Instant pot minestrone with pesto
2
Points®
Total time: 2 hr 30 min • Prep: 45 min • Cook: 1 hr 45 min • Serves: 8 • Difficulty: Easy
Heating the broth before adding it to the Instant Pot will cut back on the overall cooking time.
Ingredients
Olive oil
1 tsp(s)
Onion
1 medium, finely chopped
Carrots
1 large, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
Celery
1 stalk(s), large, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Garlic
3 clove(s), large, minced
Canned unsalted tomato paste
1 tbsp(s)
Dry white beans
8 oz, cannellini variety, picked over and rinsed (about 1 1/4 cups)
Bay leaf
1 leaf/leaves
Fresh thyme
1 sprig(s)
Reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cup(s), or vegetable broth, heated
String beans
¼ pound(s), trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Zucchini
2 medium, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
Canned crushed tomatoes
28 oz
Table salt
¼ tsp(s), or to taste
Kale
5 oz, baby variety
Fresh basil
2 cup(s), fresh
Garlic
1 clove(s), small, coarsely chopped
Pine nuts
2 tbsp(s), toasted
Table salt
¼ tsp(s)
Olive oil
1 tbsp(s)
Water
1 tbsp(s)
Grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp(s)
Instructions
1
To make soup, turn on the sauté function of a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot; add oil. When oil shimmers, add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook, stirring a few times, 30 seconds more. Turn machine off.
2
Add dried beans, cheese rind (if using), bay leaf, thyme, and hot broth. Close the pot and seal the vent; set to high pressure for 35 minutes. (It may take as much as 20 minutes for the machine to reach full pressure.)
3
When pressure cooker beeps, release the pressure manually. Stir in green beans, zucchini, crushed tomatoes, and salt. Add kale, pressing gently to submerge, but don’t stir. Reseal Instant Pot; cook for another 10 minutes on high pressure.
4
Meanwhile, to make pesto, pulse basil, garlic, pine nuts, and salt in a food processor until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in oil and water; process until mixture is smooth. Stir in grated cheese.
5
When machine beeps, wait 5-10 minutes, then release remaining pressure. Discard cheese rind (if using), bay leaf, and thyme sprig before serving; serve soup topped with pesto.
6
Serving size: 1 ½ c soup and 2 tsp pesto
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