Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

This Instant Pot Minestrone recipe is quick, easy, hearty, and delicious. Serve your minestrone soup with a chunk of crusty bread for a warming Italian vegetarian dinner. 

If we’re friends over on Instagram, you probably know we’ve just moved houses. Moving is both exciting and incredibly draining. I have a big new (to me) kitchen to explore, but haven’t gotten the chance to enjoy it yet, as we work through the many boxes of our belongings. I was craving something cozy, comforting, and nourishing this week, but it had to be easy and fast. Instant Pot Minestrone was just the thing to get us through a hectic Monday.

I’ve shared a bunch of Instant Pot pressure cooker recipes over the past few months. Instant Pot Lentil Soup and Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili are a few favorites. If you don’t have an Instant Pot yet… what are you waiting for? Kidding guys. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, try this Slow Cooker Minestrone. I am so excited to share more warming slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes with you in the coming fall and winter months.

What is Minestrone?

Minestrone is an Italian vegetable soup made with beans, and usually small pasta or rice. I’ve had it many times in Italy and in the US and always find it so warm and delicious. I often omit the pasta and use potatoes or farro instead. One of the things I love about minestrone soup is that it’s so adaptable.

Using whatever vegetables are in season is the way to go. In the summer I would use zucchini, while now that it’s getting to be fall I’m using butternut squash. I also love peas and green beens in minestrone. White beans like Cannellini and kidney beans are both traditionally used in minestrone. You may notice that in the video I’ve used shell pasta while the still images show macaroni. I much prefer shells, but you can use your favorite.

How to Make Minestrone in the Instant Pot

Making minestrone in the Instant Pot is quick and easy. The reason I love the Instant Pot isn’t because it cooks food in an instant, but that I can pop everything in and forget about it. It has the same appeal as a slow cooker, but without the wait. First, I saute the vegetables for a few minutes to soften them up a bit. I like to season each layer with a little salt and pepper.

 

Next, I add crushed or diced tomatoes. I like to use boxed or jarred tomatoes from brands like Pacific or Pomi.

The pasta, beans, broth, and herbs go at this point too. Lock the Instant Pot lid on and set to manual mode for 4 minutes. You can use fresh or dried herbs. I happen to have a ton of rosemary growing in my backyard, so that’s what I used. A couple of tablespoons of an Italian seasoning blend works too.

I add an entire 5-oz. bag of baby spinach or kale and stir it in to wilt.

Serving Instant Pot Minestrone

Minestrone is lovely served with a chunk of crusty warm bread. In Italian restaurants it’s usually sprinkled generously with Parmesan cheese, which does add a lot of flavor. If you want even more flavor, top with pesto, Parmesan, nutritional yeast, truffle salt, or red pepper flakes.

Instant Pot minestrone soup makes a delicious, hearty, vegetable rich dinner. It’s great for kids because it’s filled with soft bite-sized veggies, and most kids love pasta. Mine have been eating minestrone sine they were toddlers. I hope your family enjoys it too.

If you’re a fan of Italian style soups, try my veggie Zuppa Toscana, Tuscan Lentil Soup, and Vegetarian Lasagna Soup next!