This easy minestrone from the Vegan Richa’s Instant Pot Cookbook is endlessly adaptable by adding your favorite beans, pasta, vegetables, and variations of herbs, such as rosemary and thyme. What you need: 1 teaspoon safflower oil 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, divided 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 large carrot, chopped 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1⁄4 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes 4 cups vegetable broth 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, white beans, or kidney beans, drained 1 cup small pasta , such as shells or elbows 4 tablespoons vegan parmesan , plus more for serving Chopped fresh basil, for serving What you do: Preheat instant pot by selecting sauté setting. Warm oil in preheated pot for a few seconds, then add garlic and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt.
Cook until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add celery, carrot, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper, and stir, then add tomatoes. Cook until tender, about 2 minutes, stirring and mashing larger tomato pieces.
Add broth, beans, and pasta and mix in, and stir well. Select cancel setting. Lock lid into place, set to sealing, select manual setting at high pressure, and set cook time to 4 minutes.
Once cooking cycle is done, let pressure release naturally for 8 minutes, then carefully set from sealing to venting to release any remaining pressure. Open lid and stir in vegan.