Healthy Instant Pot Recipes: Veggie-Loaded Minestrone
Learn how to make a healthy Minestrone soup most delicious Instant Pot Minestrone soup with vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, pasta and beans. It's vegetarian and vegan-friendly.
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Italian, Soups, Vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 25 minutesminutes
Servings 6
Calories 306kcal
Author Instant pot Eats
Ingredients
2tablespoonolive oil
1onionfinely diced
1carrotlarge or 2 small, diced into cubes
1celery ribdiced into cubes
1teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonpepper
2potatoesmedium, peeled and diced into small cubes
1zucchinimedium, diced into cubes
3garlic clovesfinely diced
½red chilisliced or diced
2bay leaves
1teaspoon Italian herbs
1teaspoonsweet paprika powder
1tablespoontomato paste
4cupscanned tomatoes2 cans, about 28 oz /800 g totla
1.5cupscanned cannellini beans14 oz / 400 g, drained, other beans could also be used
3.5cupsvegetable stock
1cuppasta uncooked small pasta such as elbows or macaroni, we used gluten-free
TO FINISH
3cupsbaby spinachloosely packed
¼cup basil leavessliced, plus extra to serve
½cup Parmesan or other hard cheesegrated, to serve
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on and press the Sauté function key. Once hot, add the olive oil, onions, celery and carrots and season with a teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times. Press Cancel to stop the Sautéing
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir through. Pop the lid on, lock and make sure the top valve is pointing to Sealing. Set to Manual/Pressure Cook and adjust to 1 minute at HIGH pressure. The pressure will take about 15 minutes to build up as there is quite a lot of liquid. Please note, the soup starts cooking during the pressurization and we only need it to stay at HIGH pressure for that 1 minute.
Once the timer is up, a new countdown will begin - the natural pressure release stage. Allow 8-10 minutes (max!) to release the pressure naturally and then point the top valve to Venting (or press it down on new models) to let off the rest of the pressure and steam. Don't leave on natural pressure release for much longer or the pasta will get too soft.
Open the lid and stir in the baby spinach while the soup is still very hot. It will wilt into the soup within minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and add some cracked pepper, if you like. Taste for seasoning.
Serve the minestrone in deep bowls with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese or other hard cheese on hand. Enjoy!
Notes
Vegan version: Omit the cheese addition and serve as is or use plant-based cheese on top. Nutritional yeast flakes could be sprinkled on top.
Whole30 version: Omit the beans and pasta and add extra vegetables or shredded chicken to the soup.
Other toppings: Sour cream, Greek yoghurt or a dollop of heavy cream is lovely in minestrone. If you want extra protein (although this soup is quite satiating already), feel free to add diced cooked chicken or beef.
Storage & freezing tips: The soup will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The flavor will develop even further the day after. Make sure to reheat the soup well.
It does not freeze well because of cooked pasta. If you make the soup without pasta, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Once defrosted, simply stir in some separately cooked pasta and enjoy as if it was all made together.