Minestrone
The Italians sure know how to make the ultimate vegetable soup. This one is easy on the waistline, but you’d never know it from how rich, comforting, and delicious it tastes.
Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 spanish onion or yellow, diced
2 large carrots peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch disks and then into quarters
3 celery ribs sliced
1 zucchini sliced into 1/4 inch disks and then into quarters
3 garlic cloves minced or pressed
6 cups vegetable broth
28 oz can crushed tomatoes I like San Marzano
14-1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
15-1/2 oz can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
15-1/2 oz can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp seasoned salt
1 cup pipette pasta ditalini or mini shells work well here too
10-oz box frozen cut green beans
5 to 8-oz baby spinach
Grated parmesan cheese for serving (optional)
Instructions:
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Place the olive oil in the Instant Pot and hit Sauté and Adjust so it’s on the More or High setting. After 3 minutes, once the oil is heated, add the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened. Add the garlic, mix well, and cook for another minute, until fragrant.
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Add the broth, crushed and diced tomatoes, kidney and cannellini beans, oregano, basil, thyme, pepper, and seasoned salt and stir.
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Stir in the pasta and frozen cut green beans, and top with the baby spinach but do not stir—just lay the spinach on top of the broth and veggies. It will seem like a lot and be close to the brim of the pot, but it cooks down to nothing.
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Secure the lid, move the valve to the sealing position, hit Keep Warm/Cancel and then on High Pressure for 5 minutes, and follow with a Quick Release when done. Stir well.
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Serve topped with grated Parmesan, if desired, and some warm, crusty bread.
RECIPE NOTES
Jeff’s Tips: The soup will take a little while to come to pressure and to quick release due to all the liquid in the pot, so do be patient. Don’t want the extra carbs? Leave out the pasta.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4- 6
By: Jeffrey Eisner
Photography by Aleksey Zozulya
