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Instant Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup, instant pot soup recipes
Brittany Stage

Instant Pot Tuscan White Bean Soup

This hearty Italian-style soup builds deep flavor from pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and a Parmesan rind simmered right in the broth. Dried cannellini beans pressure cook to a creamy, tender bite while fresh baby spinach finishes everything off at the end.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 390

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb dried cannellini beans soaked in cold water overnight, drained and rinsed
  • 4 oz pancetta diced into small cubes
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes oil-packed, roughly chopped
  • 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1 piece Parmesan rind about 2 to 3 inches, fresh or frozen
  • 3 cups baby spinach loosely packed
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tbsp olive oil for sauteing if needed

Equipment

  • 6-quart or larger Instant Pot
  • cutting board
  • chef's knife
  • wooden spoon
  • ladle

Method
 

  1. Set your Instant Pot to Saute on Normal heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 to 5 minutes until the fat renders and the edges start to brown. You want some color on the pancetta because that fond on the bottom of the pot is pure flavor.
  2. Add the diced onion and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring a few times, until it softens and turns translucent. Stir in the minced garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. If anything looks like it is sticking, add the tablespoon of olive oil.
  3. Pour in about 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This step prevents a burn warning during pressure cooking and those bits add great flavor to the broth.
  4. Add the drained cannellini beans, canned diced tomatoes with their juices, remaining chicken broth, rosemary sprig, Parmesan rind, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together. Press Cancel to turn off Saute mode.
  5. Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and pressure cook on High for 35 minutes. When the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for at least 15 minutes before carefully switching the valve to Venting to release any remaining steam.
  6. Open the lid and fish out the rosemary sprig and Parmesan rind. The rind will be soft and swollen but you do not want to eat it. Give the soup a good stir. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust as needed.
  7. Stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time. It will wilt in about 1 to 2 minutes from the residual heat. Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread for soaking up the broth. A little extra shaved Parmesan on top never hurts.

Notes

Save Parmesan rinds in a labeled zip bag in the freezer. They keep for several months and add a restaurant-level richness to any bean or vegetable soup without any extra effort.