One (Instant) Pot pasta fagioli
Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 60 minutes, plus heating Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Many of the Instant Pot recipes we found call for cooking the beans separately, but beans are what the pressure cooker function does best. Cook the pasta directly in the soup to thicken the broth and save time on cleanup. 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ pound pancetta or bacon, chopped, optional 1 large onion, diced 1 rib celery, diced 1 carrot, peeled, diced 6 cloves garlic, peeled 1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes or 1 large fresh tomato, chopped 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 2 teaspoons dried oregano 2 bay leaves 1 pound dried beans (cannellini, Great Northern, pinto, navy, heirloom or a mix) 6 to 8 cups water or stock or a combination 1 cup small dried pasta (small shells work well) Fresh rosemary, basil and/or parsley, roughly chopped Freshly grated Parmigiano, Romano or Asiago cheese 1 Heat the olive oil in the pot on the saute function on medium. Add the pancetta; cook, tossing, until golden. Add the onion, celery and carrot; saute until soft. Add the garlic; saute, 1 minute more. Add tomatoes, salt, oregano and bay leaves; saute, 2 minutes. Add the beans and water (less if you like stewy, more if you like soupy) or stock. Seal the pot and set to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. It may take up to 20 minutes to come to pressure. Allow pressure to release naturally, about 15 minutes.
2 Open the lid, and switch the cooker to saute. Once the soup comes to a boil (it will just take a minute), stir in the dried pasta and simmer until cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors before serving topped with chopped herbs and grated cheese.
Note: If you need a quick project while the pot does its work, combine fresh herbs, Parmigiano, a splash of olive oil and some toasted, seasoned breadcrumbs to make a tasty soup topper.
Nutrition information per serving (for 8 servings): 179 calories, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 3 g sugar, 8 g protein, 612 mg sodium, 2 g fiber