Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Becca Jacobs
Photo by Julia Gartland
- Serves
- 6-8
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour
Every Saturday when I was a teenager, I would have an early morning rowing practice. These practices got pretty cold as the season came to an end, but without fail, I would come home to a big crockpot of minestrone soup. Now any time I have it, I immediately feel a sense of comfort and care that only a chunky soup can give you.
When I asked my mom for her recipe a few years back, she laughed and said it was whatever she had left in the fridge from the week. So this is my attempt at capturing the magic of my mom’s creativity and resourcefulness. However, I want to ensure you use whatever transports you back home and fall mornings.
You can use any vegetables you have on hand in this recipe, swapping out the beans for the type you grew up with. That’s the beauty of the Instant Pot—it’s extremely flexible. Regardless of the swaps, by adding the vegetables later, you ensure you get bright and crisp vegetables that pop inside this rich soup. As an added bonus, omit the Parmesan cheese for a totally vegan minestrone soup!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium carrots (1 cup), peeled and diced
- 3 celery stalks (1 cup), sliced
- 1 yellow onion (1 cup), diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 15.5-ounce can white beans, drained
- 1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, drained
- 4 cup vegetable broth
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 2 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 small yellow squash, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 1 small zucchini, chopped into 1/2-inch dice
- 2 cups small pasta, such as ditalini, elbow, and shells
- 1 cup grated Parmesan, plus additional for serving
- Minced fresh parsley, for serving
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Directions
- Step 1
Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function on normal heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste and dried herbs to the pot, stirring to combine.
- Step 2
Turn the sauté function off and add the beans, broth, tomatoes, and rosemary. Place the lid on Instant Pot, set to sealing, and turn it on high pressure for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, open the valve for quick release.
- Step 3
Remove the lid and put the sauté function at normal heat. Season to taste. Add 1 cup of water, green beans, yellow squash, and zucchini to the pot and stir to combine.
- Step 4
Place the lid back on for 10 minutes to gently cook the vegetables until tender. Add the pasta to the pot and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add more broth or water as needed. Stir in the Parmesan. Divide amongst bowls and serve with additional cheese and parsley.