15-30 min6 servingsAmerican

Pesto Minestrone Soup

By Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

6 servings

15-30 min

Easy

Recipe Details

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 8 min

Total Time: 15-30 min

Cooking Technique: Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook, Slow Cook

Cuisine: American

Diet: Low Carb

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 cups vegetable broth
15 ounces white beans
4 large round red tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
2 medium carrots
2 medium celery ribs
1 medium zucchini
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
3 medium garlic cloves
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 ounces whole-wheat, or gluten-free elbow macaroni
2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

This summer delight is a version of minestrone with the flavors of pesto: lots of basil and some nuts, even cheese stirred in at the end. We didn’t sauté the onions and other vegetables first because we wanted a cleaner, brighter flavor. The soup’s actually a bit sour, best on a warm evening (with a G&T—trust us). Calm it down with lots of crunchy bread to sop up every drop.

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix the broth, beans, tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, basil, walnuts, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes in the cooker. Stir in the pasta and lock the lid onto the pot.
Optional 1 Max Pressure Cooker
Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 6 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Optional 2 All Pressure Cookers
Press Soup/Broth or Pressure cook (Manual) on High pressure for 8 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
Option 3 Slow Cook
Press Slow Cook option on High for 3 hours with Keep Warm setting off (or on for no more than 2 hours)
If you’ve used a pressure-cooking setting, use the quick-release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal.
Unlatch the lid and open the pot. Stir in the cheese, set the lid askew over the pot, and set aside for about 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

Notes

Beyond
• You must half the recipe for a 3-quart cooker.
• Make the soup less sour by adding up to 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar with the vegetables.
• Substitute 1/4 cup pine nuts for the walnuts.
• Substitute 6 ounces spiraled zucchini for the zucchini slices.
• Finish the bowls with a drizzle of fine, aromatic olive oil.

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About the chef

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

In this duo, Bruce Weinstein is the chef and Mark Scarbrough, the writer. Together, they’ve published over 35 cookbooks, hit international best-seller lists, won national and international awards, and have been interviewed by the best, from Lester Holt to Barbara Walters. Weinstein also writes knitting books, designs patterns, and teaches knitting workshops. Besides writing their cookbooks, Scarbrough also teaches literature classes; has a podcast called Walking With Dante, where he takes you on journey from hell to paradise; and has written a memoir, BOOKMARKED: HOW THE GREAT WORKS OF WESTERN LITERATURE F*CKED UP MY LIFE.

View All Bruce's Recipes