Description
This hearty Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is a comforting and nutritious Italian classic made easy with the help of an electric pressure cooker. Packed with vegetables, beans, pasta, and fresh spinach, it’s a flavorful and filling meal perfect for any day of the year. The recipe incorporates a blend of fresh and canned ingredients to create a rich broth that cooks quickly while preserving vibrant flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 large carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, sliced
- ½ medium zucchini, sliced into ½-inch half moons
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
Broth and Canned Ingredients
- 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 28 ounces canned diced tomatoes with juice (1 can)
- 15.5 ounces canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
- 15.5 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
Grains and Seasonings
- 1 ½ cups small shells pasta (uncooked)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh basil or parsley
- Grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare Instant Pot: Turn a 6-quart Instant Pot onto the SAUTÉ setting to preheat.
- Sauté Vegetables: Once heated, add olive oil, diced onion, chopped carrots, and sliced celery. Cook while stirring occasionally until onions are slightly softened, approximately 3 minutes.
- Add Broth and Deglaze: Pour in the reduced sodium chicken broth and use a spatula to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot to enhance flavor and prevent burning.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in canned diced tomatoes (with juice), drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, uncooked small shell pasta, sliced zucchini, minced garlic, salt, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and black pepper.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set it to MANUAL or PRESSURE COOK mode on HIGH pressure for 4 minutes.
- Release Pressure and Add Spinach: When the cooking cycle finishes, quickly release the pressure by carefully opening the valve. Open the lid and stir in the chopped fresh spinach. Let the soup rest for 5 to 10 minutes allowing the spinach to wilt gently.
- Finish Soup: Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with optional garnishes of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil or parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use reduced sodium broth to control salt levels, but adjust seasoning to taste if needed.
- Feel free to substitute small pasta shells with any other small pasta shape that cooks quickly.
- Spinach is added at the end to maintain its bright color and tender texture.
- This soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- For a vegetarian version, substitute vegetable broth and omit Parmesan cheese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Instant Pot minestrone soup, easy minestrone recipe, pressure cooker minestrone, Italian vegetable soup, hearty bean soup, weeknight dinner soup
