You will fall hard for this healthy Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana recipe. You can make this dairy-free soup in the Instant Pot, crockpot, or on the stovetop.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You’re in for a real treat with this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana, my friends! Made in the Instant Pot (or slow cooker OR on the stovetop. I mean, seriously, ya got options) you’ll never even believe it is dairy-free and secretly healthy.
What Kind of Kale Should I Use?
Between you and me, the common curly kale you see everywhere makes me feel like a cow chewing its cud. No thanks. My preference is lacinto kale which is also called dinosaur kale. It’s a flatter leaf and the ribs are easier to remove. Kale also holds up really well in the soup when reheated.
You can also sub in spinach instead of kale. It will wilt considerably when introduced to the hot soup, but if that is what you want to use, go for it! You can also add fresh spinach to each bowl and ladle hot soup over it. This will prevent the spinach from getting overly soft when reheating.
Need frozen greens? Throw in some frozen spinach, frozen swiss chard, or frozen kale at the end of the cooking time.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- This soup is meant to have a thin broth with a hint of creaminess. It’s delicious and so good but it is not a thick cream-based soup like a chowder. If you want to make the texture thicker, mash some of the potatoes and stir them into the broth or use full-fat coconut cream.
- I made this in an 8-quart Instant Pot. It will work in a 6 quart without issue. You would need to make adjustments to the measurements (slide the servings lever on the recipe card) to make it in a 3 quart.
- If you’re not dairy-free, you’re welcome to use your favorite milk or heavy cream.
- Need a low-carb option? Sub in cauliflower florets or radishes. Yep, you read that right – radishes!
More Dairy-Free Soup Recipes
Check out all my Instant Pot Soup Recipes.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon {chopped}
- 1 lb ground sausage {casings removed}
- 1/2 cup white onion {diced}
- 6 cloves garlic {minced}
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 4 russet potatoes peeled (optional) cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3/4 cup coconut milk {or your favorite milk or cream}
- 2 cups kale {sliced into ribbons}
- 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes {optional}
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Set the Instant Pot to saute. Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes.4 strips bacon
- Add the sausage and break it up, stirring often. Drain excess fat if needed.1 lb ground sausage
- Add a splash of chicken broth and use a scraper to deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot. Don’t skip this step as anything stuck to the bottom can prevent the Instant Pot from coming up to pressure.
- Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes. If using red pepper flakes, add here.1/2 cup white onion, 6 cloves garlic, 5 cups chicken stock, 4 russet potatoes, 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
- Lock the lid into place and set the steam release handle (valve on top) to “Sealing”. Press Manual>High Pressure>5 minutes.
- When the IP beeps, turn to “off”. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes and then do a quick release with the nozzle set to venting.
- Add milk and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.3/4 cup coconut milk, 2 cups kale, salt and pepper to taste
Zuppa Toscana on the Stovetop
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set to medium, cook the bacon and break it up, stirring often. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
- Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes and cook for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are softened. If using red pepper flakes, add here.
- Add milk and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Zuppa Toscana in the Slow Cooker
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan set to medium, cook the bacon and break it up, stirring often. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat. Transfer to a slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, broth, and potatoes and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the potatoes are softened. If using red pepper flakes, add here.
- Add milk and kale and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Shop this Post:
(may include affiliate links)
LOVE this soup! I took the lazy route and bought the pre-chopped kale, but it wasn’t really chopped, so wasn’t a time saver… I’m sad it’s taken me so long to make it since the last time!
You have inspired us, Tina and we’re making this tomorrow!
I’m so glad you love this soup as much as we do. <3
Seriously the simplest soup and amazing during the week when you want something warm and hearty without having to spend all day at the stove. Thanks for such a great recipe, Sarah!
So glad you have enjoyed it so much! Gotta love a soup you can throw together and enjoy.
This soup was amazing! We’ve had an instant pot for years but I’d never used it (I know, shameful!) because I found it kind of intimidating. Your recipe was so easy to follow and everything worked perfectly. Thank you! The instant pot definitely won’t be collecting dust anymore.
I’m so glad you loved it, Amanda. And YES to taking that Instant Pot out of the box!!! That is a huge step; nice work.
Zomg. Amazing! I haven’t had time to cook in ages but I came across a bag of chopped kale and have been thinking about this recipe for weeks.
Today was the day—I got some Spicy Italian sausage out of the freezer, bought potatoes and milk (didn’t use the milk) and started cooking.
I didn’t feel like defrosting bacon, so skipped that. Missed the part where I take the fat out after cooking the sausage (oops), used plain water and skipped the milk but it was still amazing!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s the coziest and most comforting soup.
So good! We make this all the time and EVERYONE we’ve ever shared it with loves it!
It’s like a snuggly hug in a bowl, so I’m thrilled you enjoyed it so much!