A quick fix soup with mixed vegetables and pasta made in Instant Pot. Be it for lunch or dinner; this vegan mixed vegetables and pasta soup will make a hearty meal.
This Instant Pot pasta recipe was one of my go-to recipes during our kitchen renovation. It’s super easy to make, and you can comfortably customize it with what you have in your pantry. Today I made it more like pasta soup/stew. I can call this as my vegan version of ratatouille pasta soup. :-)
Why is this Instant Pot mixed vegetable pasta amazing?
- It’s vegan and gluten-free. But of course, you can add cream and cheese. Both versions are delicious.
- It’s a great make-ahead recipe. We love this for our lunch also. I do pack this soup in a Thermos, especially for the kiddo.
- Great way to include all the veggies, and this pasta makes the vegetables much more delicious for sure.
- Easy customizable.
- Last but not least, it’s one-pot, and you can make it quickly.
I said you could customize this soup with what you have in your pantry. Let me explain that in detail here with the ingredient set that I used and what other alternatives you can choose.
Ingredients and Alternatives-
Oil –
While olive oil is preferable for this recipe, I have tried this with cold-pressed peanut oil and corn oil as well. For today’s recipe, I went with olive oil.
Vegetables –
Ah, this is where all the fun comes in. :-) Add in more or less of your favorite vegetables.
Onion & Garlic –
Let’s start with onions. I went with a medium-sized red onion, but you can also use yellow or white onions. If you notice, I did not include any garlic. Because I used garlicky marinara sauce, and I did not want to include more garlic. But you can add garlic cloves according to your preference.
Mixed Vegetables – I used the vegetables that we use for ratatouille and also added some broccoli that had been sitting in the fridge. You can include brussels sprouts, asparagus, butternut squash, cauliflower, and other veggies of your choice. Check the recipe notes for the timing if you are using sturdy vegetables.
Seasonings–
I used store-bought Italian seasonings and red chili flakes to spice the soup. You can adjust red chili flakes to taste or season it with freshly ground black pepper instead. Also, I used fresh basil, which adds that magical touch to the soup. But if you can’t source fresh basil, replace it with dried basil.
Now coming to salt. You need to add salt depending upon the marinara sauce. If it already contains salt, you need to add just a little for the veggies. So check your seasoning before adding salt.
Sauce-
I used the store-bought marinara sauce. You can use pizza sauce, pasta sauce or tomato basil sauce as well. I added ½ cup of water to thin the soup a bit. Instead, you can add broth of your choice for added flavor.
Pasta-
I used regular elbow pasta for this soup. You can use gluten-free pasta of your choice. But if you want to go for low-carb, skip the pasta and add any grain like barley or quinoa or bulgur wheat. You can even add beans. The cooking time might vary, though. I would recommend cooking the grains and beans separately and adding it later.
Coconut Milk-
Coconut milk is entirely optional. These days I am obsessed with coconut milk, and I like to add it to all my soup as it helps to balance out the flavors, and also it makes the soup slightly creamy. You can use regular cream and add cheese if required.
Now that I have explained all the ingredients, let me share how to make the pasta soup.
How to make mixed vegetable pasta soup in Instant Pot?
Prep-Work:
- Rinse and soak the pasta for 15 minutes.
- Chop the vegetables into chunks.
Steps-
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are soft. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Now add all the vegetables, salt, Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, and half of the fresh basil leaves torn into pieces.
- Next, add the drained pasta, marinara sauce, and water.
- Mix it thoroughly. It will slightly look thick. If you want more liquid in your soup, then add ½ more cup of water; if not, do not add any extra water.
- Close the Instant Pot. Make sure the sealing ring is on. The vent should be in the sealing position. Pressure cook this for 3 minutes at high-pressure mode, and when the cooking is complete, let the pressure release quickly.
- Carefully open the Instant Pot. Mix the pasta and the vegetables gently.
- Add the coconut milk and the remaining basil and let it simmer in saute mode for two to three minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and serve the soup warm.
Recipe Notes-
- Make sure to rinse and soak the pasta for atleast 15 minutes.
- Cut the vegetables into chunks, and you can use veggies like Brussels sprouts, asparagus, butternut squash as well.
- If you are using sturdy vegetables like potatoes, beets, carrots, the first cook the vegetables without adding pasta for two minutes and release the pressure after five minutes, then add the pasta and cook again for 3 minutes and quickly release the pressure. I would recommend the ratatouille vegetables for this pasta.
- Adjust the salt, spice, and seasonings according to your preference.
- You can replace fresh basil with dried basil. You can follow the conversion mentioned in this site.
- Instead of marinara sauce, you can use pasta or pizza or tomato-basil sauce also.
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📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Mixed Vegetable Pasta Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot 6 Quart
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion chopped (I used medium-sized red onion)
- 7 cups mixed veggies cut into chunks (I used yellow zucchini, green zucchini, broccoli, colored bell peppers, eggplant)
- ½ tbsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red chili flakes or to taste.
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup pasta rinsed and soaked in water for 15 minutes
- 2 tbsp basil fresh, roughly chopped or 1 tbsp dried basil
- ½ cup light coconut milk
Instructions
Prep-Work:
- Rinse and soak the pasta for 15 minutes.
- Chop the vegetables into chunks
Steps-
- Set the Instant Pot in saute mode and add oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onion and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onions are soft. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- Now add all the vegetables, salt, Italian seasoning, red chili flakes, and half of the fresh basil leaves torn into pieces.
- Next, add the drained pasta, marinara sauce, and water. Mix it thoroughly. I t will slightly look dry. If you want more liquid in your soup, then add ½ more cup of water; if not, do not add any extra water.
- Close the Instant Pot. Make sure the sealing ring is on. The vent should be in the sealing position. Pressure cook this for 3 minutes at high-pressure mode, and when the cooking is complete, let the pressure release quickly.
- Carefully open the Instant Pot. Mix the pasta and the vegetables gently. Add the coconut milk and the remaining basil and let it simmer in saute mode for two to three minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot and serve the soup warm.
Notes
- Make sure to rinse and soak the pasta for atleast 15 minutes.
- Cut the vegetables into chunks, and you can use veggies like Brussels sprouts, asparagus, butternut squash as well.
- If you are using sturdy vegetables like potatoes, beets, carrots, the first cook the vegetables without adding pasta for two minutes and release the pressure after five minutes, then add the pasta and cook again for 3 minutes and quickly release the pressure. I would recommend the ratatouille vegetables for this pasta.
- Adjust the salt, spice, and seasonings according to your preference.
- You can replace fresh basil with dried basil. You can follow the conversion mentioned in this site.
- Instead of marinara sauce, you can use pasta or pizza sauce also.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
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