Name: Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3/4 cup onion, diced; 1/2 cup carrots peeled, quartered and sliced; 1 zucchini, halved and sliced; 2 tablespoons minced garlic; 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes; 4 cups vegetable broth; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning; 1 15 ounce can small white beans drained and rinsed; 1 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed; 1/2 cup canned cut green beans; 1/2 cup small shell pasta; 2 cups baby spinach leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

If you’re a fan of Olive Garden’s Minestrone soup, then you’re going to love this homemade Instant Pot Minestrone Soup. Loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty beans, this soup won’t only warm your body, but your soul.

When I go to Olive Garden, I like to get the all you can eat soup, salad and breadsticks! Who doesn’t like all you can eat?! But, no matter how much I love the soup, salad, and breadsticks, my wallet doesn’t. So, I decided to have my own all you can eat Olive Garden soup. This Instant Pot minestrone soup is so easy to make and tastes just like my Olive Garden favorite!

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone soup is a thick, hearty soup packed with healthy vegetables, a variety of beans, and shell pasta. Minestrone is an Italian word that literally means thick vegetable soup. Since this soup is made with onions, zucchini, carrots, tomatoes, green beans, and spinach leaves, this totally makes sense! And, don’t worry if you see different recipes with different veggies because minestrone soup isn’t a one-size recipe. Instead, it is designed to use whatever vegetables are in season.

Minestrone Soup Ingredients

Get out your shopping list and head to the produce section because that’s where you are going to get most of the ingredients to make this soup!

Olive oil: You can use canola, vegetable oil, or butter as well.
Onion: Yellow onions are the best for soups, but you can use any onion you like.
Carrots: In order for your carrots to fully cook, they will need to be peeled, quartered and sliced.
Zucchini: You will need to halve and slice your zucchini.
Spinach leaves: Spinach adds fiber, vitamins and nutrients to your soup. Use fresh baby spinach leaves.
Garlic: I like to buy already minced garlic in the jars, but you can use garlic cloves to make minced garlic.
Diced tomatoes: You’ll only need a 14 ounce can of dice tomatoes. Rotel is my favorite brand.
Vegetable broth: If you don’t have vegetable broth, you can also use chicken broth.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste is used as a thickener and will help to thicken up your soup.
Beans: For this recipe, you will use canned white beans, kidney beans, and green beans.
Shell pasta: You’ll want small shell pasta which is also called Conchiglie.
Italian seasoning: You can’t have an Italian dish without a little Italian seasoning.

How to Make Instant Pot Olive Garden Copycat Minestrone Soup

If you haven’t found the joy in using your Instant Pot, you definitely will with this delicious minestrone soup recipe. Making it in your Instant Pot is quick, easy, and hassle free.

Step 1: Sauté the Veggies

First, push your “sear” or “sauté” button on your Instant Pot. Once it is hot, add the oil. Then, sauté your onions and carrots for about 3-minutes. Next, add in the zucchini and sauté another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the minced garlic and stir for 30-seconds.

Step 2: Add All Your Ingredients

Hit cancel on your Instant Pot. Then, add your tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, beans, and green beans.

Step 3: Pressure Cook

Turn your instant pot on to pressure cook. Seal the lid and seal your ceiling valve by pushing it away from you and creating pressure. Hit the “manual” or “pressure cook” button and set your instant pot to 3 minutes.

Step 4: Quick Release

For this recipe, you can do a quick release by turning the sealing valve to the venting position. However, I recommend waiting about 10-minutes to prevent soup coming out of the vent as the pressure releases.

Step 5: Add Pasta

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 6: Add Spinach and Seasoning

Season the soup with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add in the spinach leaves and stir. Allow them to cook for about two minutes.

Step 7: Serve and Enjoy

Once the spinach has wilted, transfer your soup to your favorite soup bowl and add any more salt and pepper you may like. Enjoy!

How to Make Minestrone Soup in the Crockpot

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can easily make minestrone soup on your stovetop or in the crockpot. To make it in the crockpot, you will add all of your ingredients into the pot except the pasta, zucchini, green beans, and baby spinach and cook it on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 25-minutes before it’s ready, you will add the zucchini and pasta. Then, 5-minutes before serving you’ll add the green beans and spinach. You can get the full Crockpot Minestrone Soup Recipe, here.

Why is Minestrone Soup Good For You?

Minestrone soup is one of the healthiest soups for you. That’s because it’s packed with hearty vegetables that give you plenty of vitamins, nutrients, and fiber. Additionally, it’s low on carbs and packed with rich protein. You can even control the sodium level by choosing low sodium broth.

What is The Difference Between Minestrone Soup and Pasta Fagioli?

Minestrone soup and pasta fagioli are two Italian soups that are very similar. However, the main difference is the vegetables. Minestrone soup features a wide variety of vegetables whereas pasta fagioli emphasizes the pasta and the beans. Additionally, pasta fagioli is typically thicker and more stew-like than minestrone soup.

Side Dish Suggestions

This soup is hearty and delicious, and totally perfect without any sides. But, if you want to add a little variety to your dinner, here are some side dish ideas to get you started: