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Made this last night for dinner, really fresh, simple, and delicious. Adding the yogurt was a nice addition. Really going to enjoy the leftovers for lunch.
This summer soup is SO GOOD.
It’s that perfect blend of comforting but also fresh-feeling that leaves you a) wanting to lick the bowl, and b) feeling really good about yourself when it’s later in the day and you remember back to all the veggies you ate for lunch. It’s LOADED TO THE MAX with veggies and whole grains and protein, and also big, yummy, Italian-style flavor.
It’s also kind of a blank canvas for toppings, which, as you know, are my weakness – lemon juice? Parmesan? fresh basil and parsley? salt and pepper? whole milk Greek yogurt? I can’t say I don’t like it all.
Watch How To Make This Summer Soup
Ingredients You Need
You can love me or hate me for this, but this recipe is also meant to be however you want it to be. Whatever you have on hand, or whatever you find at the farmer’s market that week.
That being said, here’s what I typically throw in the pot to make this soup happen:
- Chicken
- Crushed tomatoes
- Carrots and celery and garlic
- Farro (or other grain you love)
- Broth
- Spices
- Fresh summer veggies like sweet corn and zucchini
You can add or subtract those filler ingredients like no one’s business – omit corn, add beans, swap more vegetables for chicken. Whatever you want, girl. Whatever. You. Want.
How To Cook This Soup
Although it’s not really what people think of as Instant Pot season, I find that the IP treats me well year-round. Lately my dinner life looks like this:
- Come home.
- Chop vegetables, measure spices, check the recipe one more time.
- Start Instant Pot.
- Go sit outside and look at a magazine in the sun. ☀
- Come back in and eat.
I mean, dang if that isn’t a really good way to make dinner.
But if you don’t have an Instant Pot, I’ve included notes in the recipe card for how to make this on the stovetop or in a slow cooker!
The Best Summer Soup
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 very generous servings (2 cups each) 1x
Description
The Best Summer Soup! The perfect blend of comforting and fresh for the season. Packed with all the fresh summer produce and super customizable to whatever you have on hand!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 1 28–ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup farro (you can also use brown rice or small pasta)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon each basil and oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon each garlic and onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 zucchini, cut into small pieces
- 2–3 cups of fresh sweet corn kernels, cut off the cob
- Toppings: Parmesan, lemon juice, plain yogurt, fresh herbs, freshly ground pepper, etc.
Instructions
- Cook in Instant Pot: Place everything except the zucchini and sweet corn in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker. Set to high pressure for 20 minutes. Release the steam. (Alternative cooking methods for stovetop and slow cooker listed in notes below!)
- Add Veggies: Shred the chicken. Stir in the zucchini and sweet corn. Set to high pressure for another 5 minutes. Release the steam.
- Finish: Let the soup rest for a few minutes – it thickens up a bit as it cools. Season with more salt and pepper and whatever toppings you like. Aaand devour!
Notes
Stovetop: Saute your veggies and spices in the oil until softened. Add liquids, grains, and chicken. Simmer until the chicken and farro is done – probably 20 minutes. Shred chicken and return to pot. Add zucchini and corn, and simmer until cooked.
Slow Cooker: (This is an educated guess – please leave a comment if you try it and find the times need adjusting!) Add all ingredients except zucchini and sweet corn. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 5-6 hours. Shred chicken, return to pot, and add zucchini and sweet corn for another 20-30 minutes.
Grains: If you use small pasta, rice, quinoa, or another quick-cooking grain, I would recommend that you add it to the Instant Pot at the same time you add the zucchini and sweet corn, otherwise it will become too mushy. Sturdier grains like brown rice and farro will hold up just fine for 30 minutes in the Instant Pot, so you can add those right away as directed.
Garlic / onion: I like to use garlic powder and onion powder because the taste is so distinct – different from fresh garlic and onions, which I also love. Using both fresh and dried together seems to boost the flavor of the soup. I didn’t use an onion here, but if you love onions, a small diced yellow onion would be a great addition.
Vegetarian / vegan: omit the chicken, and use vegetable broth. I would also consider increasing the amount of grains or maybe adding a can of beans to bulk up the soup a bit.
Gluten free: use a gluten free alternative to farro such as brown rice, sorghum, quinoa, or gluten free pasta. Follow Note #1 for cooking instructions.
Yogurt? It sounds kinda weird, but I love to add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt to this soup! Makes it creamy, tangy, and adds some nice protein and probiotics. Yum!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: summer soup, instant pot soup, clean summer soup
Three More Peak Summer Recipes
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our collection of best healthy soups. Check it out!
Does this freeze well?
Yes!
Delicious! Healthy! Easy! The triple crown of recipes. Has anyone tried freezing it? It makes a large batch and I’m wondering if I could freeze half of it for later.
How many cans of beans would you recommend for this ?
Is this a child soup ?
Could I use frozen chicken for this recipe or do I need to adjust cook time ?
This is one of those recipes when reading it it might not sound like anything special and then you eat it and you’re like wait how is this so insanely good
These are the types of ingredients I always have on hand (IYKYK Costco moms) and I’m always trying to find multiple recipes with the same type of ingredients to save money
This did not disappoint
As a heads up this worked beautifully with a rotisserie chicken I just added it in at the end with the zucchini and corn also didn’t have dried basil so I subbed with dried Italian
We had crème fraiche on top (not sure how to spell it) and it was extraordinarily delicious
Can I make this the night before to take to a friend the next day? or will it seem like leftovers?
Definitely! It actually gets more flavorful after a day of refrigerating.
We absolutely love this recipe. We have it at least once a month, all year round. So simple, consistent, and satisfying. (We use orzo)
I love this soup so much! I’ve made it several times now. It also freezes really well and maintains the taste on defrosting /reheating.
I’ve made your Instant Pot Summer Soup over 100 times, and it’s still my favorite soup recipe of all time. I love to freeze it, and then I take it on my camping trips…perfect hearty meal to have around the campfire!
SO INCREDIBLY GOOD! Just made for about the 8th time this AM. Make an IP full, eat some, freeze some in souper cubes. Always great to find it in the freezer too! From freezer, tastes as fresh as if just made! Thank YOU!
LOVE this soup and make it often! I make it as written. I usually end up doctoring most recipes, but not this one. Hearty and filling without being heavy and it is very healthy too.
This is amazing and easy to make! Highly recommend. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
I actually made this dish (so many rated this recipe with a comment like ‘This looks so good, can’t wait to try it’). The recipe is well written and easy to follow. The soup is very good, the tomatoes and chicken dominate its flavor. I think it’s a healthy, easy way to get your veggies. The next time I make it I’ll add a little more basil and oregano.
I had this one saved for a while but hadn’t tried it for whatever reason. The ingredients are so simple. I did not expect to love this soup so much, and best of all my KIDS love it too!! This is such a rarity when those things align that I’ve made this twice already. The only small changes I made were doing half crushed tomatoes and half tomato sauce because that’s what I had on hand. Plus the second time I did 2/3 cup farro rather than 1/2.
As others noted, while very easy prep and little active cooking, it does take a while to cook in the pot so just be prepared for a longer cooking time and do other things while you wait.
I have made this soup a few times now, and it’s so good! It’s great because my whole family including the 9-month-old (in finger food form) can eat and enjoy it! And it’s easy to make. Thank you!
QUESTION: What’s the best way to freeze this for a friend having a baby? I am not super savvy with freezing foods.
Perfect tomato based soup!
I printed this recipe out to make, but you don’t say what size Instant pot you used. Can I make this in a
6 qt?
this was honestly the BEST soup i have ever made. its so easy, so richly flavorful, fresh and hearty but leaves you feeling great! finished with lemon and parm for a little zip. 10/10. thank you!!!!
Excited to try this with brow rice. Should I add uncooked brown rice with the ingredients or add it after it is cooked separately?
You can add uncooked brown rice right to the Instant Pot!
Could we sub fresh for frozen/canned corn? Looking to use organic and no fresh options. Thank you!
Sure can!
Can you freeze this soup?
Yes!
We really enjoyed this for meal prep! We used quinoa and frozen chicken breasts. I do think just making this on the stovetop with thawed chicken breasts would’ve been faster. The instant pot took so long to come to pressure with that much liquid, even when it was preheated.
Best soup I have made in a long time! This soup has earned a permanent spot in my favorites, and I highly recommend it for its adaptability and incredible taste.
I tried to Read through comments but sorry, too many…… can you double this in the instant pot ? And does it freeze well ? I’m trying to meal plan for our week long family vacation (12 of us ). Thank you for sharing such a healthy and delicious recipe !
Hi, Amy! We wouldn’t suggest doubling it in your Instant Pot – it might not all fit. Instead, you could make this on the stove instead in a very large pot (or maybe even two pots). Otherwise, it might require a couple batches in the Instant Pot. And yes, this freezes very well!