Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
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So cozy, so hearty! Loaded with vegetables, beans, pasta + Parmesan rind for extra flavor. Vegetarian-friendly!
Featured Comment
With so many soups and stews being made, my Instant Pot has been working some major overtime this winter. We call it our magic pot. And now our lovely magic pot can make the best minestrone soup there ever was with the touch of a button.
why i love this recipe
- One pot meal. This is one of those weeknight hero recipes where you can throw all of your veggies, beans, stock, pasta and greens into one single pot for a quick and easy clean up.
- Versatile. The recipe can easily be bulked up to add meat or made vegetarian (or vegan).
- Freezer-friendly. Minestrone soup freezes very, very well (sans pasta, of course) without significant changes to flavor and texture.
is this minestrone soup or vegetable soup?
Both minestrone and vegetable soup include veggies, but minestrone is typically a thicker soup that includes beans and pasta (or rice).
tips and tricks for success
- Use short cut pasta. Ditalini, macaroni or a small shape pasta similar in size to the vegetables is ideal.
- Add more vegetables. Minestrone can serve as a clean-out-the-fridge meal, adding in other veggies you have on hand such as shredded cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and green beans.
- Choose your meat. As written, this recipe does not contain meat but you can easily add ground beef, shredded chicken or crumbled Italian sausage.
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Save leftover Parmesan rinds. Get more out of those expensive Parmesan cheeses by using up the leftover rinds! Adding a Parmesan rind slightly thickens the stock and adds a level of nutty richness to the soup.
- Serve with crusty bread. Serve with all the homemade crusty bread for dipping, sopping and dunking!
what to serve with minestrone soup
Tools For This Recipe
6-qt Instant Pot®
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Spinach, cabbage, swiss chard and collard greens are all great subs.
The red wine vinegar adds brightness and helps balance out the flavors.
The chicken stock can be substituted with vegetable stock.
Use vegetable stock and skip the Parmesan.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the pasta (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked pasta and a splash of stock (if needed) when serving.
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon fennel seed
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 (3-inch) Parmesan rind
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup ditalini pasta
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup shaved Parmesan
Instructions
- Set a 6-qt Instant Pot® to the high saute setting. Add olive oil, garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in basil, oregano and fennel seed until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini, Parmesan rind and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 5 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure according to manufacturer’s directions.
- Select high sauté setting. Bring to a boil; stir in pasta and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 8-11 minutes.
- Stir in kale until wilted, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in red wine vinegar; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, topped with Parmesan.
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I would make this minestrone soup! It looks delicious!
Pulled pork sandwiches!
SO. MANY. THINGS !!
Many traditional middle eastern dishes! Like stuffed veggies, dolma, kabsa, margoog, jareesh, lentil soup, barley and veggie soup, many other soups, chili, barbacoa beef, all the chicken dishes, the list goes ON!
It would be fantastic if I won an instant pot. I have been reading your recipes, and have wished that I had one!
Chicken stock
I will make dinner more often. Probably start with the Minestrone soup. 🙂
Chicken stock!
You should consider starting a YouTube channel. I would love to to make a veggie chili in a instant pot.
Hi Oscar, here’s the link to Chungah’s YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGd5MU6EFjdfA_HCIGzHU3A
Corned beef and cabbage
My husband would be obsessed with this soup!! I’d make this first but FOR ME, I would love to make your Korean beef for lettuce wraps. Sooo good ! We love you and your recipes !!
Beef stew with coconut milk!
I would try any of your recipes because you have never failed me! Your website is seriously my go to!
I would like to make risotto in my Instant Pot!
Soups GALORE! My stepdaughter loves soups and it would be awesome to be able to make her a variety of healthy (and easy to make) soups daily. Not only would it save me time, that I could be spending with her, but with all your recipes I’d be able to meal plan a week at a time.
Soup for sure!!
I would make a big pot of green chili verde.
Crispy Carnitas and Mac and Cheese!
Probably Chili since we are enduring our 2nd Winter season (aka Spring) in Iowa! I will then go back and try all your recipes for this device!
I would make every Instant Pot recipe you have posted, Chungah! They always look so delicious!
I would love to try cooking the basics like quinoa, rice, and potatoes. But also look forward to cooking meats and soups in much less time!