Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
6 hrs
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Total Time
6 hrs 20 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
270 kcal
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Course
Main Course
Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Description
This slow cooker minestrone begins by combining a variety of vegetables including sliced carrots, celery, onions, and canned diced tomatoes with tomato paste and flavorings such as garlic, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Vegetable stock and water provide the base liquid, enhanced with vegetable base concentrate to deepen the broth. Beans—both kidney and cannellini—add substance and protein. This mixture cooks covered on low or high heat for several hours, allowing flavors to meld and vegetables to soften. Near the end of cooking, diced zucchini and ditalini pasta are added, cooking briefly to retain shape and tender bite. Frozen green beans and chopped baby spinach are added last to maintain freshness and some texture. The soup can be served with grated Parmesan cheese on top if desired. The resulting brothy soup offers a balanced combination of hearty beans, tender seasonal vegetables, and al dente pasta in a warmly spiced, herbaceous base. It’s convenient for meal prep and offers wholesome comfort with minimal active cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrot sliced
- 1 cup celery sliced
- 1 1/2 cups yellow onion diced
- 28 oz diced tomatoes canned, with juices
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- Parmesan Cheese rind or 1" chunk
- 2-3 Tbsp garlic minced
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 1/4 Tbsp Italian seasoning dried
- red pepper flakes pinch
- 4 cups vegetable stock fat free or broth
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tbsp vegetable base
- 15 oz Kidney Beans dark red, canned, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz cannellini beans canned, drained and rinsed
ADD 20-25 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING
- 1 cup zucchini diced
- 1 1/2 cups ditalini pasta or other small pasta, dried
ADD 5 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING
- 1 cup green beans frozen, cut
- 1 1/2 cups spinach baby, roughly chopped
Instructions
- Add first 15 ingredients to 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Stir to combine, cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- 30 minutes before you want to serve the soup, add zucchini and ditalini pasta, stir, cover and cook on HIGH for 20-25 minutes.
- 5 minutes before serving, add in frozen green beans and baby spinach, stir, cover and cook on HIGH for 5 minutes.
- When serving, if desired, grate parmesan cheese over the soup and enjoy!
Notes
- Adding frozen green beans five minutes before serving keeps them semi-crisp; for softer beans, add them when introducing zucchini and pasta.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 270 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 270kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 54g | 18% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 1556mg | 65% |
| Potassium | 682mg | 15% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 3825IU | 77% |
| Vitamin C | 20.7mg | 23% |
| Calcium | 134mg | 13% |
| Iron | 4.1mg | 23% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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