Honestly, one of the best things to have come out of this generation is the invention of the instant pot.
Don’t get me wrong, I love an old school pressure cooker. And you really can never go wrong with a traditional soup pot.
But the instant pot just makes everything so much easier.
It has all of the benefits of your traditional slow cooker, while maximizing the quickness and convenience of your standard stovetop pot.
It makes for the best meals that are ready in a matter of minutes, which is a total win for me.
It’s especially amazing when making traditional Italian favorite soups like a Zuppa Toscana.
Making a Zuppa Toscana on my stovetop would take me anywhere from 30-45 minutes, and that’s only the simmering time. It doesn’t account for anything like chopping, peeling, or preparing any of the many ingredients that you need.
But in the instant pot, I can have dinner on the table in under a half hour. It only takes about 15 minutes to cook all the way through.
Which is why this version of the slow cooker is truly just the best.
Plus, this recipe is a great way to familiarize yourself with some of the many functions an instant pot has.
It gives you all of the flavors of a traditional Italian dish, but with half of the cooking time.
And best of all?
It’s totally dairy free.
And you would never be able to tell.
So grab your instant pot (or a regular soup pot if that’s all you have) and let’s get to cooking!
What You’ll Need:
Pork Sausage: Make sure it’s out of its casing and ground up. I like using sweet Italian sausage (otherwise known as mild Italian sausage) but hot Italian sausage is just as good.
Yukon Gold Potatoes: Russet potatoes will also do, same with red potatoes. But I find the yukon gold potatoes to be creamier, milder, and better adaptable in most soups. Plus, you can leave the skin on, which is great for convenience purposes.
Onion: One large yellow onion or two small ones will work just fine with this. Mince them up as small as you can.
Garlic: I like a lot of garlic, so this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup calls for anything between 4-6 cloves. Again, make sure they’re minced to be as small as possible, it’ll make a huge difference.
Kale: I know, I know. A lot of you might not love kale, and that’s okay. But I promise you, there’s no better combo than curly kale, sausages and potatoes. Trust me.
Bacon: This part is totally optional, but it is an ever present ingredient in traditional Zuppa Toscana. Personally, I think the flavor profile of bacon makes all of the difference.
Coconut Cream: Also known as full fat coconut milk, coconut cream is the dairy free creamy alternative you never knew you needed. This is a game changer when added to creamy soups.
Cornstarch: Or arrowroot starch or tapioca flour. Just use whatever thickening agent you prefer, so the soup thickens just as it would with heavy cream.
Chicken Stock: I find that chicken stock tastes the best with this, but vegetable stock works fine as well with a dairy-free Zuppa Toscana.
Seasonings: This soup is really influenced by the minimal seasonings it uses. Obviously you’re using salt and pepper, but you’ll also need crushed red pepper flakes and an Italian seasoning blend that you love.
How To Make This:
Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting and lay down about 4-6 strips of bacon. Fry until crispy, and set aside. Remove most of the bacon grease, but leave some in there.
Begin to fry your Italian sausage in the bacon grease. I like my sausage to get nice and brown and crispy on the bottom, as close as you can get to burning it, as I find this is where most of the flavor is.
Once the sausage is cooked to your liking, add the minced garlic and diced onion and stir until fragrant and translucent. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Dust with cornstarch.
Once the aromatics are thoroughly incorporated, turn off the saute mode and add in your chicken broth, potatoes, more salt and pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cover with the lid, and set your Instant Pot to seal.
Pressure cook on high for about 12 minutes, switching the nozzle to vent when you want to release the pressure (I highly recommend doing this with a long oven mitt).
Stir in the coconut milk and kale, and keep the soup moving until the kale is wilted. Add your bacon at the very end, and you’re ready to serve!
Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana FAQs:
Q: I don’t love kale, what’s something else that I can use in this?
A: If you don’t like kale, try making this with baby spinach. Use about twice the amount of what you’d use for kale.
Q: What’s another coconut milk alternative?
A: Cashew cream or oat milk would both be great alternatives.
Q: I don’t like pork. Are there substitutes for sausage and bacon?
A: Absolutely. Ground turkey sausage or chicken sausage would be delicious, as would turkey bacon.
Q: All I have is pre-cooked bacon. What should I use at the start of this recipe?
A: Instead of bacon fat, just use some olive oil. You won’t be able to taste the difference! In this instance though, make sure you season your sweet or spicy Italian sausage with a bit of salt and pepper.
Q: What can I substitute potatoes with if I want to make this recipe keto friendly?
A: Small cauliflower florets would taste delicious with this tuscan soup as a low carb option!
What To Serve With Dairy Free Zuppa Toscana:
Kale Caesar Salad: Use some of that leftover kale to make a delicious kale caesar salad!
White Wine: This is a really hearty soup, so for wine, I’d recommend something extremely light and airy. Check out this guide to white wines, it’ll help you select exactly what you’d like!
Lemon Cookies: Let’s keep this lighter food trend going! Try making these delicious Italian lemon cookies, you won’t regret it.
Print
Easy Dairy-Free Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Recipe
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
- 6–8 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 cups fresh chopped kale
- 1 large white onion, diced
- 4–6 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 32 oz vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 4–5 strips bacon (1/2 cup chopped bacon)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the saute setting and begin to saute your bacon until crispy.
- Take out most of the bacon grease, reserving a bit to fry your sausage in.
- Put your ground sausage in the instant pot, and stir until browned. I prefer my sausage to be extra crispy.
- When your sausage is browned, stir in onions and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Dust with cornstarch, and stir until fragrant and translucent.
- Add your crushed red pepper flakes, and stir for 30 seconds.
- Turn off the saute setting and add your broth and potatoes.
- Cover the Instant Pot with the lid and set it to “seal.” Cook on high pressure for about 12 minutes, switching the nozzle to “vent” when it’s finished (you’ll want to use an oven mitt).
- Add your coconut milk and kale and stir with a wooden spoon until wilted. Add the crispy bacon and serve.
- Store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 15 Minutes
