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Hearty Crock Pot Minestrone

A robust, vegetable-packed Italian soup made effortlessly in your slow cooker. Healthy, flavorful, and the ultimate comfort food.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Calories: 285

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1 medium zucchini diced
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 1 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 8 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Parmesan rind optional but recommended
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • to taste salt and black pepper
Beans and Greens
  • 1 15 oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 15 oz can kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup fresh green beans trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 cups chopped kale stems removed
Finish and Serve
  • 1 cup small pasta like ditalini or elbow
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • for serving grated Parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • 6-Quart or Larger Slow Cooker
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Skillet (optional)
  • Stock Pot (for pasta)

Method
 

  1. (Optional) Heat olive oil in a skillet. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 5-7 mins until soft. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 min more.
  2. Transfer the vegetable mixture (or all raw base vegetables) to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add zucchini, potatoes, crushed tomatoes, broth, Parmesan rind, oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until vegetables are tender.
  4. About 30 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Stir in the cannellini beans, kidney beans, green beans, and kale.
  5. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
  6. Stir the fresh parsley into the soup. To serve, place a scoop of cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the hot minestrone over the top.
  7. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Notes

For best leftovers, store soup and cooked pasta separately to prevent the pasta from becoming mushy. Soup freezes well for up to 3 months (without pasta).