Italian White Bean Soup

If you can find escarole, give it a try. Popular in Italian cooking, it can be enjoyed raw as a salad green and cooked as a vegetable.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

FUNCTION: Sauté (Normal); Soup/Broth

CLOSED POT TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 20 minutes

RELEASE: Natural

SERVES: 4 to 6

• 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced garlic
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 cup dried unsoaked Great Northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 6 cups coarsely chopped kale or escarole
• ⅓ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
• Toasted Italian bread (optional)

PREP

Select sauté on the Instant Pot® and adjust to normal. When hot, add olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Sauté for 1 minute. Press cancel. Add beans, bay leaf, and broth. Secure the lid on the pot. Close the pressure-release valve.

COOK

Select soup/broth. When cooking is complete, use a natural release to depressurize.

SERVE

If desired, use a potato masher to mash some of the beans for a thicker consistency. Stir in kale and cheese. Divide soup among bowls. If desired, serve with toasted Italian bread.