Weeknight · Instant Pot · about 25 minutes

“Nick-Of-Time” Noodle Soup

Name: "Nick-Of-Time" Noodle Soup
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1180 ml water; 2 vegetable bouillon cubes; 3 tbsp dried chopped onion; 1 tsp granulated garlic; ¼ cup dried celery; ¼ cup dried diced carrots; ½ tsp dried thyme; 1 bay leaf; 15 ml olive oil; 100 g filini; 340 g firm tofu, diced; Fresh chopped Italian parsley, to finish (optional)

Pantry noodle soup with a broth that tastes like it took all day — dried vegetables and herbs pressure-cooked, then little filini noodles simmered in at the end. Tofu or chicken, your call.

~25 min total 5 min pressure Instant Pot method

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Instant PotVegan

Servingsamounts scale to match

Units

Ingredients

Pressure-cook the broth first, then simmer the noodles in after. Cooking the little filini under pressure would turn them to paste — so the vegetables and herbs get the 5-minute cook, then the noodles go in on Sauté just until tender. A dish towel over the vent keeps the starchy steam from spitting.

Easier, if you like

Fresh carrot and celery (¼ cup each, diced) instead of dried — add them before the pressure cook.
Rotisserie or leftover chicken in place of canned.

Method

Cook's notes

Vegan with tofu — the canned chicken is the non-vegan option, your call.

Don't pressure-cook the noodles. Tiny soup pasta cooks in minutes on Sauté; under pressure it would dissolve.

Dried celery and carrot rehydrate right in the broth; fresh diced work too (add before the pressure cook).

Best fresh — the noodles drink up the broth as it sits, so add a splash of water when you reheat.

Vegan with tofu; gluten-free with a pasta swap

Gluten-free: use a small gluten-free soup pasta (similar simmer time — check the package) and stir gently.

Vegan: use the diced tofu (as written) rather than the canned chicken.