Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

Name: Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 small onion (finely minced); 2 ribs celery (finely minced); 2 teaspoons minced garlic; ¼ cup dry red wine (optional); 6 cups vegetable broth; 1 teaspoon oregano seasoning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 2 bay leaves; 3 potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes); 3 large carrots peeled and cut into coins; 1 cup fresh green beans (cut into ½ inch pieces); 1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, Italian flavor; 1 cup finely chopped baby kale or spinach; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instant Pot Vegetarian Recipes Dairy-Free Recipes Gluten Free Instant Pot Lunch January 23, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 65 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is a hearty, healthy, and incredibly flavorful soup that comes together in just over 30 minutes.

Serve this Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Dutch Oven Bread and a Spinach Avocado Salad for a delicious and healthy Easy Vegan Dinner Recipe that the whole family will enjoy!

White Bowl with Instant Pot Vegetable Soup and Instant Pot in the background.

The BEST Vegetable Soup Recipe

Vegetable soup has always been a soup I either LOVE or HATE, depending on how the soup is prepared and flavored.

Today, I am sharing with you the ultimate recipe for Instant Pot Vegetable Soup that will guarantee your soup is incredibly full of flavor and hearty and never bland, watery, or boring.

My secret to making the best version of Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is to layer flavors. I add a bit of dry red wine, a variety of dried spices, and balsamic vinegar to add depth and flavor to an otherwise simple soup recipe.

Otherwise, this vegetable soup recipe is really basic. But just because it is simple, does not mean it isn't delicious! This soup is seriously the best Vegetable Soup recipe! And thanks to the Instant Pot, it comes together really quickly!

Notes on Key Ingredients

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is made with really basic ingredients. In fact, you probably have all the ingredients on hand right now.

Ingredients for Vegetable Soup labeled on counter.

Vegetable Broth: I use my homemade vegetable broth. It is SO incredibly flavorful and easy to make. It really adds to the flavor of this simple soup. But feel free to use your favorite store-bought low-sodium vegetable broth.
Red Wine: A bit of wine really adds dimension to this recipe. I use a dry red wine such as a Merlot or Cabernet. It does not need to be an expensive quality bottle of wine, but you do want to ensure it is worth drinking for the best flavor. If you don't care to cook with alcohol use additional vegetable broth in place of the wine.
Vegetables: This soup is full of vegetables. The base is built with onions and celery, but also features green beans, carrots, and potatoes added to the soup.
- Potatoes: You can use red potatoes, gold potatoes, or russet potatoes. I would recommend peeling russet potatoes, but the red and gold potatoes can be left unpeeled if desired.
- Green Beans: Use fresh or frozen trimmed green beans.
- Corn: Feel free to add up to 1 cup of frozen corn as well.
Diced Tomatoes: I love to use Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes for extra flavor. If you use regular diced tomatoes, I would double the amount of garlic and oregano added to the soup, to really amp the flavor up.
Spices: Garlic, oregano, and a bay leaf add flavor to this simple Veggie Soup. They all work together to bring out the flavors of the vegetables and complement the vegetable broth.
Greens: I finish this soup with baby kale or spinach to add a hefty dose of nutrients. If you have super picky eaters, feel free to skip adding the greens. My husband NEVER complains if I omit them! HA!
Balsamic Vinegar: This may sound like an odd addition, but trust me. By finishing this soup with a bit of balsamic vinegar, your palate is open and the flavors really pop in your mouth. It is a secret addition that makes this soup out of this world!

How to Make Vegetable Soup in the Instant Pot

This soup is SUPER simple to make. The hardest part is chopping the veggies! It comes together with just a few steps and thanks to the Instant Pot, this Vegetable Soup develops really rich flavors in a very short amount of time.

While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.

Step One: Saute Veggies

Hit the saute function on the Instant Pot, add in the oil, and let it heat up for a minute. Some models will read HOT, once heated, but it is not necessary to wait that long, just give it a minute or two to fully heat.
Once the oil has heated, add in the celery and onions and saute until the onion is just beginning to soften. This will just take 2-3 minutes.
Add in the garlic and saute for about 30 seconds longer. You don't want to saute the garlic too long, or it will cause your garlic to burn and ruin the soup.

Step Two: Deglaze

Whenever you saute ANYTHING in the instant pot, it is crucial to add thin liquid and scrape up any browned bits off the inner pot. This is called deglazing and will help to prevent a burn warning.

With the saute function still on, add in the wine (or additional broth) and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape off any browned bits. Let the wine simmer for just a minute to reduce and concentrate in flavor and then turn off the Instant Pot.

Wine added to inner pot after sauteeing celery and onions in inner pot.

Step Three: Layer Ingredients

Add in the vegetable broth, potatoes, carrots, green beans, diced tomatoes, and seasonings, and stir gently to combine.

Ingredients for vegetable soup layered in inner pot.

Step Four: Pressure Cook & Pressure Release

The cooking time for this vegetable soup is only 5 minutes. Any longer than that, your vegetable will turn to mush. However, keep in mind it will take 10-15 minutes for your Instant Pot to come to pressure and you need to allow for another 15 minutes.

Once the soup is prepared, place the lid on the Instant Pot and be sure your vent knob is sealed.
Set cook time for 5 minutes.
After cook time has elapsed, allow pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. This is really important. If you try to release pressure before 15 minutes have passed, the hot liquid will spew out of your vent knob and make a mess, and potentially burn you.

Pressure cooked vegetable soup inside inner pot.

Step Five: Add Greens

After pressure has been released, stir in greens and vinegar.
Place the lid back on the inner pot for a minute or two, just to let the greens wilt.

Vegetable soup after adding greens to inner pot.

Serving Suggestions

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is a fabulous, hearty, and healthy meal that is perfect to serve for dinner or lunch with homemade biscuits or whole wheat rolls and a side salad tossed with balsamic vinaigrette to compliment the balsamic added to the soup. Or serve with Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread and a Caesar Salad.

However you opt to enjoy this soup, be prepared to be blown away by how good this simple, economical vegetable soup tastes!