Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

This dairy and gluten free Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is so easy to make and ready in just 20 minutes. Filled with a colorful array of fresh vegetables, pasta, vegetable broth, and spices, you can count on this healthy and hearty soup to fill you up and warm you inside and out!

I always pull out my Instant Pot to make warm and comforting soups when the cold weather blows in. Whether I’m making Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup, a classic Chicken Noodle Soup, or cozy Tomato Soup, Instant Pot soup recipes are always easy to make and come together quickly. The best part is that they still taste like they’ve been simmering on the stove all day!

Just like the others, you can count on this Instant Pot Minestrone Soup recipe to warm you up once it’s ready after the super quick 20 minute cooking time. It’s completely vegan and gluten free, packed with nutritious veggies, and delectably delicious! Enjoy a bowlful on busy weeknights or even for fancy dinner parties. It’s flavorful, filling, and sure to be a hit.

What is minestrone soup?

The traditional minestrone soup recipe is made using whatever vegetables the chef has on hand, which usually includes beans, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. It doesn’t come with any strict rules or must-have ingredients, so feel free to get creative. You can add in some leftover shredded chicken, use bone broth, or add any bean or legume you love.

What do you need to make vegan minestrone soup?

• Vegetables – Onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and green beans will provide a warm, nutritious, and flavorful soup base.
• Tomato paste – To pack in a ton of classic Italian flavors.
• Vegetable broth – This is what’s traditionally used and keeps the recipe vegetarian and vegan. Feel free to use chicken, beef, or homemade bone broth instead.
• Fire roasted diced tomatoes – These will give the soup a subtle smoky flavor. If you can’t find fire roasted tomatoes, just use plain diced tomatoes instead.
• Red kidney beans – Use canned kidney beans to keep this recipe really easy.
• Pasta noodles – I like using short gluten free pasta noodles, but any kind will do.
• Herbs and spices – Oregano, fennel seeds, bay leaf, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper come together to create a well-seasoned minestrone.

Lemon juice – For a pop of brightness!

How to make minestrone soup in the Instant Pot

This minestrone soup is made from start to finish in the Instant Pot! Ready to eat in 20 minutes, this super easy soup requires very little prep or clean-up:

Step 1: Using the Saute function on your Instant Pot, heat the oil before adding the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until the veggies have softened. 

Step 2: To the softened veggies, add salt, pepper, fennel seeds, and tomato paste. Stir well to combine. 

Step 3: Next, add the veggie broth, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, pasta, green beans, and a bay leaf.

Step 4: Cancel Saute mode, seal the lid on top, and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes followed by a quick pressure release. 

Step 5: Once all the pressure has dissipated, open the pot and remove the bay leaf. Add fresh parsley and lemon juice, stir, serve, and enjoy! 

Stove top instructions

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make this delicious vegan minestrone soup on the stovetop:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat and saute the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Once they’re soft, add the salt, pepper, fennel seeds, tomato paste, veggie broth, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, pasta, green beans, and a bay leaf. 
2. Let everything simmer for about 20 minutes or until the green beans are soft and pasta is cooked. 
3. Take the pot off the heat, discard the bay leaf, and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. 
4. Give everything one last good stir before serving bowls of warm minestrone soup! 

Tips to make the best Instant Pot minestrone

• Try using brown rice or cauliflower rice instead of pasta. These are both slightly healthier, but still traditional minestrone add-ins. 
• If you’re not vegan, swap out the vegetable broth for a hearty bone broth, chicken broth, or beef broth instead. 
• Get creative with your toppings. I like to top my minestrone soup with grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil, croutons, or balsamic-drizzled tomatoes. 

Frequently asked questions

Can you make minestrone soup keto-friendly, low carb, or paleo?

This vegan minestrone soup can easily be tweaked to match a wide variety of dietary needs and preferences. To make this soup keto, low-carb, or paleo, simply swap the pasta for cauliflower rice or shredded cabbage and omit the kidney beans.

What kind of noodles are best for minestrone?

I prefer to use pasta shapes that are on the smaller side. Pipettes, elbows, mini farfalle, and orzo would all work nicely. 

Should the beans be dried?

You can use dried beans in this recipe by cooking them in the Instant Pot first, but if you really want to keep the steps simple and still inexpensive, canned beans are the way to go.

What else can you add to minestrone soup?

This is a great clean-out-the-fridge meal, so throw in all the leftover veggies you have laying around at home. Zucchini, potatoes, kale, spinach, cabbage, bell pepper, and squash are all good options!

What to serve with minestrone soup?

You can’t go wrong with serving this soup alongside some homemade bread! To make it a meal, serve each bowl with some potato salad, carrot fries, or a baked sweet potato on the side. 

Storing and freezing minestrone soup

• To store: Allow your minestrone to cool before placing it in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days or for up to 3 months in the freezer. 
• To reheat: Place your chilled or thawed soup into a large pot on the stove. Heat over medium heat until warmed through.

Hungry for more vegetable soup recipes?

• Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers Soup
• Butternut Squash Turmeric Soup
• Instant Pot Cabbage Roll Soup
• Tomato Gnocchi Soup
• Instant Pot French Onion Soup