Description
This Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is a hearty and wholesome meal loaded with fresh vegetables, beans, and whole wheat pasta. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this nutritious Italian-inspired soup offers rich flavors developed over hours of slow cooking, making it ideal for cold days. The recipe is flexible, accommodating vegan and gluten-free dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 small red or yellow onion, diced
- 2 small carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 small zucchini, diced
- 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
Canned and Dry Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup dried whole wheat elbow pasta (can use gluten-free pasta)
Herbs and Spices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Optional
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the base: Combine the diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, green beans, diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, and both cans of rinsed beans in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add the bay leaves, dried oregano, dried basil, dried rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Cook the soup: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 3 to 4 hours. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld and the vegetables to become tender.
- Add pasta and veggies: About 30 to 40 minutes before the soup finishes cooking, add the diced zucchini, dried whole wheat elbow pasta (or gluten-free pasta if preferred), and chopped fresh spinach to the slow cooker. Continue cooking until the pasta is tender, which usually takes about 30 to 40 minutes.
- Season and serve: Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Season with salt and black pepper according to your taste preferences. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with freshly-grated Parmesan cheese if desired. For a vegan version, omit the cheese.
Notes
- This easy slow cooker soup is packed with vegetables, beans, and whole wheat pasta, making it nutritious and filling.
- Perfect for warming up on a cold day or as a wholesome meal any time.
- For a vegan option, simply omit the Parmesan cheese.
- For gluten-free, substitute the whole wheat pasta with your favorite gluten-free pasta.
- The recipe is versatile and can easily be doubled for larger gatherings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
