Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup Recipe (Instant Pot directions too!) (2024)

FAQs

What is the time conversion from slow cooker to Instant Pot? ›

You can cook your favorite recipes no matter which setting you're using, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time. To convert a slow cooker recipe for the Instant Pot: Multiply the High setting cook time by 60, then divide by 10.

Use Tomato Paste For A Hearty, Thick Minestrone

Tomato paste is commonly used as a thickening agent for soups, sauces, stews, and chilis. Think of it as a concentrated tomato sauce that imparts a savory flavor to dishes. You can prepare it at home or buy it in a tube and mix it with other food ingredients as needed.

Generally, if your slow cooker meat, soup, or stew recipe calls for 8 hours on the low setting or about 4 hours on the high setting, it should be fully cooked in about 25 to 30 minutes in the Instant Pot. For chicken or turkey, use the 15-minute poultry button. While volume doesn't matter, density does.

Do you need to seal the valve? No, you shouldn't seal the lid if you're using the Instant Pot slow cooker function, as a tight seal will prevent the steam from escaping while cooking. You should use a tempered glass lid or cover the lid in tinfoil instead.

Another tip, taken from an Instant Pot Facebook group, is to open the valve all the way on your Instant Pot lid when slow cooking. This allows some moisture and steam to release and keeps the Instant Pot from overcooking your slow cooker recipes.

Place the ingredients in the insert of the Instant Pot. Press the "Slow Cook" button to select the slow cooking function. Set the cooking time and temperature. The Instant Pot has three temperature settings for slow cooking: low, medium, and high.

When it comes to preserving nutrients, the Instant Pot's high-pressure cooking generally wins the battle. If you're looking for quick, healthy meals with minimal nutrient loss, the Instant Pot is your go-to. For rich, complex flavors and fall-off-the-bone tenderness, the slow cooker takes the crown.

The Slow Cook button has three different temperatures to work with: “Normal” which is 190 to 200 degrees, “less” which is 180 to 190, and “more” which is 200 to 210. Use the button when you want to slow-cook something on a low setting.

Made with lots of vegetables, greens and various beans, this dish can provide you with super nutrients that slow aging and help you stay fit. Minestrone has always been a symbol of traditional Italian cuisine and the Mediterranean diet. Made with vegetables, greens and beans, it is a super-healthy mixture.

Is minestrone soup thick or thin? ›

Minestrone (/ˌmɪnəsˈtroʊni/, Italian: [mineˈstroːne]) is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, beans, and pasta. It typically includes onions, celery, carrots, leaf vegetables, stock, Parmesan cheese, and tomatoes.

However, Crockpots generally have ceramic or porcelain pots, while most slow cookers have a metal pot. As with a lot of cooking appliances, the biggest difference comes from the distribution of heat.

Traditionally cheaper cuts of meat always slow cook better. Slow cooking breaks down the connective collagen in meat, which turns into unctuous gelatine. This creates that soft and tender mouth feel we all crave.

As long as you keep a few basic rules in mind – like how much liquid to use and how to adjust the cooking time – turning your favorite all-day slow cooker recipe into a 30-minute pressure cooker special is straightforward and simple.

An Instant Pot does have more functionality (like sautéing, pressure cooking, slow cooking, and acts as a rice cooker, steamer, and warmer!) than a slow cooker, but if you don't plan to use all of its extra functions and just prefer the simplicity of a slow-cooker, then you might prefer a Crock-Pot.

The Slow Cook button has three different temperatures to work with: “Normal” which is 190 to 200 degrees, “less” which is 180 to 190, and “more” which is 200 to 210. Use the button when you want to slow-cook something on a low setting.

You can leave your Instant Pot unattended when using it to slow-cook food such as chicken bone broth.

It shouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes to heat up.

To override this, you can take the lid off your pressure cooker, press saute, and saute for 2-4 minutes. Hit cancel, and then reset the cooking time using the slow cook function.