Instant Pot Classic Vegetable Soup Recipe
A practical vegetable soup with browned tomato paste, tender potatoes and a bright finish. This measured version replaces the older article’s conflicting pressure times and unmeasured ingredient list.
Original recipe: About 6 servings (estimated).
Photo: Scott Teresi / Wikimedia Commons — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo source · License
How much are you cooking?
6 portions · 1 full batch · 2 portions now · 4 for later
Prepare whole original-size batches in the specified equipment; do not crowd a larger amount into the same pot.
For the original batch: Two people can have three 1 1/2-cup soup meals from an estimated 9-cup batch. Garlic toast or a bread roll adds substance. Refrigerate portions promptly; serve on three nearby days, refreshing the last bowl with a little lemon.
Choose the total you want to cook, including any portions reserved for another meal. Repeating this dish on your calendar uses that same batch.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 12 ounces potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
- 1 cup frozen green beans
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Method
- Use a 6-quart or larger pressure cooker and follow its manual. Set sauté mode. Heat oil, then cook onion, carrots and celery for 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, thyme and paprika for 1 minute.
- Add broth and scrape the bottom completely clean of browned bits. Add tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, salt and pepper. For soup, keep the contents below the cooker’s half-full mark; split into separate batches if necessary. Do not increase the batch inside the same cooker.
- Seal according to the manual and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes. Allow full natural pressure release; wait until the float drops on its own before opening. Allow roughly 10–15 minutes for pressure buildup and 15–25 minutes for release, in addition to the timed cooking.
- Stir in frozen peas and simmer uncovered on sauté for 3–5 minutes until hot. Check potatoes are tender. Stir in lemon juice, taste, and adjust salt or pepper if needed. Divide into about six portions; estimated yield is 9 cups.
- Stovetop alternative: use a 5-quart pot. After sautéing and adding broth and vegetables, simmer gently for 20–25 minutes until potatoes are tender. Add peas in the last 5 minutes, then finish with lemon. Add water if needed to restore a soupy consistency.
Serving, later meals and useful notes
Two people can have three 1 1/2-cup soup meals from an estimated 9-cup batch. Garlic toast or a bread roll adds substance. Refrigerate portions promptly; serve on three nearby days, refreshing the last bowl with a little lemon.
Divide reserved cooked food into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or colder. Use within 3–4 days, or any shorter limit noted here. Reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F, stirring liquids and checking several places. Bring soups and sauces to a boil when reheating. Keep fresh salad, bread and garnishes separate; warm only what you will eat.
Total yield is an estimate. Divide the finished batch evenly into the stated portions; measure the finished volume if you want a more exact serving size.
Put the meal together.
Choose the companions that help this meal. Portions and ingredients stay connected in your plan.
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These are published Cyrus Ramsey recipes; editorial checks are not a physical kitchen test.