Instant Pot Minestrone Soup cooks in just 5 minutes! This easy soup is loaded with veggies, beans, and delicious pasta, then topped with lots of nutty parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Serve it with crostini for dipping into that delicious broth.
Hopefully you guys aren’t over the Instant Pot soups yet, because I’ve got another delicious soup recipe for you – and it’s amazing!
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup.
This hearty soup will quickly become one of your soup recipes!
The best part may be all that melty parmesan cheese that’s piled on top. But really, it’s also all about the creamy beans, the delicious tomato broth and all those bright, vibrant vegetables. Serve it up with some crusty bread and you’re in for a real treat!
It’s the perfect soup recipe to sneak lots of fresh vegetables into your diet too.
Reader
Love
Oh my- this soup is amazing! Every bit as good as authentic minestrone soup served in a Italy! Prego! 5 Stars plus
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Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Olive Oil
- Aromatics – Onion, celery, carrot, garlic
- Dried Spices – Oregano, basil and bay leaf
- Canned Tomatoes – We’ll be using a can of diced tomatoes (to give the soup texture) and a can of crushed tomatoes (to give the soup body).
- Chicken Broth – You can also use some of my homemade bone broth or parmesan broth for even more flavor.
- Canned Beans – Kidney beans and garbanzo beans are classic. However, you can use any beans – like black beans, red beans or cannellini beans.
- Ditalini Pasta – Or any preferred pasta.
- Zucchini & Kale (or baby spinach) – See below for even more veggie options.
- Red Wine Vinegar – This gives the soup a nice tang.
- Parmesan – For sprinkling over your finished soup. Adds a delicious richness.
- Parsley – Fresh parsley brightens everything up at the end.
How to make it
- Press SAUTE and add olive oil to Instant Pot. Add onions, celery & carrots. Saute until softened.
- Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Hit CANCEL.
- Add oregano, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, chicken broth (or vegetable broth), parmesan rind, beans and pasta to the pot.
- Set the cook time for 5 minutes. on high pressure.
- Once the time is up, quick release the remaining pressure.
- Press SAUTE and add zucchini and kale (or spinach). Saute 2-3 minutes until pasta is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.
- Add red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Recipe tips
- Add a parmesan rind into the mix. This adds tons of yummy flavor to your soup. I save my parmesan rinds in the freezer for special occasions like this. I’ve also found that stores sometimes carry parmesan rinds in the cheese section (love that this is happening now!)
- Don’t add the veggies until after pressure cooking time. To ensure the healthy vegetables don’t get overcooked and soggy, I add them after the pressure cook. Then, once the lid is removed, I turn the pot to SAUTE and simmer the zucchini and kale or spinach for a few minutes, until they’re just tender.
- Season at the end. After the soup is cooked, I add in a glug of red wine vinegar to add a bit of acidity (lemon juice also works). Then I season really well with salt and black pepper. The amount of seasoning you need will depend on the salt levels of your broth and the canned beans.
Variations
- Swap out the zucchini for frozen green beans.
- In place of the kidney beans, use cannellini beans or white beans.
- Don’t have oregano and basil on hand, simply use some italian seasoning.
- In place of kale, throw in some baby spinach.
- Make it dairy free by using nutritional yeast in place of parmesan.
FAQs
What kind of pasta for do you use?
- Any pasta will work for minestrone. I used small shells. But ditalini, elbow macaroni, small shell pasta and mini farfalle will all work here. You can also omit the pasta for a low carb healthy soup. A great option is to add in some cauliflower to your soup when pressure cooking.
What’s the difference between minestrone soup and vegetable soup?
- Minestrone soup adds in beans and pasta, but it’s still loaded with veggies. So, it’s essentially a more hearty version of vegetable soup.
Does minestrone soup contain meat?
- As written, this minestrone soup recipe does not contain meat. However, it would be delicious with some shredded chicken, or with browned and crumbled Italian sausage or ground beef.
What can I add to bland minestrone soup?
- Add a parmesan rind. This adds tons of yummy flavor to your soup. I save my parmesan rinds in the freezer for occasions like this. I’ve also found that stores sometimes carry parmesan rinds in the cheese section.
- Season at the end. After the soup is cooked, I add in a glug of red wine vinegar to add a bit of acidity (lemon juice also works). Then I season really well with salt and black pepper. The amount of seasoning you need will depend on the salt levels of your broth and the canned beans.
How to make ahead + store
Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Or, portion the soup into freezer bags and freeze for up to three months.
One note: the pasta will become soggy, and the soup will become thicker as the pasta will continue to soak up that liquid. To solve this, I like to prepare the soup without the pasta, then when I’m ready to serve it, I add some cooked pasta to the warm soup.
What to serve with it
- Crostini
- Garlic Bread
- Arugula Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Fennel & Celery Salad
- MORE → 20+ EASY sides for minestrone.
Erin’s wine pairings
- Look for Italian red wines to pair with this lasagna soup. Chianti, Barbera, Barolo are all great picks.
PLUS → Check out these 25+ Classic Italian Soups.
Did you try this instant pot minestrone soup?
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Full Recipe
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 stalk celery (diced)
- 1 large carrot (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta (or any preferred pasta)
After Pressure Cooking:
- 1 medium zucchini (sliced into half coins)
- 2 cups fresh kale (or baby spinach , chopped)
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For Serving:
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped )
Instructions
- Press SAUTE and add olive oil to Instant Pot. Once hot, add onions, celery and carrots. Saute 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Hit CANCEL.
- Add oregano, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, broth, parmesan rind, beans and pasta to the pot. 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, then the countdown timer will begin.
- Once the time is up, quick release the pressure and remove the lid. Press SAUTE and add zucchini and kale (or spinach). Saute 2-3 minutes until pasta is fully cooked and vegetables are tender.
- Add red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- Add a parmesan rind into the mix. This adds tons of yummy flavor to your soup. I save my parmesan rinds in the freezer for special occasions like this. I’ve also found that stores sometimes carry parmesan rinds in the cheese section (love that this is happening now!)
- Don’t add the veggies until after pressure cooking time. To ensure the healthy vegetables don’t get overcooked and soggy, I add them after the pressure cook. Then, once the lid is removed, I turn the pot to SAUTE and simmer the zucchini and kale or spinach for a few minutes, until they’re just tender.
- Season at the end. After the soup is cooked, I add in a glug of red wine vinegar to add a bit of acidity (lemon juice also works). Then I season really well with salt and black pepper. The amount of seasoning you need will depend on the salt levels of your broth and the canned beans.
- Swap out the zucchini for frozen green beans.
- In place of the kidney beans, use cannellini beans or white beans.
- Don’t have oregano and basil on hand, simply use some italian seasoning.
- In place of kale, throw in some baby spinach.
- Make it dairy free by using nutritional yeast in place of parmesan.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2020. It was updated in 2022 to add new photographs and information. The original minestrone soup recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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