Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup {Olive Garden Copycat}
User Reviews
4.7
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
6 hrs
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Total Time
6 hrs 30 mins
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Servings
6 servings
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup {Olive Garden Copycat}
Description
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup starts by adding vegetable stock, diced tomatoes, diced celery, carrots, onions, minced garlic, and Italian herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme into a slow cooker. Seasoned with salt and pepper, it cooks on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3.5 to 4 hours for the flavors to meld. Near the end of cooking, zucchini, green beans, and shell pasta are stirred in and cooked until the pasta is tender but not mushy. Fresh spinach, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and parsley are added last and heated through just before serving.
The resulting soup has tender yet distinct vegetable pieces, creamy beans, and a slightly thickened broth with herb and tomato notes. The slow cooker method allows gradual melding of the flavors without overcooking the pasta or greens, maintaining good texture. The soup is finished with Romano or Parmesan cheese, adding a sharp, savory topping.
This minestrone is suitable as a filling starter or a light main course paired with bread. It offers a comforting bowl rich in vegetables and protein from beans, making it a practical make-ahead soup. Adjusting broth quantity lets you control thickness.
Herbs can be streamlined using Italian seasoning if preferred. Sautéing some vegetables before slow cooking is optional for deeper flavor, but not required. The gentle cooking and layering of additions preserve freshness and texture.
Ingredients
- 6 1/2 cups vegetable stock then more as desired, low-sodium
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup celery 3 stalks, diced
- 1 cup carrot 2 carrots, diced
- 1 cup yellow onion 1 small, diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary crushed
- 1/2 tsp thyme dried
- salt to taste, freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 1 1/3 cups zucchini 1 small, sliced into half moons
- 1 1/3 cups green beans thawed under warm water, frozen, regular or Italian
- 1 1/3 cups shell pasta small or medium
- 2 cups spinach packed, chopped, fresh
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney bean dark red, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can Navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 Tbsp parsley chopped, fresh
- Parmesan Cheese for serving, or romano cheese, finely shredded
Instructions
- Slow Cooker Method: Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary to a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 7 - 8 hours or high 3 1/2 - 4 hours.
- Stir in zucchini, pasta, green beans, and cook on high heat and additional 20 - 30 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Stir in spinach, kidney beans and cannellini beans, and parsley and cook several minutes until heated through.
- Stir in more vegetable broth to thin as desired. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.
Notes
- Use Italian seasoning as a substitute if you do not have all the individual dried herbs listed.
- Sautéing carrots, celery, onions, and garlic before slow cooking adds additional depth but is optional.
- Add zucchini, green beans, and pasta towards the end of cooking to avoid overcooking and preserve texture.
- Include spinach, kidney beans, cannellini beans, and parsley last to maintain freshness and color.
- Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for extra flavor.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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