Instant Pot Minestrone Soup ( or stove-top) loaded up with healthy veggies and beans- a fast and healthy weeknight dinner that can be made in under 30 minutes. Cozy and comforting, this delicious hearty VEGAN soup is is gluten-free adaptable!
Here’s another “Make Life Simple” recipe that can be made ahead and portioned out for midweek meals – cozy, warming Instant Pot Minestrone Soup! You can also make this on the stovetop! Loaded up with healthy veggies, 2 kinds of beans and whole-grain (or bean) pasta, this version is vegan and gluten-free adaptable.
But it’s the fennel bulb that makes this Minestrone Soup special – giving it a unique and delicious complexity, really elevating it!
It’s topped with vibrant Gremolata– a zesty Italian herb sauce that enlivens and brightens stews and soups. A good thing to have on hand, for which you’ll find a multitude of uses.
This week I’ve partnered with Cavit Collection who asked me to create a recipe that would pair well with their cabernet. Well known for their Pinot Grigio, Cavit also offers a wide selection of reds and whites, that are perfect for everyday meals. This medium-bodied cab is perfect alongside cozy winter stews and hearty soups.
I love the simplicity of this Italian style meal- hearty Minestrone soup, a loaf of crusty bread, and glass of wine, and that is really all that is needed!
Vibrant Gremolata gives the Instant Pot Minestrone Soup a burst of flavor- an Italian herb sauce made of parsley, garlic, lemon zest and olive oil. Don’t leave this off!
Keep the minestrone soup completely vegan or add a little pecorino or parmesan for extra richness.
I love how simple and easy this recipe is and how the addition of fennel gives it that extra layer of flavor that elevates the dish!
Enjoy! ♥️
More Instant Pot recipes you may like:
- Our 25 Best Instant Pot Recipes | Easy Pressure Cooker Meals
- Instant Pot Wild Rice Soup w/ Spinach & Mushrooms
- Instant Pot Mushroom Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Pinto Bean Stew
- Instant Pot Lentil Soup
Instant Pot Minestrone soup ( Vegan!)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Category: Soups, stew, vegan, vegan soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup- packed full of veggies and two kinds of beans, this vegan version is gluten-free adaptable. Top it with lively Gremolata for a burst of flavor! Can be made on the stove-top, see notes!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion- diced
- 4–6 garlic cloves- rough chopped
- 1 large fennel bulb, cored, diced thinly ( or sub 2 cups chopped celery)
- 2 cups chopped carrots ( ½ inch thick)
- 2 cans beans- kidney, white beans, cannellini beans, or chick peas- rinsed, drained. ( 3 cups)
- 1 x 14 ounce can diced or crushed tomatoes ( or 1 ½ cups fresh diced tomato with their juices) Diced, fire roasted tomatoes are a tasty option too.
- 4 cups veggie broth or chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup dry penne pasta- feel free to use GF, bean pasta, or whole wheat, or sub with halved baby potatoes
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste.
- 2 teaspoons italian seasoning
- a couple handfuls chopped lacinato kale (optional)
- pepper and chili flakes to taste
- one batch Gremolata!
Serve with Crusty Bread and Gremolata ( Parsley-Lemon-Garlic- Oil) and optional grated pecorino.
Instructions
Using the sauté setting of an Instant Pot, saute onion and garlic in the oil while you chop the rest of the veggies, adding them as you go.
Add the fennel, carrots and saute 3-4 minutes. Add beans, diced tomatoes, broth or stock, water, salt, and Italian seasoning. Stir in the dry pasta and optional lacinato kale and set the pressure cooker to high for 10 minutes.
While it’s cooking make the Gremolata.
Once the ten minutes are up, release the pressure manually (throw a kitchen towel over the pressure release valve to help mitigate the steam).
Taste and add more salt, to taste. Add pepper and chili flakes if you like. If it tastes bland, it needs salt. 😉
Serve in bowls with Gremolata, crusty bread and optional grated pecorino or parmesan if you like.
Notes
The Gremolata really elevates the soup here!
You could easily cook this on the stovetop, pretty much the same way, adding the pasta after the beans and veggies have simmered 10-15 minutes. Cook until pasta is tender!
For hearty meat-eaters, feel free to add browned Italian sausage or cooked chicken breast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 7.5 g
- Sodium: 617.7 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.2 g
- Fiber: 10.2 g
- Protein: 9.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Made this last night and it was so easy and came out perfect. Delish !I
Totally fab – we added some smokey bacon to the mix as well – it is also a great way to use up leftover vegetables – we will look forward to making this again – really delicious – thank you 😊
We made this recipe last night using kidney beans, chickpeas and celery instead of fennel. It was amazing and will become a staple in our household.
Awesome! I added the extra tomato and the Parmesan rind. Excellent!
So healthy and delicious! I made this on the stovetop and modified some of ingredients based on what I had. I halved the veggies and beans but doubled up on potatoes and replaced the kale with cabbage. I used Penzey’s Mural of Flavor seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning. Threw in a small bit of parmesan rind, too.
Great to hear Alanna!
A hit with the entire family!
Amazing flavors! I’m not typically a Minestrone soup girl but I was really drawn to the ingredients and I’m so glad I tried it!
I’m always looking for good recipes to tweak into my own plant based ways 😉
I used chickpea pasta shells and cooked everything over the stove so I could control the texture and added more water at the end right in the pot.
I also used a combination of veggie and mushroom broth and water.
I didn’t have Italian seasoning so instead used oregano, rosemary, thyme, basil, and celery seed. Used kidney and cannellini beans. Followed the rest of recipe!
Definitely make the gremolata sauce!
Sourdough bread with this amazing plant based butter I just tried for the first time and highly recommend, “Miyoko’s cultured vegan butter made from plants”.
So far loving your recipes!
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much for sharing how you made this your own!
Made this recipe for the wife, it was excellent. Made a few alterations, first did not go the vegan route, instead we used chicken stock, 4 cups.
Added Bay Leaf
Added 1 Tbsp of Italian Seasoning instead of a Tsp
Added 2 cans of Tomatoes instead of 1
Added some Parmesan cheese rind.
Used Spinach instead of Kale, and added at the end after cooking.
Did not have the ingredients for the Gremolata would like to try though.
Next time we plan to add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and and tad of anchovy paste.
Overall this is outstanding soup, highly recommended.
LOVE your alterations- all sound perfect~! Thanks!
Easy and delicious weeknight meal especially on a cold rainy evening. Made it on the stovetop.
Thanks so much!
Made this tonight! Delicious!
Great to hear!
This is delicious. I have made this several times and agree with a previous commenter the penne gets a little over cooked in the pressure cooker. I made it again tonight with rigatoni pasta. This held up better. Also I added a leek that was in my fridge and needed to be used. I love all your soups. I have made most of them. Please keep up the great work.
That is a great tip! thanks for sharing!!!
Delicious soup. I used fava beans and canellini beans. It did end up quite thick after adding the pasta so I just added more veggie broth and more seasoning.
I love this recipe and have made it twice now. I used small shells for the pasta and added zuchinni at the end instead of the kale. I had previously made turkey stock and it just came out great.
Sounds perfect, thanks for sharing your adaptions!!!
I made this in a pressure cooker and it was so easy to make. I added an extra can of white beans. Served it with sliced sourdough bread and sprinkled Parmesan cheese. Yummy
Perfect Hope! Thanks for sharing!
Loved this easy instant pot soup, the gremolata completed it, a lovely subtle lemon flavor with using a meyer lemon.
I’ve tried gazillions of minestrone soup recipes. The secret ingredient that sets this one apart is the gremolata – it really adds a “wow!” to such a simple, satisfying meal. I made it on the stove top, very quick and easy.
Awesome Teresa! Yes the gremolata is the BEST! Glad you tried it!
Also, the leftover gremolata was wonderful over pasta for a simple lunch!
Yes! the leftovers are good on so many things!
I just began using my instapot, always searching for vegetarian/vegan recipes. This one is excellent! The fennel truly makes a delicious addition. Thanks,
So glad you liked it! Yes, fennel makes it!!!
This is the first recipe I made on my new Instant Pot. It is a really delicious version of Minestrone Soup.
I added a sliced link of Cajun sausage, cooked it all as directed and it came out perfect. My friends are still talking about it.
Thanks Cynthia, Im so glad you like this and made it your own, by adding the sausage…sounds good!
I made this and added a sliced link of Cajun sausage. It was excellent.
Looks great?can’t wait to try and make it.
Made this precisely as listed (used the celery instead of fennel for my picky teen) and we gobbled up the entire pot. I needed to do 20 min on the Instant Pot, which may have been user error, but after the 2nd 10 min it was perfect. I didn’t think I’d like the Gremolata, but in the soup it was the perfect addition. Will be making this one again soon!
This was super— the gremolata really added a lovely, bright, touch. My 12 year old son declared it “amazing” numerous times. Never would have thought to add fennel! We used dark red kidney beans and I think 10 minutes in the pressure cooker was necessary for the beans, but the penne pasta was a bit too done for me. I think I will experiment with different beans and pastas. Any thoughts on a sturdier pasta which may hold up to 10 minutes in the pressure cooker a bit better? Thank you for an easy dinner which will be repeated.
Thanks Shannon, and I know what you mean. If you come up with a thicker pasta idea, please let me know! I thought about cooking the pasta separately on the stove, but it just seems to complicate it. You could release pressure at 10 minutes, add pasta and continue cooking for another 5. Not as simple, but would help. Also… I found some brands of Penne are “studier” than others.
Hello! I think you mean “Saute” setting in the first line of the instructions.
Yup! Thanks!
Excellent and super easy after work. I only used the 2 cups of stock and one can of beans but upped the pasta to two cups of large shells. Definite do again!
Thanks for sharing your adaptions….very useful!!!