Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
American, International, Vegetarian, Vegan, gluten-free
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Description
This minestrone begins by combining diced onion, carrots, celery, garlic, fresh green beans, canned tomatoes with juices, kidney and cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and herbs in a slow cooker. The soup cooks on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours to fully develop flavors.
About 30-40 minutes before serving, diced zucchini, whole wheat elbow pasta, and chopped spinach are added and cooked until pasta is tender. The soup is seasoned with salt and pepper, and bay leaves are removed before serving. Parmesan cheese can be sprinkled on top for additional flavor, but is optional to keep the soup vegan.
This soup serves as a filling, vegetable-rich meal with a variety of textures from soft beans, tender pasta, and fresh-cut vegetables. The slow cooking melds the herbs and vegetables into a satisfying broth, ideal for cooler weather or anytime a comforting bowl is desired.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion diced, or yellow onion, small
- 2 carrot diced, small
- 2 celery diced, stalks
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups Green bean trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, fresh
- 1 diced tomatoes 28 oz can, with juices
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 red kidney beans 15 oz can, rinsed and drained
- 1 cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained; 15 oz can
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon basil dried
- 1/2 teaspoon rosemary dried
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 zucchini diced, small
- 1/2 cup whole wheat elbow pasta can use gluten-free pasta, dried
- 1 cup spinach chopped, fresh
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- Parmesan Cheese for serving, optional, freshly grated
Instructions
- Combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, green beans, tomatoes, broth, and beans in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the bay leaves, oregano, basil, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- 30-40 minutes before the soup is done cooking, add in the zucchini, pasta, and spinach. Cook until pasta is tender. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaves. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
- Note-for vegan, don't use the Parmesan cheese and for gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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