Instant Pot White Minestrone Soup Recipe for Quick Weeknights

If you’ve tried classic minestrone, you know it’s a tomato-forward Italian vegetable soup scattered with pasta. This version removes the tomatoes and finishes with a creamy dairy blend for a delicate, comforting White Minestrone. Think of it as a vegetarian take on chicken & dumplings: hearty beans, tender vegetables and small pasta shapes in a rich, savory broth finished with herb cheese, cream and Parmesan. It’s become a favorite for its comforting texture and bright, layered flavor. Serve it with a Parmesan crisp or warm crusty bread for dunking.

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Instant Pot White Minestrone Soup

Pre-Pressure Cooking

Butter added to Instant Pot — Begin by adding butter to the Instant Pot.

Melted butter in pot — Heat until melted.

Adding mirepoix to pot — Add a mirepoix: shallot (or onion), celery and carrot.

Sautéing mirepoix — Sauté a few minutes to build a flavorful base and color.

Adding garlic to pot — Add garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.

Adding white wine to pot — Deglaze with dry white wine for depth (optional). If you skip wine, add extra broth.

Adding broth to pot — Add chicken or garlic broth to create the soup base.

Adding seasonings to pot — Season with seasoned salt or Creole seasoning, Italian seasoning, thyme and black pepper.

Adding beans to pot — Add drained and rinsed beans for protein and body.

Adding green beans to pot — Add frozen cut green beans.

Adding ditalini to pot — Add small pasta such as ditalini, pipette or mini shells.

Stirring pot — Stir everything to combine.

Topping pot with spinach — Top with baby spinach without stirring — it will wilt down during cooking.

Post-Pressure Cooking

Soup after pressure cooking — After pressure cooking the spinach will be fully wilted.

Stirring soup — Stir and take in the hearty mix of vegetables, beans and pasta. Now finish with the dairy.

Adding herb cheese to soup — Add herb cheese (such as Boursin) for a creamy, savory boost.

Adding cream to soup — Stir in heavy cream or half-and-half to enrich the broth.

Adding Parmesan to soup — Finish with grated Parmesan and stir until fully combined.

Stirring until dairy is combined with the soup — Stir until the soup turns a brilliant creamy white and the cheese melts into the broth.

Ladle of soup — Ladle into bowls and prepare garnishes.

Soup in bowl with cheese crisp next to it — Garnish with extra Parmesan, a Parmesan crisp or crusty bread.

The Taste Test

Man holding bowl of soup — The finished bowl offers lovely color and comforting aromas—ready to taste.

Man trying soup — Rich, savory and creamy — every spoonful is satisfying.

Man kissing fingers — White Minestrone earns a chef’s kiss for its balanced flavors and comforting finish.

Yield: 6

Instant Pot White Minestrone Soup

If you’ve had minestrone soup, you know it’s the Italian tomato-based vegetable soup with pasta. By removing tomatoes and adding a creamy dairy finish, this White Minestrone becomes a silky, comforting soup reminiscent of chicken & dumplings but vegetarian-friendly. It pairs beautifully with a Parmesan crisp or crusty bread.

Prep Time
15 minutes

Cook Time
5 minutes

Additional Time
5 minutes

Total Time
20 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
2 large shallots, diced
2 large carrots, peeled, sliced into 1/4-inch disks and then into quarters
3 ribs celery, sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
5 1/2 cups chicken or garlic broth (use 6 cups if not using wine)
1 (15.5-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons seasoned salt or Creole seasoning
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 ounces frozen green beans
1 cup ditalini, pipette or mini shell pasta
5–8 ounces baby spinach
1 (5.2-ounce) package herb cheese (Boursin or similar)
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

Instructions

Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (More/High). Add butter; once melted, add shallot, carrots and celery (mirepoix). Sauté about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add the white wine (if using), broth, beans, seasoned salt, Italian seasoning, thyme, pepper, frozen green beans and pasta. Stir to combine.
Top with the spinach without stirring—just lay it on top. It will seem full but the spinach will collapse as it cooks.
Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Select Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes. Quick release when finished.
Stir in the herb cheese, heavy cream (or half-and-half) and Parmesan. Stir until the cheeses melt and the soup is creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with additional Parmesan or a Parmesan crisp, if desired.

Jeffrey’s Tips

If you want a meaty version, add 1 to 1 1/2 pounds uncased Italian sausage in Step 1 when you add the garlic and sauté until browned and crumbled.