INSTANTPOT CANELLINI BEAN AND KALE SOUP
I am in love with my InstantPot. Hopeless deep love. I could almost get rid of my cooktop for it—except I’d need to keep my ovens. It’s so useful. Pressure cooking when I was little was a “get out of the kitchen, kids, in case this thing blows up” thing which just scared the hell out of me. But pressure cooking in the InstantPot is no more scary than Betty White as Elka in “Hot In Cleveland”—a little edgy but easily handled!
In our household Kent and I do Meatless Mondays so I’m always on the lookout for great meatless meals. This one is a mash-up of several recipes I’ve seen before, and this one incorporates something I don’t normally like: kale. Growing up kale was that weird indestructible green that was used as decoration around salad bars—it looked pretty but it was for decoration. But then again, that’s how parsley used to be used when I was growing up. Who knew it was actually delicious and added flavor to food besides being a garnish? Live and learn. And I have learned. I learned, the hard way, that kale is one of the sandiest vegetables you can buy (right up there with leeks) so WASH IT THOROUGHLY. I’ve also learned that it has a tremendous amount of fiber in it, so if you eat enough of this soup, let’s just say you can lay off the Metamucil for a day or two.
This beautiful Italian recipe is insanely easy. Have the kids make it. You can’t screw it up. It’s that simple. And the results are DELICIOZO. Service it with garlic bread…even store-bought garlic bread works which makes this one of the easiest meals ever with the exception of delivery!
Ingredients for 4 to 6 servings:
4 15-oz cans of Canellini beans
2 15-oz cans of diced tomatoes
1 large diced onion
3 smashed garlic cloves
1 large bag of chopped baby kale
3 tbsp. butter
Salt and Peppa (What A Man, What A Man, What A Man……😊 )
Wash kale THOROUGHLY and drain. Melt butter on “saute” mode and saute onions for about 4 minutes. Add in garlic and Kale. Saute 3 more minutes. Dump in beans and tomatoes, juice included. Turn pot off, fasten lid, set the pressure valve to “Sealing” and turn pressure cooker on “high” for 15 minutes. After that is done use Quick Release, let cool until it’s not boiling hot, and serve with garlic bread. (Note: if you want to do this non-meatless, it is great with smoked Keilbasa, chicken-jalapeno sausage, or even Lil’ Smokies. Be creative—but if you are using any uncooked meats add about 5 minutes to the pressure-cook time.)
Awesome served with crusty bread and a salad if you wish. Enjoy. MANGIA!
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