressure cooking and 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Zuppa Toscana soup, Italian sausage soup, kale potato soup, Instant Pot soup, creamy Italian soup
