This recipe was almost too easy to post, but I’m sharing it anyway! It’s a vegetarian vegetable soup, and you can make it with a handful of pantry and freezer staples.
I usually prefer to cook with fresh ingredients, but sometimes I just want something nutritious that doesn’t take too much work. When I’m short on time, I’m happy to rely on minimally processed canned and frozen foods. There’re always a few cans of organic tomatoes and beans in my pantry, and a baggie or two of mixed vegetables in my freezer.
Speaking of pantry staples, I always have at least one variety of reduced sodium, organic Better Than Bouillon in my fridge. I dunno about you, but I’m not always prepared with homemade stock on hand! This post is not sponsored by Better Than Bouillon (or anybody), but my kitchen might as well be. It’s second nature for me now to flip on the electric kettle whenever I’m making a soup, stew, or braise. A cup of piping hot water mixed with a teaspoon of the concentrated paste is equal to a cup of low sodium broth, and the jar takes up way less space than shelf-stable quarts or cans. It also keeps much longer in the fridge after being opened.
Another advantage of using boiling hot broth is that it shortens the time that the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure, especially when other cold or frozen foods are in the mix. This recipe uses a bag of frozen veggies, but when combined with 3 cups of hot broth, they defrost pretty quickly! The pot only took about 10 minutes to come up to pressure.
I know this soup is really simple. It’s not something I’d serve at a dinner party, but it’s perfect for unfussy weeknight cooking, and I’ve been eating the leftovers for lunch all week. I hope you enjoy it!
Instant Pot Pantry Vegetable Soup (Easy and Fast!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 rib celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon low sodium Better Than Bouillon any variety
- 1 1-pound bag frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes and their liquid
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Select the Sauté setting and heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot. Add the celery and onion and sauté until the onion begins to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- While the celery and onion are cooking, heat the water in an electric kettle, in the microwave (in a microwave-safe measuring cup), or in a small saucepan on the stove. When the water is boiling, stir in the Better Than Bouillon to dissolve.
- Stir the frozen vegetables, tomatoes, and kidney beans in with the celery and onions in the Instant Pot, then pour in the broth.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Cancel the cooking program, then select the Pressure Cook or Manual program and set the cooking time to 5 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cooking program ends, perform a quick release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting, or let the pressure release naturally. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.
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I thought this was great. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Think I can double this recipe in an 8 qt IP? I have to make soup for a crowd.
I think you can, yes! Just make sure the pot is no more than 2/3rds full. For safety and to be extra sure you’ll avoid a spurting mess, I’d give it 15 minutes or so after the cooking program ends before releasing the pressure, since the larger volume of food will have built up more heat and steam.
So easy. Really enjoyed it. Added lots of garlic, basil, oregano and thyme.
Yay, so glad you liked it, Mary!
Making this delicious soup is now a weekly event for me and I often make enough to freeze. My husband (who has a general aversion to anything healthy) loves it. I follow the recipe pretty exactly, except I add red cabbage for a little extra nutrition, plus I like cabbage in soups. Thanks so much for this great recipe!
Love this recipe! There is nothing better than homemade soup and a fresh batch of bread or buns from the oven :). I use this recipe as a guideline as I don’t think I have ever made it the same way twice – I change it around depending on the season adding fresh vegetables or canned and sometimes chicken. So quick and easy!