The Great Smoky Mountain Soup–an easy Instant Pot or slow cooker soup recipe loaded with vegetables, white beans and a savory broth, then finished with melty smoked Gouda or Parmesan cheese.
The Great Smoky Mountain Soup
Even though temps here are pushing 100° F here today soup is what I made for dinner. With the AC blasting without a break all day it kind of didn’t matter. I wasn’t sure how my family was going to feel about collard greens in soup, but they are actually fire. The collard greens become perfectly tender, the white beans make it filling, and the flavor of the broth is slurp slurp good. This is my favorite way to get veggies in my diet. I had leftover smoked gouda from Cheesy French Onion Beef Potato Casserole and used it to top my soup…it was a good choice. (This recipe is adapted from Smoky Mountain Vegetable Soup on Network for Hope).
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Olive oil–or vegetable, canola
- Onion–yellow onion or white onion
- Celery–leave out if you’re not a fan
- Garlic–garlic powder (about 1 teaspoon)
- Chicken broth–or water + Better Than Bouillon or vegetable broth
- Carrots
- Petite diced tomatoes–or regular diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes
- Great northern beans–or cannellini beans or navy beans
- Smoked paprika–regular paprika (you’ll lose a little smoky flavor)
- Dried thyme–or Italian seasoning
- Black pepper
- Kosher salt
- Collard greens–or kale or Swiss chard
- Zucchini–or yellow squash
- Smoked Gouda cheese–or Parmesan or mozzarella
Steps
Turn Instant Pot to the saute setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
Add in the carrots, tomatoes, beans, paprika, thyme, pepper, salt and collard greens.
Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button or LOW pressure to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
Stir in the zucchini.
Ladle into bowls and top with your choice of cheese.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with crusty bread, cornbread, or grilled cheese sandwiches.
- How to Prepare Collard Greens: wash the collard greens thoroughly since they can hold onto dirt and grit. Cut away the thick center stem, stack the leaves, roll them up, and slice them into thin ribbons before roughly chopping them into bite-sized pieces. You should end up with about 3 to 4 cups of chopped collard greens.
- If you like a brothier soup, stir in an extra cup of chicken broth before serving.
- Want to add protein? Stir in shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked Italian sausage (add less salt if you add in the sausage).
- The zucchini is added at the end so it stays fresh tasting and doesn’t become mushy.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months (vegetables will get softer upon reheating).
- Other recipes you can make with collard greens are Divorce Soup and New Year’s Good Fortune Soup.
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.
The Great Smoky Mountain Soup
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 10 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
An easy Instant Pot or slow cooker soup recipe loaded with vegetables, white beans and a savory broth, then finished with melty smoked Gouda or Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 celery ribs, sliced or diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth (or water and Better than Bouillon)
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3–4 cups chopped collard greens
- 1 small zucchini, shredded
- Shredded smoked gouda, parmesan or mozzarella, for topping
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to the saute setting. When display says HOT add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
- Pour in the broth and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off Instant Pot.
- Add in the carrots, tomatoes, beans, paprika, thyme, pepper, salt and collard greens.
- Cover Instant Pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set SOUP button or LOW pressure to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir in the zucchini.
- Ladle into bowls and top with your choice of cheese.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the oil and swirl around. Add in the onion and celery. Saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the broth, carrots, tomatoes, beans, paprika, thyme, pepper, salt and collard greens.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
- Stir in the zucchini.
- Ladle into bowls and top with your choice of cheese.
- Category: Meatless, Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
More healthy soups…
Power Soup
A hearty, nutrient-packed meal with protein-rich chicken, fiber-filled farro, and immune-boosting veggies, perfect for a nourishing and satisfying meal that you can make in the Instant Pot or slow cooker.
Mulligan Soup
An easy Instant Pot or slow cooker soup with meat, potatoes and lots of veggies. It’s one of those soups you can tailor to what you have on hand.
Easy Hamburger Soup
An Instant Pot or slow cooker beef and vegetable soup that’s loaded with ground beef, tomatoes, hearty potatoes and lots of veggies for a simple, satisfying dinner.
The Best Chicken Soup
Healing chicken soup made with tender chicken thighs, carrots, spinach, warming ginger and turmeric, and finished with tiny pasta or couscous, all cooked quickly in the Instant Pot or low and slow in the crockpot.
Cabbage Fat Burning Soup
A flavorful soup with lots of veggies including cabbage, carrots and cauliflower. With only 87 calories per cup of soup you can eat this with no guilt!
High Protein Broccoli Cheddar Soup
A soup that uses cottage cheese and sharp cheddar to create a creamy, protein-packed comfort food that’s easy to make in an Instant Pot or slow cooker.
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
10