This soup is my answer to that post-holiday need to lighten things up. And, if you feel like you've seen this recipe before on my blog you have. I feel like I've been working on perfecting this soup for over a year. It tastes delicious whenever I make it, so it's not about the recipe not working. It's really just about the small tweaks. In previous versions I used 2 tomatoes - but realized that was a little too much. Or, I used only 2 teaspoons of mushroom powder - but then decided to double it - that was too much. I settled in at a tablespoon, which was perfect. Rich, but still light. If you are unfamiliar with mushroom powder, not to worry, I am working on a separate post to explain it. For now, head to your local grocer and ask for it. It's become one of the hottest spice blends out there to add depth and flavor without needing meat or stock. If you don't have it not a worry, just make this soup without. If you would like to add an Indian twist and the healing properties of turmeric, add in 1/2 teaspoon in the second step. I hope you'll grow to love this recipe as much as I do. It started with an Instant Pot version of Italian white bean soup and has evolved into this recipe. And, not to worry, I'll have a stovetop version for you soon.
Instant Pot: White Bean Soup with Mushroom Powder
Pressure Cooker Size: 6 quart or larger
Warm Up: 18 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Cool Down: 10 minutes NR + MR
TOTAL: 48 minutes
Makes 10 cups
2 cups dried white cannellini beans, picked over and washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 medium shallot, minced
3-4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced in rounds
1 medium tomato, pureed (discard the peel)
1 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon mushroom powder
1 tablespoon salt
7 cups water, for cooking
2 teaspoons minced dried or fresh parsley
1. Soak the beans in hot, boiling water for at least 1 hour or in room temperature water for 6 hours to overnight. Drain and discard the water. Two cups of soaked beans yield 4 - 5 1/2 cups.
2. Select the SAUTE setting and adjust to NORMAL. When the indicator flashes HOT, add the oil. Once the oil is warm, add the bay leaves, garlic, and shallot. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the celery and carrot. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the tomato. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Puree tomatoes using the large hole side of a box grater or peel and grind in a food processor.
5. Press CANCEL. Add the chile flakes, black pepper, mushroom powder, salt, drained beans, and cooking water. Stir. Mushroom powder is a great vegetarian option to add deeper layers of flavor.
6. Lock the lid into place and make sure the pressure release valve is set to the sealing position (upwards). Press the PRESSURE COOK button and then press the PRESSURE LEVEL button until the panel reads HIGH. Adjust the cook time to 20 minutes.
7. Once the cooking is complete, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes. Then, manually release the remaining pressure. Press CANCEL, remove the lid, and remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the parsley. Stir and serve piping hot as is or sprinkled with minced kale and/or Parmesan cheese and garnished with croutons. For a 3-quart Instant Pot, cut your ingredients in half. The process and cook time remain the same, the warmup is 15 minutes, and the recipe makes about 7 cups. To make this on the stovetop, use a roomy pot or Dutch oven and follow the instructions above. Simmer the soup for about 45 minutes partially covered until the beans are soft, adding water as needed to account for evaporation.
Want to make a large batch in your 8-quart Instant Pot? Simply double the recipe above. The only tweak is that you'll have to reduce the amount of water used and add the extra in at the end. Watch this video to see what I mean.
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Pam
February 08, 2024
Hi! Discovered your blog the other day. Everything looks so tasty!
Congrats on your recent published cookbook of instant pot recipes! I’m looking forward to trying this recipe, as soon as I get my hands on some mushroom powder and dried beans. I’ll try navy beans, as dried cannellini beans seem harder to find in my area. BTW, I noticed that you have carrots listed in the directions and they don’t appear on the ingredients list. I’ll treat them as optional :)
Best wishes.