This Instant Pot Minestrone Soup recipe is an Italian classic made with flavorful pancetta, hearty pasta, and a delicious tomato-based broth. Have this easy soup recipe on the table in just 25 minutes.
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Instant Pot Minestrone Soup is a game-changer for busy weeknights. Traditional stovetop versions often require long simmering times, but with the pressure cooker, you can enjoy this hearty soup in half the time. It’s perfect for those evenings when you need a quick and satisfying meal without much effort.
Like my chicken and rice soup, this recipe is a meal-prep hero, staying fresh in the fridge for up to five days. Make a batch on Sunday, and you'll have a flavorful, veggie-packed lunch ready to go all week. Plus, it’s easy to customize with leftover or seasonal vegetables, making it a versatile way to reduce food waste while enjoying a homemade classic.
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Fresh veggies. I stuck to the classics and used onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and fresh garlic cloves. Feel free to use what you have.
- Pancetta. Adding pancetta to your homemade minestrone instantly boosts and elevates the flavor. If you can't find pancetta, you can use bacon.
- Broth. Use either vegetable or chicken broth. I always recommend low-sodium broths so you can adjust the salt yourself.
- Small pasta. I recommend ditalini or orzo pasta, but small elbow or shell pasta can be used. Note that ditalini and orzo are smaller in volume and will fit more pasta into a ¾ cup measuring cup. If using a small shell pasta, you may want to use 1 cup.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Brown the pancetta
Heat olive oil in the inner pot using the sauté function. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until browned about 3 minutes. Remove and place it on a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess grease.
Cook the vegetables
Drain the excess grease from the pot, then add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and garlic and cook for 4 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.
Pressure cook
Add remaining ingredients except pancetta and spinach. Stir well to combine, scraping any bits up from the bottom, cover and pressure cook on manual high pressure for 5 minutes.
Stir in pancetta and spinach
Quick release the pressure then stir in the pancetta and baby spinach. Allow to sit for a few minutes until the spinach is lightly wilted. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread.
Sarah's Top Tips
- Don't allow a natural pressure release! This soup will overcook and disintegrate if you allow the pressure to naturally release. Always do a quick pressure release immediately once the timer goes off.
- I do not recommend freezing minestrone. Soups with pasta in general do not freeze well because the cooked pasta will absorb a majority of the liquid and become overly soft and grainy once defrosted.
Serving
This delicious soup recipe can be served as a stand-alone meal but is also great served with a side of bread, or simple side dishes such as Air Fryer Frozen Green Beans, Roasted Maple Brussels Sprouts, or Air Fried Frozen Brussels Sprouts.
Storage & Reheating
Leftover soup can be kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. For best results, allow the soup to cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Leftovers will thicken considerably so add additional broth as needed when reheating to thin the soup back out to your desired consistency.
More Soup Recipes
- Italian Pastina Soup45 Minutes
- Easy Broccoli Soup40 Minutes
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili35 Minutes
- Slow Cooker Irish Stew6 Hours 30 Minutes
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Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Cutting board
Save this Recipe!
Get the recipe link sent to your inbox so you can come back to it later!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 (4 ounce) package pancetta
- 1 yellow or white onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
- 3-4 cups vegetable broth
- ¾ cup small pasta, such as orzo or ditalini
- 5 ounces spinach
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot on sauté. Once hot, add the pancetta and cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove it from the pot onto a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess grease.
- Drain the grease from the Instant Pot. Next, add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and garlic to the pot and cook for about 4 minutes. Add more oil if necessary. Turn off the pot.
- Add in the salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, orzo, can of diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and veggie broth.
- Stir to combine, seal and pressure cook on high for 5 minutes.
- Quick release the pressure, stir in the pancetta and spinach and let it sit for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted.
- Top with grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve with crunchy bread.
Sarah's Tips
- Don't allow a natural pressure release! This soup will overcook and disintegrate if you allow the pressure to naturally release. Always do a quick pressure release immediately once the timer goes off.
- I do not recommend freezing minestrone. Soups with pasta in general do not freeze well because the cooked pasta will absorb a majority of the liquid and become overly soft and grainy once defrosted.
- Leftover soup can be kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. For best results, allow the soup to cool completely, then store in an airtight container.
- Leftovers will thicken considerably so add additional broth as needed when reheating to thin the soup back out to your desired consistency.
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