Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone
This recipe outlines a straightforward method for preparing a hearty and nutritious minestrone soup using a slow cooker. It combines various vegetables, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and pasta in a flavorful broth, making it an ideal comforting meal with minimal effort.
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker Essential for long, gentle cooking
- 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient vegetable preparation
- 1 Chef's knife For precise chopping of vegetables
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient portions
- 1 Ladle For serving the soup
Ingredients
Main
- 4 cups 960 grams reduced-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups 710 grams water
- 1 28-ounce or 720 grams can diced tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce or 385 grams each can kidney beans (use white ones)
- 2 medium 120 grams carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 medium 80 grams celery stalks, chopped
- 1 small 70 grams white or yellow onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup uncooked pasta
- 1 medium 200 grams zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh or frozen spinach defrosted
- Garnish: Parmesan cheese and basil optional
Instructions
- Prepare all vegetables: peel and chop carrots, chop celery, chop onion, and chop zucchini.
- Drain and rinse the two cans of kidney beans thoroughly.
- Combine vegetable broth, water, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, chopped carrots, celery, and onion in the slow cooker.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until vegetables are tender.
- During the last 30-45 minutes of cooking, add the uncooked pasta to the slow cooker and stir well.
- In the final 15-20 minutes, stir in the chopped zucchini and the coarsely chopped fresh or defrosted spinach.
- Once the pasta is al dente and the zucchini is tender, remove the bay leaves from the soup.
- Taste the minestrone and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil, if desired.
Notes
To elevate the depth of flavor, consider sautéing the chopped carrots, celery, and onion in a touch of olive oil before adding them to the slow cooker. This caramelizes their natural sugars, building a richer base for the minestrone. For optimal pasta texture, add it only during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking to prevent it from becoming mushy. If possible, use a ditalini or small elbow macaroni that holds up well. Freshly grated Parmesan and torn basil are excellent garnishes that add brightness and umami; do not skip them if possible. Taste and adjust seasoning at the end, as slow cooking can sometimes mellow flavors.