Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup with Pancetta and Swiss Chard

This unique take on Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup uses flavorful pancetta, a parmesan rind and Swiss chard to infuse the soup with amazing rich flavor. Make this any night of the week in your instant pot in under 40 minutes!

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Easy and delicious Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup with Pancetta and Swiss Chard (way better than Olive Garden!)

One of my favorite copycat recipes, this Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup with Pancetta and Swiss Chard is way better than the Olive garden version, and is easily one of my favorite soups to whip up on a chilly weeknight with simple ingredients. 

Made with diced pancetta, crumbled Italian sausage, Swiss chard, plenty of potatoes, and a parmesan rind for good measure, this soup brings the flavor, all in just a 30 minute cook time!

This hearty soup brings more complex and rich flavor than the restaurant version in a fraction of the time, thanks to your trusty Instant Pot! This soup is also a great way to use up and leftover produce you have in the fridge to make a delicious soup and warming, satisfying meal. This Tuscan soup packs so much flavor, for quick and easy soup the whole family will love!

Ingredients

• A bit of butter, for crisping the pancetta.
• Diced pancetta. You can find this in most grocery stores.
• Mild Italian sausage, casings removed.
• A medium yellow onion.
• Fresh garlic, minced.
• Crushed red pepper flakes, dried basil, dried oregano, freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt.
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional, but recommended). This adds great flavor to the broth.
• Chicken stock or chicken broth.
• Yukon gold potatoes, cut into small cubes. No need to peel!
• One bunch swiss chard, stems chopped, leaves chopped into ribbons, separated. You'll cook down the stems until tender, then add the leaves at the end of the cooking time.
• Heavy cream. This will go in at the end as well, to give depth and richness to the soup.

How to make Zuppa Toscana Soup in the Instant Pot

1. Melt butter in instant pot on saute function. 
2. Sauté pancetta in butter, stirring occasionally until crispy, 5-6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon to drain.
3. Add sausage, chard stems and onion. Cook, breaking up as you go, until all sausage is browned and veggies are softened 4-5 minutes. (This will also help bring down the instant pot temperature if you get a warning from the pancetta). 
4. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, salt, pepper, and oregano and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. 
5. Add stock, parmesan rind (if using), cooked pancetta and potatoes.  
6. Lock instant pot lid, and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. 
7. Natural release for 10 minutes, then manual release (aka quick release). 
8. Remove parmesan rind (if using) and discard. 
9. Add chard leaves and cream, and cook on sauté for 5-7 minutes until chard is wilted. 
10. Serve hot with grated parmesan, if desired. (For full recipe details, see recipe card below).

Serving the soup

This soup is best served with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top, alongside a nice salad or some crusty bread for dipping! For a fancy presentation, reserve some of the crisped pancetta for topping the soup just before serving.

Substitutions and Additions

This soup is easily adjusted to work with what you have on hand, and your preferences. Here are some easy swaps and additions to help you make this soup your own:

• No yukon gold potatoes? No problem! Use red potatoes, or peeled russet potatoes.
• Use any sausage you like! You can use sweet pork sausage or spicy sausage, or even Italian chicken sausage for this recipe.
• Can't find pancetta? Add a bag of bacon bits in right when you add the stock before pressure cooking instead. You could also use bacon, just omit the butter when cooking.
• No Swiss chard? Try kale or spinach. If using spinach, adjust the cooking time and cook until just wilted. Spinach will cook much faster than heartier greens like Swiss chard or kale.
• You can use olive oil to crisp the pancetta in place of the butter. 
• Swap the oregano and basil for Italian seasoning. 

Storing the Soup

Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I would advise against freezing the soup, as it contains cream.

Tools for the perfect Zuppa Toscana Soup (Instant Pot)

• An Instant Pot, or pressure cooker for fast and easy cooking.
• A sharp knife and cutting board.
• A wooden spoon.
• A slotted spoon, for easy pancetta removal.

More delicious soup recipes

If you love this Zuppa Toscana Soup, you'll love these tasty soup recipes, too!

• Loaded Potato Soup
• Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup with Leeks
• Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup with Mushrooms
• Creamy Orzo Soup with Chicken and Bacon

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