Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

This Instant Pot minestrone soup is a modern rendition of an Italian classic. It's a naturally vegan recipe loaded with veggies and pasta, and it's so hearty, it's practically a meal in itself. Plus, you can have it on the table in just 40 minutes, thanks to the magic of pressure cooking.

I absolutely love a thick, hearty soup with pasta in it because it means I don't need any sides for it. This Instant Pot minestrone embodies everything I love about soups — loaded with veggies, easy to make and super flavourful.

Making minestrone in the Instant Pot couldn't be easier, and you can have a satisfying meal to warm you up in about 40 minutes. This included the time it takes for the Instant Pot to build and release pressure.

I use a 6-quart Instant Pot for this recipe — if yours is smaller, you may want to half the ingredients.

Even though I like to make minestrone on the stovetop, too (check out my summer minestrone recipe), making it in the Instant Pot means that I don't have to watch the pot. It's pretty much a dump and forget about it recipe.

Ingredients and substitutions

Minestrone soup is the poster kid when it comes to recipes that are easily customizable.

The soup is loaded with veggies, and you can make it yours by adding only the veggies you like or simply what you have in the fridge.

I like a mix of carrots, celery, courgette, potatoes and cannellini beans, which results in a very hearty soup.

Extra ideas include:

• Green beans
• Kidney beans
• Butternut squash
• Peas
• Sweet potatoes

The pasta is optional, but I like to add it not only because it cooks effortlessly in the Instant Pot but also because it makes the soup so satisfying that you don't even need bread to go with it.

Choose a small type of pasta for this veggie minestrone like ditalini or margheritine, for example. You don't need to precook the pasta before adding it to the soup.

How do you make Instant Pot minestrone soup?

• Heat the olive oil on "Saute" > High. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the Instant Pot and saute for 3-4 minutes until softened and slightly caramelized.
• Stir in the garlic, herbs, red chilli flakes, and tomato paste. Press the "Keep Warm/Cancel" button.
• Next, add the courgette, potatoes, beans, pasta, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock and give it a stir.
• Lock the lid and set the Instant Pot for 5 minutes on "High".
• After the Instant Pot beeps, perform a Quick Release by turning the valve to "Venting."
• Open the lid, add the kale, then press the "Saute" button to cook for 2-3 more minutes until the kale wilts.
• Season to taste and serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley if you like.

Make it on the stovetop

If you don't have an Instant Pot, don't worry — this recipe is easy to make on the stovetop, too.

Start by heating the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot and celery for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, herbs, red chilli flakes, and tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute.

Add the rest of the ingredients except for the kale, bring the minestrone to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.

Stir in the kale and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

Recipe notes and tips

• If the minestrone looks too thick when you open the lid, add a bit more stock or hot water until it reaches the desired consistency.
• This Instant Pot vegan soup will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it, but it's best to skip the pasta if you plan on doing so.
• You can substitute the kale with baby spinach, but keep in mind that spinach wilts much quicker. Just add it to the Instant Pot and put the lid back on for a minute.
• Feel free to play with the herbs to make the minestrone your own. For extra convenience, you can use two teaspoons of Italian seasoning mix instead.

If you liked this Instant Pot minestrone soup, you might also like some of my other easy vegan soup recipes:

• Coconut Curry Soup with Crispy Tofu
• Easy Barley Soup with Vegetables
• Creamy Spiced Chickpea Soup with Coconut and Lime
• Vegan White Bean Soup with Rosemary and Garlic
• Vegan Lemon Rice Soup

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