Soup is a versatile, nourishing food that is enjoyed around the world. It can be prepared in many different ways, using various cooking methods. Two popular options for making soup are conventional stovetop cooking and using a pressure cooker. Both have their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to preparing soup. Here is an in-depth look at whether it is better to cook soup in a pressure cooker.
What is a Pressure Cooker?
A pressure cooker is a sealed pot with a locking lid that builds up steam pressure internally to cook food faster. The increased pressure raises the boiling point of water from 212°F to 250°F or more. This higher temperature cooks food much faster compared to conventional open pot cooking. Foods that normally take hours to cook or simmer can be prepared in minutes using a pressure cooker.
Pressure cookers have been around for decades but modern electric models are safer, quieter, and easier to use. They have digital controls, multiple pressure settings, and safety mechanisms to prevent over-pressurization. This makes them suitable and safe for home cooking.
Benefits of Cooking Soup in a Pressure Cooker
Faster Cooking Times
The main benefit of using a pressure cooker for soup is the greatly reduced cooking time. Complex soups with meat, beans, or tough vegetables can be cooked in 15-45 minutes instead of several hours on the stovetop or oven. The intense pressure condenses typical simmering or boiling times significantly.
For example, cooking chicken noodle soup with bone-in chicken thighs takes only 20 minutes in a pressure cooker. But on the stovetop, it requires simmering the chicken for 45 minutes to an hour before adding the noodles and vegetables.
Better Extraction of Flavors and Nutrients
The pressurized environment forces liquid into the food, rapidly extracting flavors, collagen, and vitamins & minerals from ingredients. This is why pressure cooked soup tastes richer and more flavorful. Nutrients are also better preserved compared to boiling soup for extended periods.
Energy Efficient
A pressure cooker requires less energy to operate than simmering soup on the stovetop for long periods. It uses just enough heat to reach and maintain pressure, whereas stovetop cooking keeps heating the soup continuously, resulting in greater energy expenditure.
Set It and Forget It Convenience
Once the soup ingredients are loaded into a pressure cooker and it reaches high pressure, no further cooking supervision is required. With stovetop cooking, you need to periodically check and stir the soup to prevent scorching or boiling over.
Space Saving Design
An electric pressure cooker is compact and convenient for small kitchens, dorm rooms, RVs, boats etc. It can replace several conventional pots and pans needed for making soup from start to finish.
Disadvantages of Pressure Cookers for Soup
Overcooking Risk
The extremely fast cooking times make it easy to overcook many soup ingredients if not careful. Delicate ingredients like seafood, eggs, vegetables, and some grains can quickly go from perfectly cooked to mushy and overdone.
Limit on Quantity
Most pressure cooker capacities max out at 8-10 quarts. This makes them unsuitable for preparing large batches of soup for big groups or events. Conventional stovetop methods can easily handle larger pots above 20 quarts.
Lack of Evaporation
The sealed environment prevents evaporation, so there is no concentration and reduction of soup flavors like with stovetop cooking. Some flavor intensity and depth is lost as a result.
No Sauteing
Browning meats and sauteing aromatics is tricky in pressure cookers so these steps must be done on the stovetop first. Sauteing contributes significantly to soup flavor.
Limitations with Thickening
After pressure cooking, there is no way to simmer the soup to reduce and thicken it. Corn starch or roux thickening must be done separately on the stovetop.
Soup Recipes Suitable for Pressure Cooking
Almost any soup can be adapted for the pressure cooker. However, some types are better suited than others based on ingredients and desired results. Here are some excellent options:
Bean Soups
Tough, dried beans become tender and cooked in a fraction of their normal time. Refried beans are ready in 7 minutes. Slow simmered bean soups take only 10-15 minutes.
Vegetable Soups
Hard, dense vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, and squash cook quickly under pressure. Great for hearty winter soups.
Meat and Poultry Soups
Tough, collagen-rich cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and chicken breakdown into succulent, flavorful pieces in minutes. Using bones contributes nutrients.
Chili
Pulled chicken or beef chili with beans cooks perfectly in 15 minutes, a huge time saver. The pressure infuses spices deeply.
Stocks
Homemade chicken, beef and vegetable stocks are easy and fast. More gelatin and nutrients are extracted from bones.
Risottos
No need for constant stirring to coax rice to perfect creaminess. Risottos like mushroom and butternut squash are hands-off.
Tips for Pressure Cooking Soup
Follow these tips to safely pressure cook soup and achieve good results:
- Sauté aromatics, meats first to build flavor
- Cut vegetables into even sized pieces for uniform cooking
- Adjust liquid to fill at least halfway for pressure to build
- Lock the lid securely before heating to pressurize
- Use natural pressure release after cooking to prevent boil-overs
- Add tender ingredients like noodles, greens at very end
- Gently reheat soup after adjusting consistency if needed
Guidelines for Common Soup Ingredients
| Ingredient | Prep Tips | Cook Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken, beef | Cut in 1-inch chunks | 8-12 minutes |
| Dry beans | Soak overnight first | 7-10 minutes |
| Potatoes | Cut in 1-inch pieces | 4-7 minutes |
| Hard squash | Peel, cut in chunks | 2-4 minutes |
| Carrots, celery | Slice 1/4-inch thick | 3-5 minutes |
| Spinach, kale | Chopped | 1 minute |
| Pasta, rice | Add later per package time | 3-8 minutes |
Conclusion
Using a pressure cooker has several advantages for cooking soup compared to regular stovetop methods. The dramatically faster cook times, energy efficiency, and ability to deeply infuse flavors and extract nutrients from ingredients makes pressure cooked soup outstanding.
However, there are some limitations to be aware of, like small capacities, risk of overcooking, and lack of concentration. Overall, pressure cooking is an excellent option for preparing delicious homemade soups conveniently and efficiently.
The optimal types of soup to make in a pressure cooker are those with beans, tough meats, hardy vegetables, stocks, and grains like rice or quinoa. Following some basic guidelines for prep and cook times helps ensure success.
With a little practice and experience cooking soup in a pressure cooker, you can create amazing soups and stews that would normally take hours in a fraction of the time. Experiment with different ingredients and seasonings to customize your own signature soups.