Instant Pot White Bean Soup

Instant pot white bean soup is a weeknight favorite at my house. It is packed with healthy vegetables like carrots, zucchini, and spinach.

This instant pot white bean soup recipe is a must-try. It can be a vegan or vegetarian soup recipe that can be adapted to fit your needs.

All of the ingredients for the white bean soup can be easily found in the grocery store, including budget-friendly grocery stores like Aldi.

The white beans - either Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans - are easy to find in a can and are packed with fiber and protein, which helps you stay full even though you are eating a healthy soup recipe.

What in ingredients do you need for Instant Pot white bean soup?

The ingredients for this simple white bean soup recipe are easy to find. The ingredients include:

• Oil of choice
• Garlic
• White or yellow onion
• Carrots
• Zucchini
• Fresh spinach
• White beans (Great Northern beans or Cannellini beans)
• Boneless chicken thighs or chicken breast (optional)
• Broth (chicken or vegetable broth)
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, oregano, and parsley

How do you make Instant Pot white bean soup?

This Instant Pot white bean soup recipe is easy to make and doesn't require a lot of cooking experience.

Step 1: First, select the Instant Pot saute function. Add a little oil once the pan is hot. Add the chopped onions and continue cooking until translucent.

Step 2: Add a little minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, or until fragrant.

Step 3: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth. Stir in the diced carrots and zucchini. Add the chicken thighs if you are adding chicken to the Instant Pot white bean soup. Drain and rinse the white beans and add to the pan along with the spices. Do not add the spinach at this time.

Step 5: Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the valve to "sealing" and use the manual function to set the time. Select 5 minutes without the chicken and 10 minutes if adding defrosted chicken thighs. If you are using frozen chicken thighs, select 15 minutes. It will take several minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure before the cooking time begins.

Step 6: After the Instant Pot has completed the cooking time, let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure for 5-10 minutes before turning the valve to "release."

Step 7: Stir in the spinach and serve. The chicken usually shreds very easily after it is cooked. However, you may need to gently shred the chicken to create bite-sized pieces.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use an Instant Pot. I absolutely love Instant Pot soup recipes. This White Bean Soup recipe is a great healthy soup recipe to try in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Follow all of the steps in the recipe. Use your InstantPot's "saute" function when cooking the onions and garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the spinach), secure the lid, set the valve to "sealing" and use the manual function to set the time to 5 minutes without the chicken and 10 minutes if adding defrosted chicken thighs (you may need more time if the chicken thighs are added when they are frozen).
2. Sear the chicken. The chicken can be seared and browned using the "saute" function of the Instant Pot before the vegetables and the broth are added. This helps add some additional flavor. However, I usually skip this step when I'm in a hurry.
3. Make it extra creamy. You can change the texture of the Instant Pot White Bean Soup without adding extra calories by using a blender to puree a cup or two of the white beans, veggies, and broth mixture. Add this thick puree back into the soup for a thicker consistency.
4. Shred the chicken. The chicken will shred very easily after it is cooked. However, you may need to gently shred the chicken to create bite-sized pieces before serving.
5. Serve with bread. The white bean soup is fantastic with a buttery piece French or Italian bread.