Thick and hearty, this Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is so filling with loads of fresh veggies. filling beans and pasta; comfort in a bowl!
This post is sponsored by Mutti but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
It’s soup season and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a warm and cozy, filling bowl of Minestrone Soup! It literally checks all the boxes as a complete meal without much prep – with the help of an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot).
I love my Instant Pot for a number of reasons; mainly to make homemade deviled eggs, baked potatoes and whole chickens in no time. But it makes this hearty soup even easier to prepare! With the help of the Instant Pot, this soup is ready to slurp with a spoon in just 25 minutes!
Ingredients to make this soup
The word minestrone means, “thick, hearty vegetable soup” – thanks to the addition of beans and sometimes pasta or rice. Tomatoes, carrots, onion, and celery are usually included, with other vegetables added however you see fit. Or depending on what’s in season.
- carrots
- celery
- onion
- tomatoes – I love a mix of chopped or crushed and pureed together
- potatoes or corn (optional, but a great way to help bulk this soup up)
- zucchini or green beans
- spinach, kale or swiss chard
- pasta or rice
- kidney beans, or any white bean
- broth: the recipe below calls for chicken broth but you can keep this vegetarian/vegan by using veggie broth instead
How to Make the best Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Here are a few key steps to make this the best Minestrone Soup:
- Don’t add the green veggies until after pressure cooking. To make sure the fresh veggies don’t overcook, add them after the pressure cooks. Once done, turn your Instant Pot to the sauté mode and allow the zucchini and spinach to cook just a few minutes, until tender.
- Season with balsamic vinegar. Once the soup is done, I add a shake or two of balsamic vinegar for a little acid and natural sweetness.
- Season with salt and pepper at the end. The recipe card calls for Italian seasoning spice – and this can go in the pot at the time of cooking. But wait to season with salt and pepper until after the soup has finished cooking (after the pressure cooks) – this way you don’t over-salt depending on the sodium in the beans and broth.
How to keep this soup whole30
- Forgo the pasta. I love adding pasta or rice to minestrone soup to help bulk this up and add a layer of texture, but with all of the veggies in this soup, it’s okay to omit without compromising the flavor.
- Omit the beans. If you want to add more veggies, I recommend an extra potato to fill the pot. Or chopped cauliflower florets.
- Make sure to use compliant broth and balsamic. Check the labels and make sure both ingredients do not contain sugar and are free of sulfites.
How to keep this soup vegan
- Use vegetable broth or stock. Instead of the chicken broth called for in the recipe card below.
- Omit the cheese. While the recipe for this soup does not include cheese, I do suggest Parmesan cheese as a garnish. Just leave it out if you do not consume dairy.
If you like this soup recipe, try my whole30 beef stew in the instant pot next.
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 medium Yukon gold potato, diced into ½ inch cubes - about 1 cup diced potatoes
- 1 24 ounce jar puréed tomatoes - can sub in crushed
- 1 14 ounce can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained - can also use white beans such as cannelloni or northern beans
- 1/2 cup orecchiette, elbow noodles, small shells, or any pasta of choice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning spice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
After Pressure Cooking
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into coins - or 1 cup green beans
- 4 cups spinach - or can use kale or Swiss chard
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan, and parsley, for garnish - optional
Instructions
- Press the SAUTE function and add oil to electric pressure cooker. Once hot, add onion, celery and carrots. Saute 2-3 minutes, until soft. Hit CANCEL to stop.
- To the pot, add diced potato, tomatoes, broth, beans, pasta and spices. Stir to combine.
- Set pot to seal and cook on MANUAL high pressure for 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes for the pressure to build. Quick release once done, release pressure valve and remove the lid. Press SAUTE and add zucchini and spinach. Saute 2-3 minutes until pasta is fully cooked and vegetables are tender. Hit CANCEL to stop.
- Stir in balsamic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with Parmesan and parsley if desired and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing through them help support this website. Please see the disclaimer here.
Leave a Reply