Instant Pot Food Prep: Veggie Pasta and "No Chx" Noodle Soup

Name: Instant Pot Food Prep: Veggie Pasta and "No Chx" Noodle Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: World Cuisine
Ingredients: 5 lb bag of frozen mixed vegetables (Kirkland - Costco); 2 bags of frozen peas and carrots (16 oz each bag); 8 bay leaves; 10 cups water; 2 Tablespoons Bouillon® Vegetable Base (Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon® No Chicken Base); 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder; 2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon dried Thyme; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; 4 Quarts of water (or whatever your pasta package suggests); 17.6 oz. Gigli Pasta (Trader Joe's - organic); 3 jars of Arrabiata Sauce or your sauce of choice (Trader Giotto's - 25 oz jars); Pinch of Salt (to taste)

25 steps

Prep:15minCook:30min

In my food prep for easy items to have on hand during the week, I began making a bulk version of veg-heavy veggie pasta. I realized that I could cook the veggies in a veggie broth with some "no chicken" bouillon. Then, when I drain the vegetables, I use what would be wasted as a plant-based "chicken" broth. While the veggies cook, I prep containers with some pasta, add the veggies and broth, and wah-lah, we have a modified "no chicken" noodle soup.

Updated at: Thu, 17 Aug 2023 03:00:44 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Moderate

Nutrition per serving

Calories134.2 kcal (7%)

Total Fat0.9 g (1%)

Carbs25.5 g (10%)

Sugars4.2 g (5%)

Protein5.6 g (11%)

Sodium361.7 mg (18%)

Fiber5.2 g (18%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

32 servings

Instant Pot veggie cooking and "no chicken" broth base

5 lbfrozen mixed vegetables

frozen peas and carrots

8bay leaves

10 cupswater

2 TablespoonsVegetable Base

Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base

½ teaspoongarlic powder

2 teaspoondried oregano

1 teaspoondried thyme

½ teaspoonblack pepper

1 ½ teaspoonsalt

Pasta and sauce

4 Quartswater

or whatever your pasta package suggests

17.6 ozGigli Pasta

Trader Joe's, organic

3 jarsArrabiata Sauce

or your sauce of choice, Trader Giotto's

salt

to taste

Instructions

Veggie preparations

Step 1

Pour in the bags of frozen veggies into the Instant Pot

Step 2

Add the Vegetarian Better Than Bouillon® No Chicken Base, Bay Leaves, spices, and enough water to the pot to cover all of the vegetables. (This becomes your "no chicken" broth for soup later.)

Step 3

Set the Instant Pot to Manual, high pressure, and half of the time noted on the bags of frozen veggies (i.e., if the stovetop cooking takes 6 mins, set the Instant Pot to 3 mins.) Note: It will take about 10 mins for the Instant Pot to come to pressure when this full - maybe more.

Pasta preparations

Step 4

While the veggies are cooking, get a large pot for cooking the pasta. Fill it with water to the noted amount on the package, add a dash of salt, and begin to boil the water.

Pot

Step 5

Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the pasta, and turn the heat from high (10) to med-high (~8). Stir the pasta occasionally. We want the water to continue to have a rolling boil, but avoid overflowing.

Step 6

Cook the pasta for the time noted on the package (al dente for Gigli from Trader Joe's says 5-7 mins - check it at the lowest time and adjust as needed.)

Pot

Step 7

While the pasta is cooking, gather some containers for individual portion bowls of soup (16 oz mason jars or 2-cup Snapware both work well.) Typically, this recipe will yield (10) 2-cup bowls of soup.

Step 8

Put a clean bowl in the sink with the strainer you will use. We want to keep some of the leftover pasta boiling water to use if needed (explained later.)

Strainer

Pot

Step 9

Strain the pasta collecting the starchy pasta water. Then, move the starchy water to the side for later.

Pot

Strainer

Step 10

Once the starchy water has been removed, rinse the pasta with cold water to ensure the pasta stops cooking.

Step 11

Add 1/2 cup (~one slotted spoonful) to each container for your future soups.

Step 12

Add the remaining pasta back to the pot. Then, add the jars of pasta sauce (I typically add one at a time and evaluate how saucy I want it to be.)

Step 13

If the sauce tastes a bit acidic, add starchy pasta water that we put to the side in 1/4 cup increments. Note: If you want to get any remnants left in the sauce jars, add the starchy water to the jar, shake, and then pour it into the pot.

Pot

Step 14

Stir the pasta and sauce. Set the stovetop to "simmer" to begin to heat the sauce while you finish assembling.

Pot

Veggies finishing up!

Step 15

Usually, the veggies have finished coming to pressure and cooking. Do a "quick release" for the pressure (this will take about 5 mins).

Step 16

Put a large bowl in the sink to collect the "no chicken" broth as we strain the veggies. The bowl will need to be able to fit at least 10 cups of broth.

Pot

Step 17

Put a strainer on top of the large bowl and, once the Instant Pot is safe to open, strain the veggies with the broth going into the bowl, and remove the bay leaves. Note: If you make homemade vegetable broth from scraps, add these to your collection in the freezer.

Pot

Strainer

Step 18

Then, move the broth to the side and rinse the veggies with cold water to stop them from cooking.

Finish up the soups!

Step 19

Add 1/2 cup (~one slotted spoonful) of veggies to each soup container.

Step 20

Then, add the remaining veggies to the pasta and sauce mix on the stove and stir. Add more jars of sauce as preferred and more starchy water to overcome acidity.

Pot

Step 21

While that simmers, add one cup of "no chicken" broth to each soup container. I often add a pinch or two of salt to taste, close the lid, and label. Note: The soups are 1/2 cup pasta, 1/2 cup veg, and 1 cup broth.

Finish up the pasta!

Step 22

Assess if the veggie pasta needs 2 jars or 3 jars of sauce, and the acidity level. Add more starchy water in 1/4 increments as necessary. Once the sauce is just right, toss the remaining starchy water.

Step 23

Find storage containers for your pasta. Typically, large ones work well for eating at home (4-cup, 6-cup, or larger snapware work well). For travel, 16 oz. mason jars or the 2-cup snapware for travel work well.

Step 24

Season the pasta with a bit of salt to taste, close the lids, and label. Typically, this recipe will yield (22) 1-cup servings of delicious veggie pasta.

Step 25

Enjoy your "No Chicken" Noddle Soup and Veggie Pasta!