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 1x
- 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
Soo good! I made the gremolata this time with fresh special olive oil and it was amazing. We live this soup!
Thanks so much Kellie- glad you enjoyed! The gremolata really makes this one!
Just excellent. Thank you
Thanks Lynne!
Love this minestrone! It’s become a family favorite. To me, the fennel really is what differentiates this minestrone from others. Thanks Sylvia! I love your website. It’s my primary go-to every week for menu and recipe ideas. I love the ethnic flare to your food; and the photos make the food so inviting. Everything about it, clicks with me!
I have made this many times and have come to the conclusion that the instapot over cooks the pasta. So stove top is the way to go. It really doesn’t save that much time anyway. In addition the pasta sucks up all that delicious broth so I cook it in water separately then add. I like a brothy soup. I feel the same about chicken noodle. Cook the noods separately. Other than that I follow the directions and it’s a house hold favorite. Thanks!
PS the gremolata is a must. Don’t skip this part.
Wow!!! 🤩 This recipe is Ah-maze-zing! I have had many failed 😔 recipes from Pinterest, & I’m so grateful to have stumbled upon your blog, Sylvia! Thank you, thank you, thank you! 🙏
I modified a few things, added too many noodles & so I’ve come back with a few questions. Do I increase water or stock when adding 1-2 Cups of zucchini? I prefer smaller noodles, I found these tiny round ones- like wrapped spaghetti circles. The initial cook time made these mush. How could I adjust? Thank you!!
Hi Rose you would just have to play with it, shortening the cooking time on the pasta. As far as broth, I’d just add enough to get it to the consistantcy you like- again, without having made it this way, I’m guessing here. Maybe start with a cup of broth? More if needed.
Very tasty, but it got too thick as it was sitting. I’d add more broth next time. I didn’t add the gremolata because I’m not a big fan of parsley.
This is truly the BEST soup I’ve ever had- and have now made it every week since finding the recipe! The gremolata is a must- adds wonderful flavor. Easy to make and so so good!!! Thanks so much Sylvia- your recipes never disappoint!!
Thanks Allie- appreciate this!
My kids actually loved it. Great recipe! Although I didn’t put gremolata sauce.
I made this recipe again and it turned out excellent! One of the best vegetable soups I’ve ever had!
This soup is so good! Especially with the gremolata! I used celery because I didn’t have fennel and I used elbow macaroni instead of penne. I will cut down on the pasta next time. It absorbed all of the broth… Will definitely make this again!
I’m a little confused here: “2 cans beans- kidney, white beans, cannellini beans, or chickpeas- rinsed, drained. ( 3 cups)”. Does that mean 2 cans of each bean? Or you pick the ones you want, so it adds up to 2 cans? (aka 3 cups)
Pick the ones you want- just two cans.
Thank you! I figured that’s what it meant, but I wanted to be sure. ^_^
So delicious, easy, and inexpensive to make! I agree with everyone else, the gremolata makes this soup super special. Thanks for the recipe!
Can confirm that this is THE BOMB DOT COM with the gremolata and a little parmesan. Holy cow.
Soup on its own was solid, needed a touch more salt. I used whole wheat penne and soaked dried garbanzos. Will make again!
My family loved it. I added Italian sausage. Cause the men in the house needed some meat. Lol. Thank us was very tasty.
Hello, this recipe looks wonderful – however, I’d really prefer to use dry beans rather than canned. Is that possible with this recipe? And if so, how would you recommend it be altered to use dry beans? Thank you 🙂
Hi, I would precook the beans in the instant pot while you prep the other ingredients. If you try to do it all together the pasta and veggies will over cook. Thats my guess anyways. 😉
3/4 cup dried = 1 can. Presoak as needed.
I accidentally added fire roasted diced tomatoes with “chipotle peppers”. I didn’t read the added “chipotle peppers” piece on the can! Since this is an Italian dish, do you think it is salvageable?
Thanks!
I think it actually might be delicious!
Generally, I don’t care for fennel or even minestrone, but this hearty soup is SO GOOD! I reluctantly tried it at a friend’s house, then made it on my own the next week. I’ll definitely make this again.
Question: Any idea about what volume constitutes a serving size? 1 cup?
I started doubting myself as I was making this because I was serving it to a bunch of kids. But man, it was yummy!! They downed it so fast.
The gremolata is a MUST! Also, I didn’t have Italian seasoning so I used fresh rosemary from my garden, thyme, some ground marjoram and sage and dried basil. Worked great. Kinda eyed the amounts.
Thanks for another wonderful recipe! Served it with your lovely sourdough.
Perfect! Yes the gremolata makes this!
One of our favorite Instant Pot recipes around here- this is so hearty and filling and can be easily adapted to what we have in the fridge.
This soup was easy to make, but turned out tasting terrible. I could only eat 1 bowl of it and I thought it was way too spicy. I topped it with avocado and milk to try to dampen the spice. My husband says he doesn’t like it because it is too bland. Go figure. That blows my mind! As it burns my mouth with spice. He tops it with hot sauce to make it edible. I did not make the gremolota because I ordered flat leaf parsley but I was given curly parsley. I don’t know if curly parsley would work so I didn’t bother trying it. I can’t imagine the gremolota making it better for me…. but maybe it would have given more flavor for my hubby.
Sorry this didn’t work for you Julia- the gremolata really adds good flavor. Sounds like it was too spicy- I adjusted the recipe to add chili flakes to taste.
Hi Sylvia, that is very awesome of you to adjust the spice in the recipe. Thank you for that. When I reviewed the recipe with my hubby, he thinks I did not follow it properly and hence my result was not good. Please feel free to delete my review if you can. Apparently, I may have changed it up too much with my at home improvisations. You are awesome!
Hello! There are 2 cups of water that are in the ingredients, but I don’t see them referred to in the instructions. Are there supposed to be 2 cups of water included in the recipe? Thanks!
Opps, fixed it, sorry about that. Yes, add with the broth!
Thank you! I assumed the water was meant to be in there, so I added it in, and it was very tasty! I didn’t have fennel, so used celery, and it was delicious – I’m excited to try with the fennel! Great recipe, especially as the weather gets cooler. Thank you!
Haven’t made this yet but plan to make it for our Soup ‘n Shop at our local art gallery where I have a studio. Because of covid people will not be eating their soups at the gallery, but taking it home or back to work with them in a covered container.
Suggestions for making it ahead then heating it up in the instant pot or crock pot would be great….I’m thinking the pasta will be the most challenging….just cook it ahead and adding it when reheating? Really wanted the pasta to have the broth flavor, so any suggestions welcome.
Thank You
You got it Penny – that is what I would do, make it ahead, keep the pasta separate, and reheat, adding the cooked pasta.
Usually minestrone soup sounds really boring to me, but when I read that this recipe had fennel, I was sold. This soup was so delicious and flavorful. Red lentil pasta was perfectly tender after 10 minutes of pressure cooking, if anyone is wondering! I cut the salt to only a 1/2 tsp and doubled the pasta (my instant pot didn’t get mad at me!). To save time I used frozen, crinkle-cut carrots. I served it with the gremolata (don’t skip it!) and sourdough bread with grass-fed butter. I will definitely repeat this recipe.
Perfect Melissa! Glad this worked for you!
This is my favorite minestrone recipe, but it does need more broth. 4 cups is not enough.
Thanks! Did you see the 2 cups water?
This is minestrone soup with a Zing!! I have never had a minestrone soup this delicious! My husband kept saying mmmmmm … mmmmmm … mmmmmm as he ate. I made it on a stove top with the diced fire roasted tomatoes and the kale. I also made the gremolata. What made this soup so good? Was it the fennel? Was it the fire roasted tomatoes? Was it the gremolata? Whatever it is, your recipes always give us a flavor sensation!! We love it!
Thanks Debbie, glad it worked for you! 🙌
Made this last night and it was so easy and came out delish, the gremolata added the perfect touch.