Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli
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With this Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli, you get all the flavors of a traditional Italian soup, but without the wait. Packed with hearty ingredients like beans, pasta, and veggies, it’s a satisfying, feel-good meal ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for when you need dinner on the table fast!
This Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli is my go-to when I need a hearty, flavorful meal fast. It’s loaded with pasta, beans, and veggies in a rich tomato broth, all made in just 30 minutes. The Instant Pot does the hard work while you sit back, and the result is a cozy, Italian-inspired dish that tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.
Before You Start
- Prep your ingredients: Chop your veggies, mince the garlic, and get everything ready before you start. It makes the cooking process smoother since this dish comes together quickly.
- Don’t skip the sauté: Sautéing the veggies in the Instant Pot before adding the rest of the ingredients deepens the flavor. It’s a quick step but makes a big difference.
- Use a Parmesan rind: If you have one, toss a Parmesan rind in with the soup. It adds an extra layer of rich, savory flavor that takes this soup to the next level.
- Natural release is key: Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for about 10 minutes. This helps the flavors develop and prevents the soup from splattering if you release the steam too quickly.
- Choose the right pasta: Smaller pasta shapes like rotini, elbow macaroni, or ditalini work best in this soup. They cook evenly and hold up well in the broth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Olive oil: We will use this to sauté all our fresh veggies.
- Onion, celery, and carrots: This is the aromatic base for our soup made up of carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. These 3 ingredients are a very important base so be sure to include them!
- Garlic: For that punch of flavor! Fresh garlic is best, but jarred minced garlic works too.
- Salt and pepper: To season the soup and bring all the flavors together. Adjust to taste!
- Chili garlic sauce or hot sauce: This adds a little kick. You can leave it out if you don’t like spice, or sub in a dash of red pepper flakes.
- Fresh rosemary: Adds a nice herby flavor. Dried rosemary works too, just use a little less.
- Cannellini beans (white kidney beans): These add protein and texture. You can swap for any white beans like navy or great northern.
- Pasta (rotini, gemelli, or elbow macaroni): Use whatever small pasta you have on hand, but these shapes work best in soups.
- Diced tomatoes: Adds a tangy, rich tomato flavor to the broth.
- Chicken broth: The base of your soup. Use low-sodium so you can control the salt, or veggie broth to make this vegetarian.
- Bay leaves: These add a subtle earthy flavor. Don’t forget to fish them out before serving!
- Parmesan rind (optional): Toss this in for a deeper, richer flavor, but don’t worry if you don’t have one – the soup will still taste great!
Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting and add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Let it heat up for a few seconds. Add 1 large chopped onion, 2 chopped celery stalks, 2 chopped carrots, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Stir and sauté for about 1 minute, just until the onion starts to soften a bit.
Tip: Sautéing the veggies first adds a depth of flavor to the soup that you just can’t skip!
Next, add 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper, 2 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce), and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary. Stir in a 15.5-ounce can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, 5 ounces of pasta (like rotini, gemelli, or elbow macaroni), a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes, 4 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, and if you have one, toss in a Parmesan rind.
Tip: That Parmesan rind? It’s going to add a whole lot of rich, savory flavor to your soup. If you don’t have one, no worries, but if you do, throw it in!
Close the Instant Pot lid and set it to high pressure (Manual setting) for 3 minutes. Once the cooking cycle finishes, let the Instant Pot naturally release the pressure for about 10 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can quick release, but just be careful!
Tip: The natural release lets the flavors meld together, and it’s a bit gentler on the soup, especially with all the pasta.
Open the lid and carefully remove the Parmesan rind and bay leaves. Give the soup a good stir and taste for seasoning. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Serve warm.
Instant Pot
I love using my Instant Pot, and it’s probably one of my most used appliances in my kitchen. I have the 6-quart Instant Pot which is big enough for all the recipes I’ve shared with you.
How To Serve
This Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty dish on its own, but I love serving it with something to soak up all that delicious broth or add a bit of crunch on the side. Here are some ideas to serve alongside this soup:
Easy Garlic Bread
Antipasto Platter
Easy Focaccia
Olive Tapenade
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
Yes, you can, but you’ll need to cook them first. Using dried beans would require more cooking time and extra liquid. For convenience, I recommend sticking with canned beans for this quick recipe.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftover Pasta e Fagioli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little broth if the soup thickens too much.
Can I freeze this soup?
Absolutely! Let the soup cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep well for up to 3 months. Just be aware that the pasta might get a bit soft when reheated, so you can cook the pasta separately and add it when serving if preferred.
How do I reheat frozen Pasta e Fagioli?
Thaw the soup overnight in the fridge, then reheat it in a pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Add a splash of broth or water if it’s too thick, and stir occasionally until warmed through.
More Delicious Instant Pot Recipes
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Shawarma
- Butter Chicken
- Swedish Meatballs
- Mongolian Beef
- Zuppa Toscana
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
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Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli
Video
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (or hot sauce)
- 1 tablespoon rosemary (fresh, chopped)
- 15.5 ounces cannellini beans ((white kidney beans), drained and rinsed)
- 5 ounces pasta (such as rotini, gemelli, or elbow macaroni)
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 2 bay leaves (dried)
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to the saute setting. (See your manufacturer’s guide for detailed instructions on how to use your instant pot.)
- Add the olive oil to the instant pot and let it heat for a few seconds, then add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Stir and saute for about 1 minute until the onion softens a bit.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the instant pot and stir.
- Close the lid (follow the manufacturer’s guide for instructions on how to close the instant pot lid). Cook on high pressure (Manual setting) for 3 minutes.
- Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, wait until the natural release cycle is complete, should take about 10 minutes. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for quick release, if in a rush. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.
- Remove the Parmesan rind, then garnish with parsley, Parmesan cheese and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- If you don’t have cannellini beans, you can substitute with great northern or navy beans.
- Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or less chili garlic sauce.
- For extra flavor, toss in a Parmesan rind while cooking and remove it before serving.
- If the soup thickens too much after sitting, just add a bit more broth when reheating.
- This soup freezes well, but the pasta might get soft. For best results, cook the pasta separately if you plan to freeze.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
