There’s nothing like a warming bowl of soup on a cold day, especially when that soup is rich and hearty like the classic Instant Pot Minestrone Soup from the Olive Garden. This delicious and easy-to-make dish is perfect for feeding your family on busy weeknights.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Tastes Like Dining Out: Experience the flavors of Olive Garden right in your home kitchen.
- Comforting: The warm, hearty nature of Minestrone Soup makes it an ultimate comfort food, perfect for cold weather.
- Easy and Economical: Save money and time by making this restaurant favorite at home.
📋 Ingredients
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing, it adds a rich, fruity note and helps bring out the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Diced Onion: Adds a sweet, slightly sharp flavor that complements the other ingredients.
- Carrots: Add color, texture, and natural sweetness to the soup.
- Zucchini: Brings a fresh, slightly bitter contrast to the soup.
- Minced Garlic Cloves: Gives the soup a warm, savory depth of flavor.
- Diced Tomatoes: Add tanginess and a chunky texture to the soup.
- Vegetable Broth: Adds a savory richness and forms the liquid base of the soup.
- Tomato Paste: Thickens the soup and intensifies the tomato flavor.
- Cannellini Beans & Kidney Beans: Contribute protein and fiber, making the soup more filling.
- Green Beans: Add color and crunch, enhancing the soup's texture.
- Pasta or Barilla Ditalini: Adds a hearty, doughy element that makes the soup more substantial.
- Baby Spinach Leaves: Bring a fresh, slightly bitter contrast to the rich, hearty soup.
- Italian Seasoning: Enhances the overall aroma and flavor profile of the soup. Get out Homemade Italian Seasoning recipe here.
- Chopped Parsley: Adds a fresh, herbal note to the soup.
For the complete list of ingredients with measurements and instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
🔀 Substitutions & Variations
- Spice It Up: Infuse your Olive Garden Minestrone soup with crushed red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Butternut Squash: Incorporate cubes of butternut squash for a unique twist to your recipe.
- Seasonal Vegetables: Enhance flavor and nutritional value with seasonal veggies like yellow squash or sweet potatoes.
- Italian Sausage: Cook and add Italian sausage to your soup for a meaty, flavorful addition.
- Russet Potatoes: Include tiny diced russet potatoes for added texture and heartiness.
🔪How to Make Instant Pot Minestrone Soup?
Step One: Hit the sauté or sear button and heat olive oil. Once it is hot, sauté the onions and carrots for about three minutes allowing them to soften. Next, add the zucchini and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes letting those soften. Then, add your minced garlic and cook for another 30-seconds.
Step Two: Press cancel on your Instant Pot. Add your canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, and green beans.
Step Three: Close the lid, put your pressure valve into the sealing position, hit pressure cook or manual and set the time for 3-minutes. Once the Instant Pot is done, do a quick release by releasing the valve and pressure.
Step Four: After taking the lid off your Instant Pot, add in your pasta. Mix so that everything is well incorporated. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot and close the ceiling valve. Allow your pasta to sit in the soup for about five minutes. Check your pasta to make sure it’s tender.
Step Five: Season your minestrone soup with salt and pepper to your liking. Add in the spinach leaves and stir. Allow them to cook for about two minutes.
Step Six: Once the spinach has wilted, transfer your soup to your favorite soup bowl. Serve with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
👩🍳 Expert Tips
- Pick the Perfect Pasta: Opt for small pasta like ditalini or elbow macaroni that holds well in soups.
- Use Fresh Vegetables: Fresh vegetables enhance the flavor profile of your Minestrone soup in the Instant Pot.
- Season at the End: To avoid over-salting, add your seasonings after the soup has pressure cooked and you've tasted it.
💭 FAQs
Noodles may not soften if the cooking time is insufficient or the amount of liquid in the pot is not enough. If your noodles are not soft enough, pressure cook for a further 2 minutes.
Both fresh and canned beans can be used, but canned beans are often more convenient for Instant Pot soups.
To thicken minestrone soup, you can puree some of the beans or veggies or add a bit of pasta sauce.
Cooked pasta can be added to the Instant Pot once the soup is done cooking, just before serving.
Absolutely, minestrone soup can be made in a slow cooker, cook for 2-3 hours on high pressure adding the pasta in the last 30 minutes.
You can store minestrone soup in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These are my favorite sides to serve with Minestrone Soup:
- Breadsticks: Olive Garden is famous for its soft and garlicky breadsticks. You can either make your own or purchase some from a local bakery to serve alongside the soup.
- Garlic Bread: A classic choice, garlic bread pairs well with the Italian flavors of minestrone soup. Toasted slices with butter and garlic make a delicious accompaniment.
- Crusty Italian Bread: Serve slices of this crusty bread for a simple yet satisfying side. It's perfect for dipping into the broth and savoring the flavors of the delicious soup.
- Bruschetta: Top toasted baguette slices with a flavorful mixture of diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil. This adds a refreshing contrast to the hearty soup.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: A classic grilled cheese sandwich can be a comforting and filling side dish. Consider using Italian cheeses like mozzarella or provolone for an extra touch.
🍜 Related Recipes
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Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- ¾ Cup Diced Onion
- ½ Cup Carrots
- 1 Zucchini
- 2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes
- 4 Cups Vegetable Broth
- ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
- 1 Can Cannellini Beans
- 1 Can Kidney Beans
- 1 Cup Green Beans
- ½ Cup Pasta
- 2 Cups Fresh Spinach
- 2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Hit the sauté or sear button and heat olive oil. Once it is hot, sauté the onions and carrots for about three minutes allowing them to soften.
- Next, add the zucchini and sauté for about 2 to 3 minutes letting those soften. Then, add your minced garlic and cook for another 30-seconds.
- Press cancel on your Instant Pot. Add your canned diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, cannellini beans, red kidney beans, and green beans.
- Close the lid, put your pressure valve into the sealing position, hit pressure cook or manual and set the time for 3-minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot is done, do a quick release by releasing the valve and pressure.
- After taking the lid off your Instant Pot, add in your pasta. Mix so that everything is well incorporated. Put the lid back on the Instant Pot and close the ceiling valve.
- Allow your pasta to sit in the soup for about five minutes. Check your pasta to make sure it’s tender.
- Season your minestrone soup with salt and pepper to your liking. Add in the spinach leaves and stir. Allow them to cook for about two minutes.
- Once the spinach has wilted, transfer your soup to your favorite soup bowl and add any more salt and pepper you may like. Serve with fresh parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Check out More Easy Instant Pot Meal Ideas
What size diced tomatoes? 14 or 28
28 Oz Can
Thanks!!
Are the cans of beans drained?
Yes.
Didn't have green beans so added carrots then didn't have spinach so added cooked collards. Used diced tomatoes with onion instead of adding raw and didn't have tomato paste and I used orzo came out really good!!!
Ooh I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sounds delish! I love Orzo!