Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
My instant pot minestrone soup is a family favorite because it has such a variety of flavors and textures—there is a taste explosion in every spoonful. What I really love is how easy it is to make. It’s a one-pot, vegan recipe that only takes me 30 minutes to make from start to finish.
Making soups in the Instant Pot is a staple around here. Since discovering the pressure cooker, recipes like tomato soup, ham and bean soup, and Italian meatball soup have been on rotation here. Since they are so easy to make, I usually make a double batch and freeze some for later.
Table of contents
This is one of the easiest and most healthy soups, full of flavor from all the delicious veggies, beans, and herbs. The broth is just slightly tangy, with a tasty tomato flavor. Chewy pasta is the perfect addition to the soup and my kid’s favorite part of the meal. This homemade recipe tastes just like the Olive Garden version but at a fraction of the cost! I like to serve it with my soft homemade breadsticks.
Why you will love this recipe
- This soup is inexpensive and delicious. I like to toss in leftover frozen vegetables if I have them and cans of beans I have in the cabinet. However, I do insist on fresh produce if I am using it, and I have to have San Marzano tomatoes. I usually spend less than $20 to make eight servings.
- It tastes way better than the restaurant’s: Mine is much better than any restaurant’s because, as a trained chef, I developed and added my custom blend of seasonings.
- It is fast and easy to make. Prep time is about 15 minutes, and the rest of the time is spent in the pot. This is such a simple recipe; I can make it every week!
- I can make a bunch and freeze it: I love to make an extra pot and freeze a bunch because I can lay the bags down flat in the freezer, and they don’t take up any room at all. They will last up to three months.
What you will need
- Vegetables and greens – I loaded this soup with vegetables, such as carrots, celery, sweet onion, zucchini, and garlic. At the end, I like to stir in fresh spinach.
- Small elbow pasta – I prefer small elbow pasta, but any miniature pasta will work.
- Beans – I used the kind with no salt added, drained, and rinsed beans. I combined red kidney beans, black beans, and frozen green beans.
- Broth – I enjoy a tangy broth that complements the sweetness of the vegetables, so I combined veggie broth with tomato paste and San Marzano diced tomatoes.
- Dried herbs – As a trained chef, I carefully chose dried herbs to infuse extra flavor into the broth. I combined dried basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. The herbs’ slightly sweet and peppery taste adds a refreshing kick to the soup.
- Garnish – I add finely chopped parsley leaves for fresh flavor and a pop of color, and I enjoy my soup with some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top.
How to make
Saute the veggies: First, I set the instant pot to saute. Once it is hot, I add olive oil and let it warm up before stirring in the onion, zucchini, celery, carrots, garlic, and tomato paste. I let it cook for about five minutes or until slightly softened.
Spices and beans: Then, I add the spices, salt, pepper, diced tomatoes, pasta, and beans and stir it all to combine.
Broth: I stir in the broth to cover all the ingredients until the pot is ¾ full; add the bay leaves, close the lid, and pressure cook for four minutes.
Release the steam: When the timer goes off, I let it naturally release pressure for five minutes before manually releasing the rest of the pressure by opening the vent. Then, I remove the bay leaves and add the spinach.
Garnish and serve: After the spinach wilts a bit, I add salt and pepper to taste, stir, and serve with parmesan cheese and parsley.
Expert tip
How to keep the pasta from being too soft
One of the main problems with cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is that it comes out too soft, especially when making soup. If this happens, the best thing to do is cook the pasta separately. I have not had this issue. My pasta is coming out just right. Another thing to try is to skip the natural release time and jump to a Manual Release right after pressure cooking.
More tips to consider
- When I make a batch just for freezing, I leave out the pasta because it absorbs the liquid and gets mushy. I cook the pasta separately and add it when reheating.
- If you like the spinach firmer, wait until the end to add it.
- If the broth is not thick enough, add a cornstarch slurry. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and add the slurry to the soup; stir well.
- Any pasta will work, but choose something small and thick to prevent it from getting too mushy.
- Cut the vegetables thick, too, so they do not get mushy.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Make it vegan: For my vegan friends and family, I substitute the parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast or leave it out altogether. Either way, it tastes fantastic.
- Make it meaty: Sometimes, I like to make this soup meaty by adding chunks of ham, turkey, or chicken.
- Spicy soup: I like to add 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes, and one chopped poblano pepper for a bit of spiciness.
- Different veggies: Other veggies I sometimes add include sweet corn, peas, asparagus, potatoes, and mushrooms.
Serving suggestions:
My favorite way to serve this classic soup is with a basket of thick French bread or traditional Amish bread for dunking. The kids love it when I serve it in my homemade bread bowls, which are much easier to make than they look.
This soup is the perfect comfort food when paired with a Caesar sandwich or this fancy strawberry grilled cheese. I enjoy healthy meals like these that give me a shot of energy. I like to pair it with a hearty tofu salad for extra protein.
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: This soup would be perfect in a sealed container like a glass jar. It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: Cool completely before freezing to prevent ice crystals from forming. Then, I like to put leftovers in flat quart-sized freezer bags so they do not take up much room. It will stay fresh for up to three months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
- Reheating: I reheat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat until hot, about five minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Spinach gets mushy when it is overcooked. It is very delicate and only needs a short cooking time. As I stated in my recipe, I add spinach after cooking the soup. That way, it is nice and soft without being too wilted.
The most common reason is using too many bitter vegetables. Try not to add too many greens or bitter onions. Overcooked vegetables are another factor that can make the broth bitter. Overcooking any kind of veggie will make it taste burnt, spoiling the flavor of the entire dish. Also, check all of the vegetables before adding them to the pot to make sure they are not too old or the taste is not bitter.
This happens when too much liquid is added during the cooking phase or does not cook long enough to evaporate. Set the instant pot on saute and let it cook for another 10 minutes. If it is still too watery, add a cornstarch slurry of one tablespoon of cornstarch to two tablespoons of vegetable broth. Whisk it into the soup and let it simmer for 10 minutes; it should be nice and thick.
I use small macaroni shells because they cook evenly and do not overpower the rest of the ingredients. They also absorb just enough broth to taste delicious without getting too mushy. Any miniature pasta, such as tiny shells, orecchiette, orzo, or ditalini, will work for this reason.
More Instant Pot recipes to try:
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Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small sweet onion peeled and diced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste optional
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled and sliced rondelle
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 2 14. 5 ounces cans San Marzano diced tomatoes
- 1 cup small elbow pasta
- 1 15 ounces can no-salt added red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounces can no-salt added black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounces can no-salt added cut green beans drained and rinsed
- 64 ounces low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups fresh spinach tightly packed
- 3 bay leaves
Garnish:
- Fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Set Instant Pot to saute mode.
- Once HOT, add olive oil, let it warm up and add onion, garlic, carrot, celery, zucchini, and tomato paste if using. Mix and cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Add pasta and red beans, black beans and cut green beans. Stir to combine.
- Add broth. You might not have to use it all, but add enough broth so it covers all the ingredients. Pressure Cooker should be about 3/4 full. Stir to combine and add bay leaves.
- Close lid and set to manual High Pressure for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach high pressure, then it will cook for 4 minutes. Make sure you close the vent.
- When the timer goes off, let sit for 5 minutes. Then release any remaining pressure by opening the vent steam.
- Remove the lid and add the spinach right into the hot soup, stir to combine.
- Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir, taste, and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Serve garnished with parmesan cheese and fresh, chopped parsley.
Notes
How to keep the pasta from being too soft
One of the main problems with cooking pasta in the Instant Pot is that it comes out too soft, especially when making soup. If this happens, the best thing to do is cook the pasta separately. I have not had this issue. My pasta is coming out just right. Another thing to try is to skip the natural release time and jump to a Manual Release right after pressure cooking.More tips to consider
- When I make a batch just for freezing, I leave out the pasta because it absorbs the liquid and gets mushy. I cook the pasta separately and add it when reheating.
- If you like the spinach firmer, wait until the end to add it.
- If the broth is not thick enough, add a cornstarch slurry. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water and add the slurry to the soup; stir well.
- Any pasta will work, but choose something small and thick to prevent it from getting too mushy.
- Cut the vegetables thick, too, so they do not get mushy.
Nutrition