Description
This hearty Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is packed with colorful vegetables, beans, and tender elbow macaroni in a savory tomato broth, perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal. The pressure-cooking method speeds up the traditional slow-cooked soup while intensifying flavors and keeping the veggies crisp-tender.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sticks celery, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup fresh green beans, chopped
Liquids & Canned Goods
- 1 (28 fluid ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
- 1 (14 fluid ounce) can white kidney (cannellini) beans, drained
Pasta & Seasonings
- 3/4 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil, torn, to taste
Fat & Cheese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions
- Prep Ingredients: Chop the onion, celery, carrots, zucchini, and green beans. Mince the garlic and drain the kidney beans.
- Sauté Onion: Turn on the Instant Pot to the sauté mode. Add olive oil, butter, and chopped onion. Cook for 4 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds to release its aroma without burning.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken or vegetable broth, celery, carrots, zucchini, green beans, kidney beans, white kidney beans, elbow macaroni, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Prepare to Cook: Stir everything well, making sure the pasta isn’t stuck to the bottom. Close the Instant Pot lid securely, set the valve to sealing, and program the pot to cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. The pot will take approximately 15 minutes to reach pressure.
- Release Pressure: When the cooking cycle completes, perform a quick pressure release by carefully turning the valve to venting.
- Final Seasoning: Open the lid, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, and stir in fresh torn basil leaves for a bright, aromatic finish.
- Serve: Ladle the Minestrone Soup into bowls and top each serving with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy warm.
Notes
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
- For a vegan version, omit the butter and parmesan cheese or use vegan alternatives.
- Feel free to add other vegetables like spinach or kale towards the end of cooking.
- If you prefer a thinner soup, add more broth or water before cooking.
- Be cautious with salt; canned beans and broth may already contain sodium.
