This Instant Pot Chickpea Soup with Pesto is made with garbanzo beans and tomatoes then it’s topped with the tastiest quick pesto. It’s vegetarian friendly, super delicious and cooks up quick in your pressure cooker.
Table of Contents
I would actually call this soup an Italian bean soup. Not only does the pesto give it that touch, but the addition of lots of tomatoes into the mix almost makes it like a minestrone, without the noodles.
Ingredient notes
- Canned Garbanzo Beans (aka chickpeas) – You can also use white beans, kidney bean, pinto beans or black beans.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Onion & Garlic
- Carrots & Celery
- Vegetable Broth – Or, if you’re not concerned about this soup being vegetarian, swap in some of this Instant Pot Bone Broth.
- Parmesan – Be sure to save those rinds to make this parmesan broth.
- Olive Oil
- Pine Nuts
- Basil
- Bay Leaves
- Salt & Pepper
How to make it
Saute the aromatics
- Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrots and celery. Keep stirring and cook about 5 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
Pressure Cook
- Cover and seal the lid – turn the vent to sealing. Hit CANCEL then press the MANUAL (high pressure) button and set the timer to 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes for Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then the display will show a countdown timer. When timer beeps, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
Make the Pesto
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the pesto.
- Place the garlic and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds.
- Add the basil leaves. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.
Serve
- When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with pepper and more salt if needed.
- Serve in individual bowls topped with pesto.
- Enjoy!
Stove top directions
- To make this soup on the stove, simply saute the onion, garlic, carrots & celery in a large pot or dutch oven on the stove.
- Then, ad the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, bay leaves and salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15 minutes while you prepare the pesto.
- Enjoy!
Variations
- Stir in some baby spinach leaves when the soup is finished to add even more nutrition.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to give your soup a zesty tang.
- If you have a leftover ham bone, you can add it to the instant pot before pressure cooking. It will add great flavor to your soup!
How to store + reheat
- You can store the leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s even better the next day! Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
What to serve with it
- This pesto bean soup is hearty and filling all on its own, but you can serve it with a simple arugula salad and bread, cornbread or homemade crostini for a full meal. For MORE, check out these 30+ EASY sides for soup!
Erin’s wine pairings
- Pinot Grigio
- Italian Red Blend
- MORE → pesto wine pairings to try.
Did you try this no soak instant pot chickpea soup?
If you loved this vegetarian pesto soup, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.
Be sure to check out these 27+ delicious Vegetarian Stews too.
Full Recipe
Instant Pot Chickpea Soup
This Instant Pot Chickpea Soup with Pesto is made with chickpeas and tomatoes. It's vegetarian friendly, super delicious and cooks up quick in your pressure cooker.
Print
Pin
Serves 4 people
Equipment
Ingredients
Soup:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (chopped)
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (undrained)
- 1 14-ounce can chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pesto:
- 1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (plus additional if needed)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1 Tablespoon pine nuts (toasted)
Instructions
Soup
- Set Instant Pot to SAUTE and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, carrots and celery. Keep stirring and cook about 5 more minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cover and seal the lid – turn the vent to sealing. Hit CANCEL then press the MANUAL (high pressure) button and set the timer to 5 minutes. It will take about 15 minutes for Instant Pot to come to full pressure, then the display will show a countdown timer. When timer beeps, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the pesto.
Pesto
- Place the garlic and pine nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.
- When the soup is finished, remove the bay leaves. Taste and season with pepper and more salt if needed.
- Serve in individual bowls topped with pesto.
Notes
The pesto can be made in advance. Store it in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days or the freezer for a month.
Stove top directions
- To make this soup on the stove, simply saute the onion, garlic, carrots & celery in a large pot or dutch oven on the stove.
- Then, ad the tomatoes, chickpeas, stock, bay leaves and salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for 15 minutes while you prepare the pesto.
- Enjoy!
- Stir in some baby spinach leaves when the soup is finished to add even more nutrition.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to give your soup a zesty tang.
- If you have a leftover ham bone, you can add it to the instant pot before pressure cooking. It will add great flavor to your soup!
- You can store the leftover soup in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days, or the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s even better the next day! Reheat in the microwave or on the stove.
Nutrition
Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1156mg | Potassium: 90mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 350IU | Vitamin C: 3.3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
This recipe was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2019 to add a video and again in 2023 to add new photographs and content. The garbanzo bean soup instant pot recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
Want More Recipes Like This One?
Love this dish? Discover more easy, flavorful recipes that you’ll want to make again and again. From crispy air fryer favorites to comforting classics, there’s plenty to try next!
Leave a Reply