Quick Low Carb Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Name: Quick Low Carb Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 6 min
Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons avocado oil; 1 pound italian sausage (ground); 1/2 cup red onion (diced); 2 Tablespoons garlic (fresh minced); 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium); 14 ounces hearts of palm (sliced); 12 ounces baby spinach (fresh); 1 teaspoon oregano (dried); 1 teaspoon basil (dried); 1 cup heavy cream; shredded parmesan cheese (for garnish); red pepper flakes (for garnish)

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This QUICK LOW CARB INSTANT POT ZUPPA TOSCANA is our favorite go to low carb soup. Filled with all of your favorite ingredients, Italian sausage, creamy broth made with heavy cream and fresh spinach, you won’t miss what is not there.

We make some healthy substitutions but this low carb version of the wildly favorite soup is big on flavor!

A top-down view of a creamy soup served in a bowl and a large pot. The soup contains vegetables, chunks of meat, and is garnished with grated cheese. A spoon is placed in the bowl, and a small container of crushed red pepper and a dish of shredded cheese are nearby.

Soup season is one of my favorite seasons. There isn’t much better than cuddling up with a warm bowl of soup. Some soups can hide lots of fat, calories and carbs.

In my quest to find healthier options, I decided to tinker a bit with those ingredients that tend to help contribute to all of the things that hides in soups and stews. Here we are proud to share with you our healthier version of this wildly popular soup.

Ingredients

Aside from making a few modifications to just a few ingredients, this soup stays on the traditional side. Using fresh spinach, heavy cream, garlic and Italian sausage. The difference is in the addition of hearts of palm in place of potatoes. We add the same texture without the addition of carbs and starches.

A close-up of a bowl of creamy soup containing chopped leafy greens, ground meat, and shredded cheese, with a spoon inserted into the soup. The soup is garnished with red pepper flakes and appears to be served in a white ceramic bowl.

What You’ll Need

Italian Sausage – uncased is best here in order to brown it effectively.
Heavy Cream – half and half works great too!
Onion, fresh garlic and fresh baby spinach – staples in this soup, fresh is always best.
Oregano, basil, crushed red pepper – a traditional trio of flavors that pay homage to the Italian origins of the recipe.
Shredded Parmesan – to help keep the apples a little fresher.
Hearts of palm – canned worked well. You want to get the whole hearts of palm or if you can find them, go ahead and get them sliced to save you a step.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Instructions

This delicious instant pot recipe comes together in a flash. One of the reasons we love to do recipes in it is because of the ease of cooking. You can brown the sausage and cook the soup all in the same pot. Less dishes and a faster time to eat!

A hand is pouring oil into an Instant Pot on a wooden countertop. Chopped red onions are on a cutting board with a knife beside it. Salt and pepper shakers are on the right, and a container with bread or crackers is partially visible.

Add 2 tablespoons of avocado oil to liner of instant pot. Set to sauté and allow to heat up.

Top-down view of a kitchen countertop with a cutting board holding an Instant Pot containing ground meat. On the left, there is chopped onion, diced vegetables, and a chef's knife. Part of a stovetop and various kitchen items are visible.

Place ground Italian sausage in to brown.

A top view of a cooking setup shows chopped red onions and ground meat inside an Instant Pot placed on a wooden cutting board. To the left, a knife is visible next to additional chopped onions. On the right, a spice shaker and garlic jar are partially visible.

Mix in diced red onion.

A person is stirring ground meat and minced garlic in an Instant Pot with a wooden spoon. Another hand is holding a jar of minced garlic over a cutting board with a knife and chopped vegetables on the left side. The scene is set on a wooden countertop.

Add in minced garlic and brown. Drain if needed. Turn off sauté function.

Hands holding a jar of oregano leaves above an Instant Pot containing cooked ground meat. A chef's knife and sliced vegetables are on a cutting board to the left. A spice jar and a fork are on the right side of the wooden surface.

Return sausage mixture to instant pot and season with oregano.

A person is adding a jar of "Bay Leaves" to a pot on a wooden cutting board. The pot contains a mixture being stirred with a wooden spoon. A chef's knife and another jar are on the board. The person's hands, wearing a watch and bracelets, are visible.

Season with dried basil.

A person is seen pouring broth from a measuring cup into an Instant Pot filled with browned meat. The Instant Pot is placed on a wooden board. A knife and a spoon are nearby on a counter.

Carefully pour in chicken broth.

A person is holding a can labeled "Hearts of Palm" above an open pressure cooker filled with a mixture of grains and chopped vegetables. The cooker is positioned on a wooden board, and chopped ingredients are visible on a white cutting board nearby.

Slice hearts of palm to about 1/2 inch thickness.

An overhead view of a kitchen counter with an Instant Pot containing chopped onions and parsnips being stirred with a wooden spoon. A cutting board with a chef's knife, a spoon, and peeled parsnips are on the left, and a stovetop is partially visible.

Add in sliced hearts of palm.

Hands are shown pouring fresh spinach from a green container into a pot surrounded by a wooden spoon, a chef's knife, and a slotted spoon on a kitchen countertop.

In small batches, add fresh baby spinach, mixing in to wilt. Place lid on instant pot and seal the vent. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release and open vent to release any remaining pressure.

A hand is pouring a liquid from a measuring cup into an electric pressure cooker on a wooden countertop. The pressure cooker contains a mixture of ingredients, including minced meat, spinach, and potatoes. Nearby are a spoon on a plate, seasoning, and grated cheese.

Once the lid is off, drizzle in heavy cream.

A person stirs a creamy spinach mixture in a pressure cooker with a black spatula. The cooker sits on a wooden cutting board. Nearby are a blue plate with a spoon, a jar of seasoning, a bowl of shredded cheese, and a stove burner.

Mix well. Liquid will still be hot and heavy cream should thicken a bit.

A person holds a bowl of soup over an Instant Pot on a wooden cutting board. The soup appears to contain pieces of meat, pasta, and greens. In the other hand, the person holds a bottle of crushed red pepper. The setting is a kitchen countertop with a stovetop visible.

Serve garnished with grated parmesan cheese and a bit of crushed red pepper.

A bowl of creamy soup with greens, mushrooms, and grated cheese sits on a table next to a pot of more soup. A glass bowl with grated cheese and a container of crushed red pepper are beside the bowl. A spoon is in the bowl of soup.

Enjoy!

Why Brooke loves this recipe!

Recipes are like antiques. They are meant to be handed down from one generation to another. Each one holding a special memory or nostalgic memory. Here is why we love this one!

Soup is one of those foods that just scream comfort food. Much like our CHICKEN, BACON AND CORN CHOWDER or our SMOTHERED BEEF TIPS, a big hearty bowl can just make a bad day a whole lot better. Food is so instrumental in invoking emotion so why not also make it healthy?

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Variations and Substitutions

While we have already substituted the starch and carb source, here are some other tasty variations and substitutions for you to try.

Italian Sausage – for an even healthier option, you can substitute chicken or turkey Italian sausage here. This won’t change the flavor much but will help with the fat content of the recipe.
Spinach – while fresh is always best, sometimes your best options are the ones you already have. Using frozen spinach is fine here too. Just make sure it has thawed and you have thoroughly removed all of the excess water. Kale is a great option too, fresh curly varieties are really good in this recipe and adds a ton of health benefits too.
Hearts of Palm – here, if you are not concerned with the starch or carb content of the recipe, substitute with diced potatoes.

Equipment

🔧 I love to share recipes that are no special equipment required but here are a few things that would definitely make this recipe easier!

OUR FAVORITE INSTANT POT
HEARTS OF PALM DELIVERED TO YOUR DOOR!
BEAUTIFUL SOUP BOWLS

Storage

Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Cream based soups generally do not freeze well. If you do freeze, I would not freeze for more than a month. Also due to separation of fat content of heavy cream, more may need to be added in during reheating.

A bowl of creamy soup containing pasta, ground meat, greens, and grated cheese is placed on a wooden surface. A spoon rests in the bowl. Blurred in the background is a large metal pot and a seasoning container.

⭐ LOVE THIS RECIPE? It would mean so very much to me if you would take a moment to rate this recipe and leave me a sweet comment in the recipe card below! ❤️❤️We hope you love all of the Southern and healthy recipes we share here at The Buttered Home and would love to see you back here often!

A bowl of creamy soup is filled with ingredients such as ground meat, leafy greens, sliced potatoes, and a sprinkle of grated cheese on top. A spoon rests in the soup, and the background includes a blurry spice container and a pot.

Quick Low Carb Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana

Our quick low carb Zuppa Toscana is made easy in the instant pot. We make an easy substitution to make it low carb by using hearts of palm. A comfort filled soup recipe that everyone can feel good about.

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Serving Size

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons avocado oil
1 pound italian sausage ground
1/2 cup red onion diced
2 Tablespoons garlic fresh minced
3 cups chicken broth low sodium
14 ounces hearts of palm sliced
12 ounces baby spinach fresh
1 teaspoon oregano dried
1 teaspoon basil dried
1 cup heavy cream
shredded parmesan cheese for garnish
red pepper flakes for garnish

Instructions

Using the saute function on the instant pot, allow it to heat up. Add 2 Tablespoons of avocado oil. Brown Italian sausage, onions and garlic. Drain if needed and return to the instant pot. Turn off the saute function.
2 Tablespoons avocado oil, 1 pound italian sausage, 1/2 cup red onion, 2 Tablespoons garlic
Add oregano, basil, chicken broth and sliced hearts of palm. Mix well. Add in baby spinach in small bunches, stirring in well to wilt. Put the lid on, seal the vent and cook on normal or high pressure for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release and carefully release the vent to make sure all pressure is gone before removing the lid.
3 cups chicken broth, 14 ounces hearts of palm, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 12 ounces baby spinach
Slowly stir in heavy cream.
1 cup heavy cream
Serve garnished with red pepper flakes and shredded parmesan cheese.
shredded parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes

See How To Make It!

Notes

*See the full recipe post for instructions on how to make on the stove top or crock pot.

A metal pot containing a creamy soup with visible pieces of leafy greens and chunks of meat. A ladle in the pot is scooping up some of the soup, revealing its ingredients. The liquid appears seasoned with various herbs and spices.

🍴 PRO TIP!

This recipe can also be done in a dutch oven on the stove top. Follow all of the normal directions for browning the vegetables and sausage. Add everything in except for the heavy cream, cheese and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 30 minutes uncovered. Add in the heavy cream as normal and garnish with red pepper and Parmesan.

A bowl of creamy soup with sausage, kale, tortellini, and grated cheese is placed on a wooden surface. A pot with more soup, a small bowl of shredded cheese, and a seasoning container are also visible. A spoon is resting inside the bowl of soup.

🗹 RECIPE FAQ’S

Can I make this low carb Zuppa Toscana in the crock pot?

Yes! Brown the meat as directed and add everything but the heavy cream, spinach, red pepper flakes and parmesan cheese. Allow to cook on low for 2 to 4 hours. Adding in the cream and spinach about 20 minutes before it is done. Garnish as normal.

How can I make this dairy free?

Try using a nut milk like almond or cashew. Leave out the cheese and you are good to go!

I can’t find hearts of palm, is there something else low carb I can use?

Yes! Cauliflower florets are a great option here. I would use fresh because they would have the same cook time as the hearts of palm.

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