If you love easy instant pot soup recipes, you'll love this minestrone soup with pasta. Filled with hearty vegetables and beans, it cooks quickly in an instant pot! Rich tomato flavour and robust Italian herbs make this gluten-free minestrone soup a family favourite.
This easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is one of my favourite Instant Pot soup recipes! I'm drawn to rustic Italian flavours, like those in my Instant Pot Tuscan Soup made with sausage, but this Minestrone Soup gets its rich flavour from vegetables and beans. And if you need to avoid gluten in your diet, this soup is for you!
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❤️ Why this recipe works
- Quick Cooking soup in an instant pot is so quick! Not only that, this method of pressure cooking intensifies the flavour of the soup ingredients.
- Healthy This Tuscan pressure cooker minestrone soup is rich, flavourful and healthy! Full of hearty healthy vegetables, beans and gluten-free pasta, you'll feel good about serving it to your family.
- Tasty If you think you won't like minestrone soup, think again and give it a try! I resisted for years . . . until I tasted it!
Some of my favourite easy Instant Pot soup recipes are on my weekly menus on repeat! I love this Wholesome Instant Pot Creamy Tomato Soup, Instant Pot Carrot Ginger Soup with Apple, Instant Pot Broccoli White Cheddar Soup, and of course, this Instant Pot Potato Leek Soup with Bacon!
❓What is minestrone soup?
Minestrone is a thick Italian classic soup, usually made with vegetables, tomatoes, beans, and sometimes rice or pasta. The best thing about it is that you can use whatever vegetables you have on hand!
This recipe is an adaptation of my One-Pot Healthy Tuscan Minestrone Soup, cooked in a slow cooker. The ingredients are the same. I've written the recipe with clear instructions so you can make it in less than 30 minutes in your Instant Pot.
🛒 Ingredients
So let's begin! Check the list of ingredients and gather what you'll need.
- fresh healthy vegetables: onions, fennel, carrots, celery, and baby spinach
- tomatoes: canned, San Marzano tomatoes are delicious in this recipe. You can also use Fire-Roasted Tomatoes.
- beans: cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, or your favourite beans, like black beans or kidney beans.
- pasta: gluten-free if you need to avoid gluten in your diet. Any shape is fine!
- dried herbs: basil or fresh basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary and dried chili flakes.
- parmesan cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano has the most flavour! If you have Parmesan rinds on hand you can add those to the soup, and remove them before serving. They'll add lots of rich flavour.
🔪 Instructions
Complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below. Here's a quick overview of how to make minestrone soup in an Instant Pot.
- Start by sautéing the vegetables in olive oil, using the Sauté function on your Instant Pot
- Add the herbs, broth, tomatoes, and pasta.
- Pressure cook for 2 minutes, then let the pressure release quickly using the Quick Release function.
- Add the beans and optional Parmesan rinds and use the Sauté function to cook the soup for 4 to 5 minutes or until the beans are heated through.
- Add the spinach and stir just until wilted. Then, correct the seasoning, remove the Parmesan rinds if you used them and ladle the soup into bowls.
- Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and parsley. Such a hearty soup, so full of flavour!
🍳Equipment
Instant Pot
🔁 Possible variations
Vegan minestrone soup. Make this a vegan minestrone soup recipe by substituting vegetable broth for chicken broth and omitting the cheese or adding vegan cheese instead.
Use frozen spinach if you don't have fresh baby spinach on hand.
Substitute kale for the spinach. Remove the inner ribs and tough stems and slice very thinly. Add to the pot when you add the beans. I like to use Tuscan kale in this recipe as it is a little more tender than other varieties.
Add your favourite seasonal vegetables! Green beans are delicious in this soup. You might also like to add zucchini. Add the leftover vegetables in your fridge that need to be used up!
Use your favourite pasta shapes. I used gluten-free fusilli, but there are many other gluten-free varieties of pasta available, too.
🥶 How to store and freeze minestrone
Refrigerate leftover soup in a covered container.
If you want to freeze this soup, don't add the pasta before freezing as it tends to become mushy.
Freeze the soup separately in airtight freezer-safe containers then cook the pasta and add it to the thawed soup. Reheat on the stovetop.
🍽 Serving suggestions
Are eight servings too much for your family? You can easily halve this recipe and make four servings instead of eight. Click on the '8' in the recipe card and move the little slider to '4.' The Instant Pot cooking instructions remain the same.
- Top with grated Parmesan and finely chopped parsley, or find more ideas in Healthy Soup Topping Ideas.
- Serve this healthy pressure cooker minestrone soup with crusty bread and a green salad.
- You might also like it with these Herbed Gluten-free Baking Powder Biscuits.
- This soup also goes well with these Super Seed Snack Crackers.
- Keep it Italian! Try this soup with this Hearty Tuscan Salad with Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing.
Make a warm bowl of healthy soup for someone you love today! Try any of these Comforting Homemade Dairy-Free Soup Recipes.
🗒 More healthy soup recipes
❤️ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a star rating below. Thanks in advance! Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Easy Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 cups onion, finely diced
- 1 cup fennel, finely diced
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 6 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 28 oz can tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
- ½ cup pasta, gluten-free, if necesary
- 1 14 oz can cannellini beans, or white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups fresh spinach, or kale with ribs and stems removed
- 2 rinds Parmigiano Reggiano, (optional)
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated, for garnish (optional)
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Heat oil, then sauté onion, celery, fennel, carrots, and garlic until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add chili flakes, herbs, stock, dry pasta, and tomatoes. Put the lid on, turn the valve to Seal, and select Manual or Pressure Cook for 2 minutes. It will take a few minutes to come to pressure and begin counting down.
- Once the cook time is over, release the pressure using the Quick Release function. Remove the lid. Press cancel, then Sauté. Add the Parmesan rinds and beans and cook for 4-5 minutes or until beans are heated through and cheese is melting.
- Add spinach and stir just until wilted.
- Remove rinds, ladle into bowls and serve garnished with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and freshly chopped parsley.
Lori
I came across this today and knew it was exactly what I wanted to make for dinner. SO GOOD! and so easy in the Instant Pot. Great recipe.
Elaine
Thanks Lori, It's a favourite of mine, too!
Terri
My Mom made minestrone soup when I was a kid and I didn't appreciate it until I grew up. Yours looks amazing and I love that it can be cooked so quickly in an instant pot!
Flavour & Savour
Same! Although I think my mom used canned soup! Minestrone soup tastes WAY better than it looks! Thanks for commenting, Terri.
Vijitha
Such a hearty soup perfect for the cold weather! A great idea for a weeknight meal. I must say, your instructions are so clear!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much! I'm glad you found them helpful.
Sean
Great recipe, and perfect for a simple weeknight meal. Sauteing the veggies in that first step is such a big factor in building the flavours of the soup, and a great way to highlight the value and simplicity of using an Instant Pot rather than, say, a slow cooker here. Cheers, and thanks for sharing this!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Sean! Agreed--that little bit of time to use the Sauté mode on the Instant Pot makes a big difference in flavour!
Sharon
The Instant Pot is the BEST for soups and this minestrone is no exception! I have used parmesan rinds in tomato sauce before but never in soup and what an awesome tip that was. 🙂 We used kale in this and it was great.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Sharon! So glad you liked it!
Kristen
I love minestrone soup, but have actually never made it - and I just got a ninja foodie (similar to the instant pot) so I feel like the universe is trying to tell me something. Cold evenings and minestrone soup are in my near future.
Flavour & Savour
Absolutely! Have fun with that Ninjafoodie! Hope you get a chance to make it soon.
nancy
pulling out my IP tonight for this!
Flavour & Savour
It's so easy in your Instant Pot! Enjoy!
Wanda
Love a good hearty minestrone soup and making it in the IP is brilliant! Can't wait to try it!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks, Wanda! Hope you love it!
dishnthekitchen
I love your version of this classic soup. Your minestrone is rich while also being healthy and comforting. A definite make again!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks so much, Bernice! Glad to hear you liked it, too!
Vanessa
Such a delicious hearty soup for a cold day! Love how easy it is to make in the Instant Pot.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Vanessa--Super easy! So glad you liked it as much as we do!
Marie
You know, I've never actually made minestrone soup before.
I've made a few of your recipes (zucchini patties for sure), and they've been great.
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Marie! You must try minestrone soup! It tastes WAY better than it looks! lol
Anne
I love your other minestrone soup recipe in the crockpot, so I know I'll love making this one in my new Instant Pot!
Flavour & Savour
Thanks Anne! Can't wait to hear what you think of it!