See my guide on how to use an Instant Pot.

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is a hearty, delicious soup recipe that’s easy to make in your Instant Pot. This homemade minestrone soup is full-flavored and warms you from the inside out!

minestrone in a serving bowl with instant pot behind

I’ve been testing a lot of Instant Pot soup recipes this winter, and I’m going to be bold and say that this minestrone soup is my favorite out of the bunch.

The Instant Pot works its magic again, and the result is a healthy soup that’s layered with rich, mouthwatering flavors.

This traditional Italian soup recipe is full of nourishing ingredients, including vegetables, beans and tomatoes. It’s a meal that you will want to cozy up with year-round!

While I haven’t personally tasted the popular Olive Garden soup, this classic Instant Pot minestrone is unbelievably delicious and I’d argue better than the restaurant version. It will make your kitchen smell amazing as it cooks, and you just can’t beat a homemade meal prepared with fresh ingredients. If you don’t own an Instant Pot then try my stove-top minestrone soup. 

minestrone soup served with lemon, parmesan and parsley

Making minestrone soup in your Instant Pot is easy, and you can switch up the vegetables in this recipe to use up what you have on hand. I’ve given some suggestions about other veggies to try below.

If you love this minestrone recipe, you’ll also enjoy my Instant Pot Vegetable Soup. See more delicious Instant Pot vegetarian recipes.

Minestrone Soup Ingredients

ingredients for instant pot minestrone

  • Olive Oil: This minestrone recipe starts with a generous amount of olive oil, which brings richness and flavor to the soup.
  • Onion, Carrots & Celery: These three ingredients, which together are called a mirepoix, are the classic flavor base for many soups.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic adds another layer of flavor.
  • Seasonings: Dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper are my recommended seasonings for this classic Italian soup recipe.
  • Vegetable Broth: I recommend using low sodium vegetable broth so that you have more control over the salt in the dish.
  • Vegetables: In addition to the onion, carrots and celery, this recipe calls for Yukon gold potatoes and green beans. I’ve included notes below about using other vegetables.
  • Tomato Paste: Tomato paste helps to thicken the broth and brings rich tomato flavor.
  • Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes: I recommend using fire roasted tomatoes because they add so much flavor. I tested this soup with both crushed and diced fire roasted tomatoes and we preferred the soup’s flavor when made with the crushed tomatoes. You can substitute fire roasted diced tomatoes if you can’t find crushed.
  • Pasta: Any short pasta shape, such as small shells, elbow pasta or ditalini will work. We’re using just a small amount of pasta, as minestrone is all about the vegetables and light on the pasta.
  • Beans: Beans make minestrone soup more hearty and filling. Red kidney beans, cannellini beans or Great Northern beans all work well here.

How to Make Minestrone in the Instant Pot

Here’s an overview of the easy steps to making this recipe. You’ll find the full ingredients and instructions in the recipe card below.

  1. Use the Instant Pot’s sauté setting to cook the onion, carrots and celery until softened. sauteing onion, carrot and celery in instant pot
  2. Add the garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot. adding garlic and seasonings to instant pot
  3. Pour in the broth and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Stir in the potatoes, green beans, tomato paste and fire roasted crushed tomatoes. stirring tomatoes, green beans, potatoes and broth in pot
  5. Pressure cook for 4 minutes. Then allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes. Carefully quick release the remaining pressure.
  6. While the soup cooks, cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water on the stove. I tested cooking the pasta in the Instant Pot, and found that cooking it separately is worth the extra step for the best minestrone.
  7. Stir the cooked pasta and beans into the soup. stirring cooked pasta and beans into the cooked soup
  8. Taste the soup and season it with extra salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Serve soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a small pinch of red pepper flakes, or grated Parmesan cheese, as desired. Enjoy!

minestrone on a ladle held over instant pot

Instant Pot Minestrone Recipe Variations

  • You can vary the veggies in this soup depending on what you have in your kitchen and what you enjoy.
  • Vegetables with longer cook times, such as sweet potatoes and butternut squash, should be added to the soup before pressure cooking. The cook time will stay the same.
  • Peas, zucchini or yellow squash would be added after pressure cooking, but before adding the cooked pasta and beans. Simmer the soup using the sauté function until the vegetables are tender.
  • Chopped fresh spinach or kale can be stirred into the cooked soup without further cooking.
  • Fresh lemon juice brightens up the flavors in the soup. I like to add a squeeze of lemon juice to individual bowls of soup when serving.
  • If you like a bit of heat, you can add a tiny pinch of red pepper flakes to your bowl of soup. Be careful, as a little bit goes a long way.

soup in serving bowl with a spoon

Is Minestrone Soup Vegan

Yes, this minestrone soup is vegan. Be sure to serve it without Parmesan cheese for a vegan meal.

Recipe Tips

  • You must use a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot for this recipe. The 6 quart pot will be very full, but the soup shouldn’t exceed the max fill line. I do not recommend doubling this recipe as a double recipe will not fit in the Instant Pot.
  • If you are cooking for one or two people, you can halve this recipe. The cook time stays the same.
  • I tested cooking the pasta in the soup in the Instant Pot and found that the pasta absorbed most of the broth in the soup. So while it is an extra step, I highly recommend cooking the pasta separately on the stove and adding it to the soup after cooking.
  • Leftover soup may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the soup cool before storing, and refrigerate the soup within two hours of making it.
  • Serve with homemade Garlic Knots or Honey Yeast Rolls

Get more tasty Instant Pot Recipes!

best instant pot soup recipes, instant pot minestrone soup in white bowl
5 from 9 ratings

Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Inactive Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 54 minutes
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
This Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is one of the very best Instant Pot soup recipes. It's full-flavored, easy to make, and healthy!
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced or chopped
  • 3 ribs celery, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
  • 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups chopped Yukon gold potatoes, ½-inch pieces, approximately 2 medium or ½ pound potatoes
  • 1 cup chopped green beans
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • ¾ cup dry short pasta shapes, such as small shells, ditalini or elbow pasta
  • 15 ounce can red kidney beans, cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
  • lemon juice, red pepper flakes or grated Parmesan cheese, optional, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot using the saute function. When the pot is hot, add the chopped onion, carrots and celery. Saute, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Press "Cancel" to turn off the saute function.
  • Pour in the broth and stir, scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the potatoes, green beans, tomato paste and fire roasted crushed tomatoes. Stir.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the valve to the sealing position. Set the pressure cook time to 4 minutes at high pressure, using the Pressure Cook or Manual function. The Instant Pot will take about 25 minutes to reach pressure and then the cook time will begin counting down.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a pot on the stove, according to the package directions for al dente. Rinse and drain the cooked pasta.
  • When the cook time on the Instant Pot ends, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes by leaving the Instant Pot alone. Then quick release the remaining pressure by carefully and slowly turning the valve to the venting position (I use the handle of a long spoon to do this). Once all of the steam has escaped and the pin drops down, carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
  • Stir the beans and cooked pasta into the soup. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. If desired, serve the soup with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a small pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

  • You must use a 6 quart or larger Instant Pot for this recipe. The 6 quart pot will be very full, but the soup shouldn't exceed the max fill line. I do not recommend doubling this recipe as a double recipe will not fit in the Instant Pot.
  • Leftover soup may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the soup cool before storing, and refrigerate the soup within two hours of making it.
Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1227mg, Potassium: 1075mg, Fiber: 10g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 4822IU, Vitamin C: 30mg, Calcium: 102mg, Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Main Course, Soup
Author: Kristine Roseblatt
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