For this recipe, Minestrone Cooked in a Pressure Cooker, you’ll find some types of vegetables suggested over others. No problem, because you can choose the ones you like best according to the season. It’s a really simple and super quick recipe, which I’ve called a meal saver, especially if you use ready-made frozen minestrone mixes in times of need. I’ve also included the option to add tomato puree if you like it
With the pressure cooker, not only can you reduce cooking times, leading to economic savings that are always welcome, but it’s also a method that makes food tastier and healthier because it retains almost all their properties.
Don’t be afraid to use it because it’s really safe nowadays… I even have 3 for every need: 3.5L – 5L – 7L.
If you want to learn more about using it safely, don’t miss: The Pressure Cooker and Its Use
For the minestrone cooked in a pressure cooker, and for all recipes where I use this cooking method, I always use the Lagostina Pressure Cooker 5L.
If you’re single, you can always opt for the Lagostina Pressure Cooker 3.5L
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots
- 7 oz cauliflower leaves
- all the green part of 2 leeks
- 7 oz pumpkin
- 7 oz spinach
- 1 medium potato
- 7 oz chard
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 tbsps tomato puree
- 3.5 oz pancetta
- 4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt and chili pepper
- 1 quart water
- to taste grated parmesan
Tools
- Pressure Cooker
- Knife
- 1 Cutting board
How to Prepare Minestrone Cooked in a Pressure Cooker
Clean, wash thoroughly the chard, spinach, and green parts of the leek. Once you’ve drained and dried them, cut them into pieces of your preferred size. I like them fairly small.
Use the same preparation method for the cauliflower scraps, the potato, and the pumpkin, and gather everything in a large bowl.
Chop the celery, carrot, and pancetta into small pieces as well.
Pour the freshly chopped mix into the pressure cooker, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and sauté for one or two minutes.
At this point, add all the vegetables, enough water to cover them, salt, and stir.
Close the pressure cooker tightly with its lid, lower the valve, and set it on high heat. When the valve starts to whistle loudly, turn it down to the minimum and let it cook for 10/12 minutes. After this time, turn off the heat and let it cool slightly, then slowly raise the valve so the steam can escape. Only then can you remove the lid from the pot.
Serve your Minestrone Cooked in a Pressure Cooker hot with a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil, some croutons or short pasta if you like, and grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
Tips and Variations:
If you’re hungry and short on time, open the cold water tap and place the pressure cooker under it for a few seconds.
As soon as the safety valve drops, release steam and uncover.
Obviously, if you don’t have time to prepare the minestrone with fresh vegetables, you can always make it with frozen ones… same procedure.
It will take even less cooking time, around 6/8 minutes, because frozen vegetables are already blanched.
Love minestrone? Then don’t miss the recipe to recycle it if you have leftovers: Minestrone Rice and Parmesan Fritters
