Hooray, it’s Sunday! I am excited about this installment of Sunday Suppers; the recipe is super yummy, so easy and relatively hands-off, thanks to the magic of the Instant Pot. I know I’ll be making this all fall and through the winter' - it’s a recent favorite of mine. (Psst…If you’re new here, you can read about the Sunday Supper series right here. And welcome!)
So, about the recipe. In an ongoing effort to diversify my family’s dinners, I was recently browsing Pinterest for inspiration and kept seeing different interpretations of the same recipe - “Zuppa Toscana” - popping up. Zuppa Toscana (or “Tuscan Soup”) is apparently a popular Olive Garden menu offering. I haven’t eaten at Olive Garden in many, many years, plus the soup contains meat and dairy, so I’ve never personally tried it. Still, it admittedly looked kind of good - a garlicky, creamy broth filled with chunks of potato and lots of kale. It had sausage too, but I was confident that my vegan swap (lentils!) would be even better.
I decided to make my version of Zuppa Toscana in the Instant Pot and I’m so glad I did! It was simple, fast and came out perfectly. It’s the ideal recipe to throw together when you’ve got a great movie or game to watch on a chilly Sunday and don’t want to spend much active time in the kitchen. I’d serve this with a crisp green salad and some crusty sourdough to round out the meal, but the soup is hearty and filling enough to stand alone as a meal.
Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Serves 4 (makes approximately 8 cups)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
3 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped (approximately 4 medium sized potatoes)
1 ½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ tsp Italian seasoning
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp fennel seed
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
¾ cup dried green or brown lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 bunch Lacinato kale, tough stems removed and leaves roughly chopped (approximately 5 cups)
“Parmesan” Cashew Cream
½ cup raw cashews
2/3 cup water
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 Tbsp white miso
Instructions:
Set Instant Pot to “saute” function. Add olive oil; once warmed, add onion, garlic, celery, potatoes, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, fennel seed and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent. Add lentils and vegetable stock. Close and lock the lid and cook on manual “high” pressure for 12 minutes.
While soup is cooking, make the Parmesan Cashew Cream. In a high speed blender, add the cashews, water, nutritional yeast and miso. Blend on high for approximately 1 minute, or until mixture is completely smooth. Set aside.
Once the Instant Pot 12 minute timer has completed and beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully switching the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting. Open the lid and immediately add the kale while the soup is still very hot. Stir occasionally until kale is wilted and tender, about 1-2 minutes. Add Parmesan Cashew Cream and stir until combined. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
If you are satisfied with the soup temperature, serve immediately. If you prefer a hotter soup, set the Instant Pot to “saute” function and heat until desired temperature is reached.
OMG, that soup looks so delicious! It's the perfect meal for Fall/Winter suppers!
Thanks. We've been talking about using our instant pot again & now we are inspired!