Thanks to a few key ingredients, Instant Pot Minestrone is better than Olive Garden's Minestrone. That is a bold comment, but this recipe for Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is not only super easy to make, but the developed flavor is truly outstanding. 

Like millions of other Americans, I fell in love with Olive Garden's minestrone when I was a broke college student. The soup, salad, and breadsticks lunch combo was an absolute steal, not to mention MUCH better tasting than anything served on college campuses several decades ago. Yes, I am THAT old! HA!

I haven't stepped foot into an Olive Garden since college, but their menu has inspired some of my all-time favorite recipes. From a copycat version of their famous salad to Olive Garden Breadsticks to Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana Soup, Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli, Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup, to Chicken Marsala to this recipe for Instant Pot Minestrone, I have created versions of my college favorites that frankly, taste better than the original!

Notes on Ingredients & Equipment

• Aromatics: To build the classic flavor of minestrone, this recipe starts by sauteeing minced yellow onion, diced celery, sliced carrots, and garlic. Feel free to omit the celery if you don't have it on hand, but I don't recommend skipping the onions, garlic, or carrots.
• Broth: Use low-sodium vegetable broth to control the sodium content in the soup. If you aren't looking to keep this vegetarian, chicken stock will work in place of the vegetable broth.
• Red Wine: A good quality wine adds incredible flavor and depth to this minestrone recipe. Select a dry red wine, like Cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Merlot, that while it does not need to be expensive, should be worth drinking--don't use cooking wine as the flavor is not the same.
• Marinara Sauce: Instead of using diced tomatoes, I highly recommend using a store-bought marinara sauce or homemade spaghetti sauce. The sauce adds more depth to the soup than canned diced tomatoes and I prefer the texture of the sauce over the chunks of diced tomatoes--as do my picky kids!
• Red Wine Vinegar: The splash of vinegar brightens and heightens all the flavors in this soup and makes it truly memorable.
• Seasoning: Dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper add the perfect flavor to this minestrone.
• Zucchini: Use diced zucchini or yellow squash. If your squash is on the larger side, you may want to remove the seeds for the best texture.
• Beans: Use kidney beans, chickpeas, white beans, or a combination of all three if desired.
• Noodles: For the noodles, elbow noodles or ditalini are traditional, but orecchiette or small shells are a great substitute. Whole wheat or regular noodles work perfectly.
• Spinach: If using fresh spinach add after pressure cooking. If you want to use frozen chopped spinach, defrost it, squeeze out excess moisture, and add to the minestrone before pressure cooking.
• Instant Pot: For a 3-quart Instant Pot, this recipe will need to be halved. It can be doubled if prepared in an 8 or 10-quart pressure cooker.

How to Make Instant Pot Minestrone

The following tips are provided to help you achieve perfect results. You will find the ingredient quantities and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One: Saute Aromatics. To build the flavor in Minestrone, I highly recommend taking a few extra minutes to saute the carrots, onions, and celery with the garlic and oregano to deepen the flavor of the herbs and veggies.

Step Two: Deglaze the Inner Pot. To prevent a burn notice, you must add thin liquid to the inner pot and scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot any time you saute anything. For minestrone, use red wine (Or additional broth).

Step Three: Add Remaining Ingredients. Stir in the vegetable broth, marinara sauce, zucchini, beans, and noodles.

Step Four: Pressure Cook Minestrone. Set the cooking time for 1 minute on high pressure. This is less time than I typically suggest for cooking pasta in the Instant Pot, but for this recipe, we need to let the pressure release for 10 minutes. In that time, the noodles will cook up to al dente perfection and the soup will develop incredible flavor.

Step Five: Let Pressure Release. Once the cooking time has elapsed and the pressure has released naturally for 10 minutes, do a quick release of any remaining pressure. Because our instant pot is full of thin liquid, be extra cautious when doing a quick release. Knock the vent knob from sealing to venting using the handle of a wooden spoon and stand away from the vent knob in case any liquid escapes from the knob. Remember to never release pressure directly under kitchen cabinets either. It is best to always use your pressure cooker in an open space.

Step Six: Finish the Minestrone. Once the pressure is released, stir in spinach and red wine vinegar. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and let sit for a couple of minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.

Serving Suggestions

If you aren't dairy-free, I recommend finishing Instant Pot Minestrone with freshly grated parmesan cheese. And turn this soup into a meal by pairing it with a Caesar Salad and Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread or keep it classic and pair with a copycat Olive Garden Salad and copycat Olive Garden Breadsticks.

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Refrigerate: Allow any leftover minestrone to cool slightly and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• Freeze: Transfer the cooled Minestrone to a freezer-safe container, leaving 1 inch of space for expansion. Freeze the soup for up to 2 months.
• Reheat: If needed, defrost the minestrone overnight in the refrigerator. To reheat the soup, reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl covered with a damp paper towel in 60-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until warmed through, adding additional broth if needed.

More Instant Pot Vegetarian Soups

• Instant Pot Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Soup
• Instant Pot Cabbage Soup
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
• Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• Instant Pot French Onion Soup
• Instant Pot White Bean and Kale Soup
• Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup

If you enjoyed this recipe for Instant Pot Minestrone, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.