Breaking news: I got an Instant Pot for Christmas. And I will probably use it every week for the rest of my life.
Seriously though, it’s so easy to just throw everything into a pot and let it cook while I do other things. It’s a step above a crock pot because it has multiple features like sautéeing in the pot or quickly cooking fish, beans, or lentils. The less time it takes, the better.
This soup is the first soup I made in the Instant Pot and it came together seamlessly. It takes about 20 minutes to chop and sauté everything, but after that you just hit a button and you’re good to go! The recipe is below, feel free to adapt as needed. This soup can also be made on the stovetop, instructions for how to do so are at the bottom.
instant pot italian soup
ingredients
- 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 bunch of celery, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, chopped
- 8 oz. container of mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups dried cannellini beans
- 1 bunch kale, chopped
- 1 package Al Fresco all-natural pre-cooked Italian sausage (Sweet Apple flavor would be good too!)
- 3 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp salt-free Italian or Tuscan seasoning
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 tbs olive oil
- Dash of balsamic vinegar (optional, I like a slight tang to my soups)
directions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté or brown, depending on your brand of Instant Pot.
- When the pot is hot, add the olive oil, onions, celery, carrots, and mushrooms. Cook until the onion is tender and translucent, about 5-8 minutes.
- Press stop/cancel on the InstantPot and add all of the remaining ingredients, except for the sausage and the kale.
- Make sure the soup ingredients are well combined and then cover the Instant Pot. Set it to high pressure for one hour.
- When the soup is done cooking, add the kale and sausage while it’s still hot. Stir well.
Serve the soup hot with an optional sprinkle of cheese! The soup can also be served over orzo, quinoa, or brown rice if desired.
*Note: This recipe can be made without an Instant Pot too! Just pre-cook the beans or use canned beans. Follow the same steps and let the soup simmer on the stove for about 30-45 minutes.