Description
Instant Pot Minestrone. A warming bean, pasta, and vegetable soup, made with quick-soaked dried beans. Inspired by Lidia Bastianich's Minestrone Recipe.
Ingredients
Beans and Soaking
- 8 ounces dried Borlotti (cranberry) beans (or Cannellini beans, or Garbanzo beans, or a mix of all three), sorted and rinsed
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt for soaking (optional, see instructions)
- 8 cups water
Minestrone Soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 ounces diced pancetta or bacon (optional)
- 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick half-moons
- 1 stalk celery, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning (or dried basil)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 8 cups water (or homemade vegetable broth)
- 14.5-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- Large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup shredded cabbage (about 2 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 medium zucchini, trimmed and sliced into ½ inch moons
- 1 cup ditalini (or other small pasta)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (optional)
- Grated pecorino Romano cheese
Instructions
- Sort and rinse the beans: Sort the beans, discarding any stones, dirt, or broken beans. Rinse the beans. Then, do an overnight or quick soak:
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Overnight soak: Cover the beans with 8 cups of water and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of salt. Leave the beans to soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the beans and set them aside.
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OR: Pressure Quick Soak for 1 minute with a 30-minute rest: Put the beans, 8 cups of water, and 2 teaspoons of salt in an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker. Pressure cook at high pressure for 1 minute ("Manual" or "Pressure Cook" mode in an Instant Pot). Quick Release the pressure, then let the beans sit for 30 minutes. Drain the beans and set them aside.
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Sauté the pancetta and aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an Instant Pot set to Sauté mode, or use medium heat for any other pressure cooker. Add the pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sprinkle with the crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Sauté until the onions soften, about 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot occasionally with a flat-edged wooden spoon to make sure none of the onions are sticking.
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Add the beans, broth, and vegetables: Stir the soaked beans into the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth, then add the crushed tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, and a teaspoon of fine sea salt.
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Pressure Cook for 15 minutes with a quick pressure release: Lock the lid on the pressure cooker. Pressure cook on high pressure for 15 minutes in an Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker or for 12 minutes in a stovetop PC. (Use Manual, Pressure Cook, or Pressure Cook - custom mode in an Instant Pot. ) Quick release the pressure in the pot.
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Simmer the zucchini and pasta: Remove the lid carefully, opening it away from you – even when it's not under pressure, the steam in the cooker is very hot. Set the cooker to Sauté mode - high (or medium-high heat), cover (but don't lock the lid), and bring the pot to a boil. Stir the zucchini and pasta into the simmering pot and cook for 8 minutes or for the time listed on the pasta package. Stir in ½ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper and (optionally) the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle each bowl with some grated pecorino Romano, serve, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Weeknight Dinner
- Method: Pressure Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian