Months ago I had a craving for that famous chain restaurant soup everyone raves about, Zuppa Toscana. Living in New York with great Italian options, I expected a rich, comforting bowl — but what I got was underseasoned meat and limp vegetables in thin broth. It left me determined to make a version that actually lives up to the hype.
What I ended up with is a Sausage & Spinach Soup loaded with flavor and tender potatoes. It’s hearty, comforting, and far better than the chain version. The balance of spiced Italian sausage, aromatic shallots and garlic, well-seasoned broth, wilted spinach and creamy finish makes it impossible to stop at one bowl. Serve it with crusty bread and you’ve got a soul-warming meal.
This recipe is easy to prepare in an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi and comes together quickly.
How I made it
Start by dicing shallots.
Prepare a mix of baby potatoes and quarter them.
Remove sausage from the casing and set the meat aside.
Heat the pot with olive oil and a bit of butter. Once hot, add the shallots and sauté until they begin to brown.
Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon until it resembles crumbled ground meat.
Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant. Splash in a little sherry or a dry white wine for depth, letting it reduce slightly.
Pour in chicken or garlic broth, then season with black pepper, seasoned salt, oregano, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Stir to combine.
Add the potatoes to the broth and stir, then top with a generous amount of baby spinach. The spinach will look like a lot at first but it quickly wilts down.
Secure the pressure lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then quick-release. When the lid comes off, the spinach will be perfectly wilted.
Stir in a soft cheese such as Boursin or cream cheese until it melts into the broth. Finish with heavy cream or half-and-half for a silky texture and bright, appealing color.
Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty Italian or French bread for dipping. The soup is rich, savory and layered with flavor — the kind that makes you forget chain-restaurant versions immediately.
Enjoy with company — this one’s meant to be shared.
At the time of this post, Pressure Luck uses Better Than Bouillon/Southeastern Mills for soup bases and bouillon.
Instant Pot Sausage & Spinach Soup (Best Zuppa Toscana)
This recipe beats the chain version hands down. It’s packed with flavor and simple to make in a pressure cooker.
5 minutes
24 minutes
29 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 stick (2 tbsp) salted butter
- 3 large shallots, diced
- 2 lbs Italian sausage (sweet, hot or mixed), casing removed
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic
- 1 cup sherry or a dry white wine
- 5 cups garlic or chicken broth
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp seasoned salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1.5 lbs baby red or white potatoes, quartered with skin on
- 5–8 oz baby spinach
- 5.2 oz Boursin (or 5 oz cream cheese)
- 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- Crusty Italian or French bread, for dipping
Instructions
- Add the olive oil and butter to the Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi. Hit “Sauté” on high. Once the butter melts, add the shallots and sauté 3–5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Add the sausage and break it up until crumbly. Cook 3–5 minutes, adding the garlic about 1 minute after the sausage starts to brown.
- Pour in the sherry and simmer for about 3 minutes, then add the broth, Italian seasoning, oregano, garlic powder, seasoned salt and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add the potatoes, top with the spinach (do not stir), secure the pressure lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick-release when done.
- Stir in the Boursin or cream cheese until melted, then add the heavy cream or half-and-half. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
- Enjoy!
Jeffrey’s Tips
You can skim excess oil from the sausage if preferred, though it adds flavor. Any Italian sausage works. Leftovers refrigerate or freeze well; the top may firm from fat when chilled but reheats smoothly.