Easy Instant Pot Vegetable Soup With Frozen Vegetables
If you're looking for an easy, weeknight recipe to help you keep up with your New Year's resolutions, check out this delicious Vegetable Soup. Perfect for cleaning out your freezer, it is endlessly adaptable to whatever vegetables you have on hand.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 C Mirepoix (carrots, celery, & yellow onions) or chopped aromatics of choice (frozen okay)
- 8-10 cloves Garlic minced
- 6 C Stock or Broth see notes
- 28 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes and their broth
- 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes scrubbed and medium diced, optional
- 2 Dried Bay Leaves
- 1 Tbsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley
- 2 bags Frozen Veggies of Choice
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to sauté over medium heat, add a glug of olive oil and tip in your mirepoix. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the veggies are beginning to soften a bit and the onions are becoming translucent.8 C Mirepoix (carrots, celery, & yellow onions)
- Tip in your minced garlic. Stir and continue to sauté until fragrant, around 30-45 seconds. Add in your canned tomatoes, potatoes (if using), dried herbs and broth. Stir to combine.8-10 cloves Garlic, 6 C Stock or Broth, 28 oz Canned Diced Tomatoes, 3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, 2 Dried Bay Leaves, 1 tablespoon Dried Thyme, 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley
- Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, then set it to pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. Naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes, then manually release whatever steam is left. Be careful not to burn yourself on the steam!!
- Remove the lid of the Instant Pot and switch it back to the sauté function over medium heat. Add in your frozen veggies here, stirring to combine. Cook until the frozen veggies are warmed through and are soft enough for your liking.2 bags Frozen Veggies of Choice
- Season with salt and pepper as needed. Scoop into bowls and top with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar or hot sauce, a dollop of pesto or a sprinkling of cheese depending on how you're feeling. Dig in and reap all the benefits of your delicious vegetable soup!Kosher Salt and Pepper
Notes
- I used chicken bone broth, but any vegetable broth or chicken/turkey/beef stock would work. You can also sub a combination of water, wine, bouillon, carrot or tomato juice depending on what you have on hand!
- Soup will refrigerate well for up to a week, or freeze for up to three months.
- Make sure to leave ½" of room in your containers if freezing to allow for expansion.
- See blog post at https://confessionsofagroceryaddict.com/easy-instant-pot-vegetable-soup for more notes on different substitutions you can make for vegetables, herbs and spices! Here are just a few ideas:
Southern-Inspired:
Use the Trinity (green bell peppers, celery, and onions) instead of mirepoix, lean on Cajun seasoning for your salt and spice, and build around vegetables common in Southern cooking. Think tomatoes, okra, dark leafy greens like collards or kale, sweet corn, green beans, bell peppers, and zucchini. This version is especially hearty and flexible. Bulk it up with red beans or kidney beans, stir in cooked rice, or add protein like chicken, sausage, or even frozen shrimp straight from the freezer. A splash of hot sauce and sprinkle of parsley at the end will make it feel straight-up gourmet.Asian-Inspired
Skip the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley and lean into ginger, garlic, onions, and maybe a fresh chile for heat. Add vegetables you’d typically see in a stir-fry: snap peas, snow peas, shelled edamame, bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, or canned bamboo shoots. Season the broth with soy sauce, fish sauce, and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. For extra depth, add a strip of kombu while cooking, or stir in shredded seaweed or furikake at the end. You can go brothy and light, or creamy and tangy with a splash of coconut milk, lemongrass, and lime juice. Roasted tofu cubes, cooked chicken, frozen shrimp, or white fish make excellent protein additions.Mediterranean-Inspired
Start with classic mirepoix, then add garlic and a pinch of dried oregano or Italian seasoning. Build the soup around tomatoes (canned or frozen), zucchini, green beans, spinach, and maybe some frozen or canned, drained artichoke hearts if you have them tucked away. For seasoning, keep it simple with olive oil, a squeeze of fresh lemon or splash of red wine vinegar, and plenty of black pepper. A Parmesan rind (stash them in the freezer when you’re done with the wedge) adds incredible depth to the broth while the soup cooks—just remove it before serving. White cannellini beans or chickpeas make this feel like a rustic minestrone, and a sprinkle of feta or fresh parsley at the end brightens everything up.Tex-Mex Inspired
Swap the herbs for cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika. Use onions and bell peppers as your base, then lean into frozen corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, zucchini, and even frozen butternut squash for subtle sweetness. Finish with a squeeze of lime and chopped cilantro. You can stir in cooked rice or quinoa to bulk it up, or add shredded chicken, ground beef, or turkey if you want extra protein. Top bowls with avocado, crushed tortilla chips, or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream for cozy taco-soup energy.Cozy Italian Minestrone-Style
Keep mirepoix as your base and add garlic, bay leaf, and dried thyme. Frozen green beans, peas, carrots, spinach, zucchini, and diced tomatoes all work beautifully here. Stir in canned kidney beans or white beans for heartiness. If you’d like to make it more filling, add a handful of small pasta (like ditalini) after pressure cooking and simmer on sauté until tender. Finish with olive oil, fresh basil or a dollop of pesto if you have it, and a generous grating of Parmesan.Nutrition
Calories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 5gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1004mgPotassium: 622mgFiber: 11gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 4163IUVitamin C: 40mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 3mg
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