Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Soups always hold a special place in my heart, and my love for soups isn’t hidden from my readers. Whether it be Instant Pot Pasta E Fagioli soup, Instant Pot broccoli lentil soup, or Instant Pot butternut squash quinoa stew, my family loves them all.

And the recent one to join the list is Minestrone Soup.

This warm and delicious soup has everything that makes it an excellent choice for a healthy and wholesome meal- veggies, beans, pasta, and a thick creamy base – all in one comforting bowl!

What is Minestrone?

Minestrone is an Italian soup that is well-balanced with its ingredients that contain proteins, minerals, and other healthy nutrients, plus fiber and carbs.

It is prepared with assorted veggies that also include leafy greens and herbs. The typical Minestrone Soup also consists of a variety of beans and also comprises either rice or noodles.

As a result, the soup is a whole dinner on its own. 

Likewise, this version of the Instant Pot Minestrone Soup recipe is also a satisfying meal packed with flavors and warmth from beans, fresh veggies, and pasta. The rich tomato broth adds soul to the soup and makes every sip worth the admiration!

The best part, this cozy bowl of goodness is kid-friendly, too, as it is pasta soup!

So, if you are craving a warm meal that is hearty, comforting, and easy to prepare, then this Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is precisely what you need.

REASONS YOU’LL ♡ INSTANT POT MINESTRONE SOUP

A steaming bowl of Minestrone takes no time to become anyone’s favorite. However, you will love it for more reasons than one —

• Quick and easy to prepare
• Hot and delicious soup warms up the body instantly
• The inclusion of pasta makes it kid-friendly
• A versatile recipe with unlimited health benefits
• Scalable recipe, and
• Can be made in advance and stored for later!

And guess what?

It is a fuss-free way to serve your dinner quickly at the table. You can customize this soup as per your choice of veggies and scale it according to your requirement.

So, warm up your frosty evenings with this delicious and filling Instant Pot Minestrone Soup, and also introduce your family to health and heavenliness served in a bowl. 

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup Ingredient List

Oil — For cooking the soup. I have used Olive oil for this recipe, but you can use any mild flavored oil for cooking the veggies.  

Garlic — The exotic flavor of garlic provides extra deliciousness to the soup.

Onions — The sweet, intense, and earthy flavor of onions enhances the overall taste of the recipe.

Veggies — Assorted veggies add nutrition and flavor to the soup besides the texture and color. You can use any vegetables of your choice, though I have used celery, carrots, zucchini, and spinach, making my soup delicious and healthy. You can use frozen veggies or fresh ones, whichever you like. Both work just great and add the same punch of flavors and health. 

Kidney beans — These are added for more flavor and texture. Kidney beans can be either canned or freshly prepared at home.  

Broth — Vegetable broth intensifies the soup’s flavor and maintains its consistency. If you want to keep the soup with a thicker consistency, add less amount of vegetable broth. But if you prefer a soupy consistency, you may add more broth. You can use freshly prepared broth or store-bought broth, whichever you like.

Seasoning — Italian seasoning brings the ultimate flavor to the Instant Pot Minestrone Soup. It includes basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, and sage, all flavorful herbs in the seasoning. 

Pasta — Macaroni is a small pasta shell perfect for this recipe. It is just about the size of the chopped veggies and comes together in a spoonful of soup, making it a convenient sip. 

Chilli flakes — Add heat to the recipe. You can alter the quantity according to your liking. 

Recipe Tips and Variations

Substitute for garlic — I have used fresh garlic for this recipe, and the flavor it adds to the soup is drool-worthy. However, you can also use garlic powder if fresh garlic is not available at your place. 

Gingery flavor — A teaspoon of ginger paste adds a wonderful flavor and warmth to the soup.

Flexibility to add any veggies of your choice — This soup is an extremely versatile dish, and you can add any available vegetables, fresh or frozen. Assorted veggies offer multi-nutritional benefits, and you can enjoy flavors and health. This recipe is prepared with carrots, celery, zucchini, and fresh spinach. You can also use green beans, red potatoes, bell peppers, red cabbage, broccoli, squash, and other leafy vegetables of your choice.

Substitutes for beans — This recipe uses kidney beans, but you can add chickpeas, pinto beans, and cannellini beans as a substitute for the kidney beans. But make sure to drain the beans before you add them to the soup. If you are using fresh beans, soak them in water for about 6 to 8 hours and cook them until tender. They are now ready to be used in the soup. 

Tomato magic — The tomato broth is the specialty of this Minestrone Soup. You can use fresh tomatoes or canned diced tomatoes for preparing this recipe. If you are using fresh tomatoes, I suggest adding ½ cup of tomato paste to lend a creamy texture and a vibrant color to the soup. To add an extra oomph of flavor, you can use fire-roasted diced tomatoes to the recipe.

For a richer consistency — To achieve a thicker and richer texture, you can add pasta sauce or crushed tomatoes to the Instant Pot Minestrone Soup.

Spicy soup — This recipe is moderately spiced. If you prefer a more spicy soup, add more chili flakes or simply swap it with cayenne pepper and enjoy the hot spicy Minestrone Soup.

Flavorful garnishing — The classic Minestrone Soup is garnished with freshly chopped parsley that provides a lovely flavor to the soup. Fresh cilantro also makes a beautiful alternative to parsley.

Fresh or dried herbs? You can use either. However, you can use fresh herbs for increased flavor depth. The ratio of fresh to dried herbs is 3:1.

Selection of Pasta — Macaroni pasta is used for this recipe. However, you can also use ditalini pasta, mini penne pasta, orzo, or any other small pasta you choose. 

Gluten-free — To make this Instant Pot Minestrone Soup gluten-free, just swap pasta with white rice.

Veg or Non-Veg broth — The traditional Minestrone Soup is prepared with vegetable broth. However, you can add chicken broth for more flavor if you prefer.

Remember to deglaze — You should continuously deglaze the instant pot insert to remove the brown bits stuck to its base, which causes the burn message. It is best to scrape everything from the base to prevent the burn message.

Add leafy veggies in the end — The green veggies cook quickly; therefore, these can be added in the end.

Only simmer the soup for a short time — We need to simmer the soup to let the veggies soften properly. But be careful not to simmer it too long, as the pasta will soak up the liquid and become mushy. 

Vegan or not? This version of Minestrone is vegan, as I have not used cheese. But if you do not restrict yourself to a vegan diet, you can always use Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or any other cheese you choose. When added to this recipe, the cheese takes it to a new level while adding distinctive taste and flavor.

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

Chilly winter evening and a piping hot bowl of Instant Pot Minestrone Soup, a drool-worthy combination! Isn’t it?

So, if this hot bowl sets your taste buds craving, read on to know what it takes to prepare this irresistible Minestrone Soup that will leave everyone wanting for more.

It is so easy and flavorsome that you will be tempted to schedule this every day and love to devour it till the last sip with garlic knots or dinner rolls for a more filling meal!