Instant Pot Minestrone Soup

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!

Instructions

1. 1

   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.

2. 2

   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.

3. 3

   While it’s cooking make the Gremolata.

4. 4

   Once the ten minutes are up, release the pressure manually (throw a kitchen towel over the pressure release valve to help mitigate the steam).

5. 5

   Taste and add more salt, to taste. Add pepper and chili flakes if you like. If it tastes bland, it needs salt. 😉

6. 6

   Serve in bowls with Gremolata, crusty bread and optional grated pecorino or parmesan if you like.