Instant Pot Quinoa Minestrone
Instant Pot Quinoa Minestrone is an easy and delicious minestrone soup recipe that cooks in the Instant Pot in 15 minutes!
After a crazy October snowstorm here in Minnesota this week, I'm in full-on soup mode. While I happen to be partial to creamier soups, I absolutely love a veggie-packed minestrone soup. This Instant Pot Quinoa Minestrone was inspired by my Instant Pot Minestrone recipe that I posted last year, with a few key changes.
The obvious change is that I used quinoa instead of some sort of pasta. This ups the protein in the soup and I find it is much more filling than when I make it with pasta. In this recipe I don't use any sort of bacon or pancetta, making it completely vegetarian. Lastly, I added a generous amount of pesto to this recipe, which adds great flavor to the soup.
Ingredients in Butternut Squash Quinoa Minestrone
Onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Butternut Squash
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
Dried Oregano
Dried Basil
Pesto
Quinoa
Vegetable Broth
Kale
Can This Be Made On the Stove Top?
Yes! This minestrone recipe can definitely be made on the stove top instead of the Instant Pot. Simply, you will follow all of the steps listed except instead of cooking it for 5 minutes on high pressure, you will bring the pot to a boil and simmer for 15-ish minutes, until the quinoa is cooked.
Can This Be Made In the Slow Cooker?
Absolutely. For the slow cooker version, you can add all of the ingredients aside from the kale, and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Then stir in the kale and cook another 10-15 minutes, until wilted.
Like this recipe? Check these out, too!
Butternut Squash Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Instant Pot Quinoa Minestrone
An easy and healthy recipe for minestrone made in the instant pot with quinoa and butternut squash.
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 3 carrots (peeled and diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups butternut squash (diced into ½" chunks (about 1 small-medium butternut squash))
- 14 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoon basil pesto
- 1 cup quinoa
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups chopped kale
- shredded Parmesan (for topping)
Turn Instant Pot/pressure cooker to brown/saute function.
Add the olive oil.
Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
Add the garlic, oregano, basil, and salt, and stir to combine.
Add the butternut squash, diced tomatoes, pesto, quinoa, and broth, and stir to combine.
Place lid on Instant Pot/pressure cooker, and seal the pressure valve.
Cook on high for 5 minutes.
Once cooking has finished, release the pressure.
Stir in the chopped kale and let it sit in the hot soup for about 5 minutes.
Serve soup topped with shredded Parmesan.
Enjoy!
To make on the stovetop: Cook as directed, except after adding the quinoa, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa has cooked. Add kale for last 2-3 minutes.
To make in slow cooker: Add all ingredients to slow cooker except for kale and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Add kale for last 30 minutes.
