This Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot is a comforting and hearty meal that will make you feel like you’re at a fancy restaurant!
All the soups.
No matter the time of year, I’m all about soup. There’s just something so comforting about it that I’m up for it even if it’s steamy out. And down here in the south, it more than likely is. But soup is steamy too… so I guess they fit?
Anyway, ever since getting my Instant Pot (I use the 7-in-1) pretty much all my soups have been made in there. Not that making a pot of soup on the stove-top is hard, but the IP definitely makes it easier! Especially during the GAPS diet, when soups are life and you’re pretty much making soup alll daaaay looong.
And when I saw the soup section in my friend Karen’s new IP cookbook No-Thaw Paleo Cooking in your Instant Pot there was no contest about what I’d be making first!
A delicious new cookbook.
No-Thaw Paleo Cooking in your Instant Pot by Dr. Karen S. Lee is a definite win if you’re a fellow soup-lover, or Instant Pot-lover. It’s full of over 70 mouthwatering paleo recipes like sweet & tangy chicken lettuce wraps, weeknight chicken piccata, chipotle chili con carne, Korean-style braised oxtail, Low Country shrimp boil, New England calm bake, sweet potato noodles with beef, baked gluten-free ziti with meat sauce, vegetarian shepherd’s pie, and this uh-mazing zuppa toscana! Plus, the photography is gorgeous…
If all that sounds good (which it should) you can check out the cookbook at the link below. Karen also has two other amazing cookbooks out: Keto Cooking with Your Instant Pot and Paleo Cooking with Your Air Fryer (check out my review of her meatloaf sliders!), both full of delicious keto and/or paleo recipes!
Get your copy here!
All the options.
Now, Karen was generous enough to let me share this Zuppa Toscana from her new book, but I did have to make a few little tweaks to make it work in my kitchen. Mostly because, even though the recipe is (awesomely!) written to be able to be used with frozen meat and veggies, I didn’t have either of those. I actually couldn’t find any Italian sausage in my area that didn’t have a boat-load of sugar in it, so I had to make my own. And it wasn’t frozen. Neither was my bacon. Nor my cauliflower.
If you don’t have those issues, this recipe – and the whole cookbook! – is actually written for people who need to just pull some frozen meat out and cook it asap. No thawing necessary! I’m sure there will be times when I need that, ’cause I’m usually pretty bad about remembering to thaw meat before I need it.
Anyway.
Karen’s recipe calls for coconut cream, but I didn’t have any, and since most of my family handles dairy just fine, I just used sour cream. The original recipe also calls for potatoes, yuka, or parsnips. While I do have potatoes on hand always (my kids love them), they hate me, and parsnips hate my husband. And since I couldn’t get yuka, I actually just left out this entire ingredient in the soup and just opted for using a whole head of cauliflower.
More delicious soups.
Here are a few more of my family’s favorite soups. All gluten-free, some paleo, GAPS, etc., as well. All 100% delicious!
- Paleo Brunswick Stew in the Instant Pot
- Sage & Sausage Cauliflower Soup
- Italian Wedding Soup in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot or Stove Pot Ginger, White Bean & Chicken Soup
- Beef & Kale Soup in the Instant Pot
- Easy Beef Soup with Herbed Dumplings
- White Chicken Chili in the Instant Pot
- Creamy Fish & Veggie Chowder
In the recipe card I’ve linked to some of the products from my affiliate partners that I like to use. Purchasing through these links won’t cost you anything extra. Thanks!
Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot
Free from grain, gluten, eggs, dairy, and sugar.
Ingredients
5 strips bacon (fresh or frozen, make sure it’s nitrate-free, if possible)
1 pound thawed or frozen Italian sausages (make sure there’s no sugar in them!)
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup minced garlic
3-4 cups chicken broth or stock
a head of cauliflower, cut into florets (can use frozen cauliflower florets)
1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or 1 tablespoon dried parsley)
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 pound of fresh kale leaves, chopped
1 cup full-fat coconut cream (can use sour cream for GAPS/keto)
1/4 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese (leave out for paleo/Whole30/AIP)
Instructions
With frozen ingredients:
Turn the Instant Pot on to ‘sauté’ and set to ‘more.’ Wait till it’s hot, then add in your bacon and fry until the fat begins to render.
Carefully add your frozen sausages to the bacon and brown for about 1 minute on each side. Remove bacon and sausages to a plate to cool. Chop the sausage into smaller pieces. They may not be completely cooked through yet, but you should still be able to chop them up at this point.
Turn the Instant Pot on to ‘sauté’ again and add in the onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, or until the onion is soft.
Add in the stock, cauliflower, spices, herbs, and chopped sausage (if using). Close the lid, seal the vent, and press the ‘manual’ button for 4 minutes on high pressure.
When the timer beeps, press ‘cancel’ and let the steam naturally release until the float valve drops.
Remove the lid, add kale, cream, and cheese (if using). Stir for 2 minutes, or until the kale wilts.
With not-frozen ingredients:
Turn the Instant Pot on to ‘sauté’ and wait till it’s hot. When hot, add in your bacon and fry until desired crispiness. Remove bacon to a plate to cool.
Add your sausage and onions to the bacon grease and fry until sausage is browned. After the sausage has been browned add in the garlic and fry for about a minute. If your sausage is in links, remove them to a cutting board to chop. If the sausage is ground, just leave it in the pot.
Add in the stock, cauliflower, spices, herbs, and chopped sausage (if using). Close the lid, seal the vent, and press the ‘manual’ button for 4 minutes on high pressure.
When the timer beeps, press ‘cancel’ and quick release the steam.
Remove the lid, add kale, cream, and cheese (if using). Stir for 2 minutes, or until the kale wilts.
Notes
Karen’s recipe calls for 1/2 pound of potatoes, yuka, or parsnips. I left them out to keep the recipe GAPS-friendly, but if you eat them, add them in with the broth and adjust the manual cook time to 10 minutes.
I love zuppa toscana and this looks amazingly comforting! I’ll have to check out that cookbook.
Thanks, Jean! It’s a great cookbook, I’m sure you’ll love it!
I’m always looking for new Instant Pot recipes and I love these wholesome ingredients!
I hope you enjoy this one, Erin! It’s definitely a family favorite. 🙂
I am such a fan of soups, this looks so hearty and filling. I really would love an Instant Pot too!
Thanks, Carina! I hope you get to enjoy it!
This looks wonderful! Hearty and delicious!
Thank you so much, ChihYu!
Love this soup recipe! Nothing beats the savory sausage and creamy cauliflower combo!
I agree, Joni! It’s a delicious combo!
This is like the perfect bowl of comfort. You know it’s a good recipe when you can tweak it to what you have and it still turns out good. Definitely checking out this book!
Exactly! I’m sure you’ll like the soup and the book, Donny!
This soup is a favorite of mine! I absolutely love how you take a recipe and swap things out and make it healthier.
Thanks so much, Heather! It’s such a delicious soup!
Does this have a coconut taste from the coconut cream? I have the hardest time with coconut but the rest sounds delicious! Thanks so much!
Hmm… yeah, I love coconut, so I wouldn’t say it’s too much. But if you’re not a coconut fan I’d probably leave it out. You could add an extra cup of cauliflower and puree it after it’s cooked to add in the creaminess.
Thank you so much!! I will try that!