This Instant Pot Vegetable Soup is a quick, flavorful way to enjoy more vegetables. It’s comforting, nutritious, and ideal for meal prep—ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Soups are one of my favorite go-to meals because they are comforting, easy to make, and an efficient way to get a variety of vegetables into one bowl. This Instant Pot version keeps the vegetables tender but not mushy and concentrates flavor quickly thanks to pressure cooking.
If you love Instant Pot recipes, this vegetable soup is a versatile basic you can adapt to whatever you have on hand—use different vegetables, add beans or grains for more substance, or finish with a splash of lemon for brightness.
Tip: Chop and prep vegetables a day or two ahead to make assembly even faster on a busy weeknight.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Healthy and flavorful. A vegetable-forward soup that’s satisfying without being heavy.
- Quick and easy. Pressure cooking concentrates flavor and shortens cook time so you can have a warm bowl of soup fast.
- Highly adaptable. Swap vegetables, herbs, or add beans, grains, or pasta to suit your tastes.
- Great for meal prep. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes well for up to 3 months.
Recipe ingredients
These ingredients build a hearty, colorful Instant Pot vegetable soup. Use the listed items as a guide and swap vegetables or herbs based on what you have available.
- Mirepoix: A base of leek (or onion), carrot, celery and garlic lends deep savory flavor.
- Parsnips: I use parsnips instead of potato for sweetness and depth; potatoes, rutabaga or turnips work well as substitutes.
- Bell pepper: Adds color and natural sweetness; corn is an alternative.
- Green beans: Swap with broccoli or peas if preferred.
- Diced tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra richness.
- Vegetable broth: Homemade or a good-quality store-bought broth will improve the soup’s flavor.
- Bay leaf and fresh herbs: Fresh thyme and rosemary add depth; use dried herbs if needed (about 1 1/2 tsp dried total).
- Lemon juice: A splash at the end brightens the flavors.
- Greens: Fresh or frozen spinach, kale, or Swiss chard stirred in at the end.
See the recipe card below for exact quantities.
How to make vegetable soup in the Instant Pot
Pressure cooking vegetable soup in the Instant Pot is fast and mostly hands-off. Prep and sauté the aromatics, add the remaining ingredients, then pressure cook briefly to keep the vegetables tender with good texture.
Pro tip: Prep your vegetables ahead of time to speed up weekday cooking.
- Sauté the leeks, carrots, parsnips and celery in a bit of olive oil for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and bell pepper and sauté 1 more minute.
- Add green beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper, and stir.
- Secure the lid, close the vent, and set the Instant Pot to High Pressure for 3 minutes. Allow 10–15 minutes for the pot to come to pressure before the cooking time begins. When the cook time finishes, quick-release the pressure and remove the lid when it’s safe.
- Discard the bay leaf, stir in the spinach and lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning, then serve warm.
Recipe FAQs
What are the benefits of making vegetable soup in the Instant Pot?
Pressure cooking intensifies flavors, cooks vegetables quickly, and frees you from constant stirring. Even allowing for the time it takes to pressurize, the Instant Pot produces a deeply flavored soup with minimal hands-on time.
How long does Instant Pot vegetable soup take to cook?
The hands-on prep and sauté take about 5–6 minutes, the pressure cook time is 3 minutes, and the Instant Pot typically needs 10–15 minutes to come to pressure. Plan for roughly 25–30 minutes total from start to finish.
What are good variations for this vegetable soup?
This soup is very flexible. Keep the mirepoix (onion/leek, carrot, celery, garlic) as your flavor base, then swap vegetables seasonally. Add legumes (lentils or beans) or grains (barley, farro, rice) for more substance. For a creamy version, stir in cream or coconut milk or top with Greek yogurt. Try flavor boosters like tomato paste, citrus juice, or a splash of soy sauce or tamari for umami.
Serving suggestions
- Serve as-is with grated Parmesan or a dollop of Greek yogurt.
- Pair with crusty bread such as focaccia, brown bread, or any hearty loaf for dunking.
- Add protein by serving alongside roasted or shredded chicken, or stir in cooked beans for a vegetarian option.
Recipe notes
- Prep ahead: Chop vegetables up to 48 hours in advance to simplify assembly.
- Customize this soup with your preferred vegetables, herbs and seasonings.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
More soup recipes you’ll love
- Asparagus soup
- Autumn vegetable soup
- Carrot ginger soup
- Greek lemon chicken soup (avgolemono)
- Parsnip soup
- Instant Pot ratatouille
- Spring vegetable soup
- Summer squash coconut curry soup
- Summer vegetable soup with pesto
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media so I can see what you made.
Instant Pot Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- 6 Quart Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium leeks, halved and sliced (white and light green parts only)
- 2 medium carrots, chopped into 1/2″ chunks
- 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1/2″ chunks
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 1/2″ chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2″ pieces
- 15 ounces low sodium fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable stock (add more as desired)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
- 1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Press the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot and heat the olive oil. Add the leeks, carrots, parsnips and celery; sauté 5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and bell pepper and sauté 1 minute more.
- Add the green beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Secure the lid and set to High Pressure for 3 minutes. Note: the Instant Pot takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure before the timed cook begins. When finished, quick-release the pressure and remove the lid when safe.
- Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the spinach and lemon juice, then adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
- Make ahead: Prep vegetables ahead to save time.
- Customize this soup with different veggies, herbs and seasonings.
- Store in the refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 18 g,
Protein: 3 g,
Fat: 2 g,
Sodium: 786 mg,
Fiber: 5 g,
Sugar: 7 g
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and intended as a guideline only.
Note: This post was originally published in January 2020. Photos and text have been updated to include more recipe information.