Instant Pot Minestrone

4.91 from 21 votes

Thanks to a few key ingredients, Instant Pot Minestrone is better than Olive Garden's! It is not only super easy to make but the flavor is truly outstanding.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Pressure Time20

Total Time31

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian

Servings:

Author: Kristen Chidsey

Equipment

Electric Pressure Cooker (6 or 8 quart)

Ingredients

½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ large yellow onion minced
2 large carrots peeled and diced
2 stalks celery diced
½ tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
½ cup dry red wine or additional broth
4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 medium zucchini diced into ½ inch moons
½ cup dry elbow macaroni
15 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained
15 ounces white beans rinsed and drained
1 dried bay leaf
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce
2 cups baby spinach
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Parmesan for serving optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to saute, add in ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and let it heat briefly. Once heated, add ½ large yellow onion (minced), 2 large carrots (sliced), and 2 stalks celery (diced) to the Instant Pot. Let saute for 2-3 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Add in the ½ tablespoon minced garlic and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Saute that for 1 minute.
Add ½ cup dry red wine (or additional broth), scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the inner pot, and let cook off for 1-2 minutes. Turn the saute function off by hitting cancel.
Add 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth, 1 medium zucchini, ½ cup dry elbow macaroni, 15 ounces kidney beans(drained), 15 ounces white beans (drained), 1 dried bay leaf and ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and stir to just combine. Top with 1 cup marinara or spaghetti sauce.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot, be sure the venting knob is turned towards sealed or the lid is locked. Using the manual or pressure cook button, set the cooking time for 1 minute on high pressure.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, do a quick release of the remaining pressure by using a wooden spoon to hit the vent knob from sealing to venting. (Be sure to stand away from the vent knob to protect yourself.)
Remove the bay leaf and then stir in 2 cups baby spinach and 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar. Place the lid back on the pressure cooker and allow the spinach to wilt for just a couple of minutes.
Serve the soup with freshly grated Parmesan if desired.

Video

Notes

Wine: the dry red wine is optional but adds incredible flavor. Use a dry wine such as merlot or cabernet and be sure it is suitable for drinking. Don't use a wine labeled cooking wine, as the flavor is not very good!

Beans: I use kidney beans and Great Northern beans, but you can use all kidney beans, white beans, or even garbanzo beans/chickpeas work great in Minestrone.

Noodles: For the noodles, elbow or ditalini noodles are traditional, but orecchiette or small shells are a great substitute. Whole wheat or regular noodles work perfectly.

Gluten-Free Modifications: For gluten-free noodles, I recommend Barilla Gluten Free--those are the only noodles that cook up well in the soup without releasing too much starch.

Vegetable Options: Mix and match the vegetables in this soup. Besides zucchini, carrots, spinach, and celery, other great options include yellow frozen cut green beans, diced potatoes, diced sweet potatoes, or peas.

In place of marinara: Use crushed tomatoes plus 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning.

Red Wine Vinegar: You can replace it with balsamic vinegar if needed. I don't recommend any other vinegar as a substitute.

Spinach: If you want to use frozen chopped spinach, defrost it, squeeze out excess moisture, and add to the minestrone before pressure cooking. Or use kale, but add BEFORE pressure cooking.

Storage: Leftover minestrone can be stored in a sealed container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It also can be frozen for up to 3 months. Keep in mind you may need to add a bit of stock when reheating, as the noodles will absorb the extra broth.

Nutrition