Description

Hearty yet light, this Instant Pot minestrone combines tender pasta, kidney and cannellini beans, and colorful vegetables in a light tomato and herb broth. Everything cooks in one pot, with fresh spinach stirred in at the end.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into approximately ½-inch pieces
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices
6 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry ditalini or small elbow pasta
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
Grated Parmesan, for serving, optional

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Instructions

Sauté the vegetables. Select Sauté on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, then the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
Add the remaining soup ingredients. Press Cancel. Pour in about ½ cup of the measured broth and scrape the bottom of the pot to release any stuck-on bits. Add the remaining broth, zucchini, diced tomatoes with their juices, dry pasta, kidney beans, cannellini beans, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir well, making sure the pasta is submerged.
Pressure cook. Secure the lid. Select Pressure Cook or Manual, High Pressure, and set the timer for 4 minutes. The pot will take additional time to come to pressure before the countdown begins.
Quick release the pressure. When cooking finishes, turn off Keep Warm and carefully perform a quick release. Open the lid only once the pressure indicator has fully dropped.
Stir in the spinach. Add the chopped spinach and stir for 1–2 minutes, until wilted. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Add a splash of extra broth if desired, then serve with optional grated Parmesan.

Notes

Pasta: Ditalini or small elbows work with this method, but texture varies by brand.

Salt: Broth brands and kosher salt brands vary. If your broth is particularly salty, begin with less salt and adjust after cooking.

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Category: Soups
Method: Instant pot, Pressure Cooking
Cuisine: American, Italian