Slow-Cooker Minestrone Recipe

Introduction

This Slow-Cooker Minestrone is a comforting and hearty soup packed with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta. Perfect for cozy dinners, it’s easy to prepare and lets your slow cooker do all the work for a flavorful, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• 1 carton (32 ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 cups V8 or tomato juice
• 2 cups water
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) cut green beans, drained
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine the vegetable or chicken stock, V8 or tomato juice, water, potatoes, celery, carrots, diced tomatoes with their juice, onion, garlic, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Cook the mixture covered on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Step 3: Stir in the kidney beans, cannellini beans, cut green beans, chopped zucchini, and uncooked pasta.
4. Step 4: Cover and cook on high for about 30 minutes more, or until the pasta is tender.
5. Step 5: Remove and discard the bay leaves. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Tips & Variations

• For a richer broth, use chicken stock instead of vegetable stock.
• Add fresh spinach or kale in the last 10 minutes of cooking for extra greens.
• Substitute ditalini with any small pasta like elbow macaroni or small shells.
• If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of water or cook uncovered for the last 20 minutes.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if the soup has thickened. This soup can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

Yes, but you will need to soak and cook dried beans separately before adding them to the slow cooker to ensure they become tender and safe to eat.

What if I don’t have V8 or tomato juice?

You can substitute with 3 cups of tomato sauce or pureed canned tomatoes plus a little water to maintain the liquid balance.

Slow-Cooker Minestrone Recipe

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4.5 from 136 reviews

A hearty and wholesome Slow-Cooker Minestrone soup featuring a variety of vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered slowly to develop rich, comforting flavors. Perfect for an easy, nutritious meal with minimal hands-on time.

• Author: Rita
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
• Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Soup
• Method: Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: Italian
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Broth and Liquids

• 1 carton (32 ounces) vegetable or chicken stock
• 3 cups V8 or tomato juice
• 2 cups water

Vegetables

• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small zucchini, chopped

Seasonings

• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Beans and Pasta

• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) cut green beans, drained
• 1 cup uncooked ditalini or other small pasta

Optional Garnish

• Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Combine Ingredients: In a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker, add the vegetable or chicken stock, V8 or tomato juice, water, peeled and chopped potatoes, chopped celery, chopped carrots, undrained diced tomatoes, chopped onion, minced garlic, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to mix all ingredients well.
2. Slow Cook Vegetables: Cover the slow cooker and cook the mixture on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or until the vegetables are tender. This slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the vegetables to soften perfectly.
3. Add Beans, Zucchini, and Pasta: After the initial cooking time, stir in the rinsed and drained kidney beans, cannellini beans, drained cut green beans, and chopped zucchini. Also, add the uncooked ditalini or other small pasta to the slow cooker.
4. Final Cooking Step: Cover again and cook on high heat for about 30 minutes more, or until the pasta is tender and the added vegetables are cooked through. This step finishes off the soup and ensures the pasta is perfectly tender.
5. Finish and Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaves from the soup. If desired, ladle the minestrone into bowls and top each serving with grated Parmesan cheese for extra flavor. Serve hot and enjoy the comforting warmth of this classic soup.

Notes

• You can substitute chicken stock with vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
• Use gluten-free pasta if needed to make the recipe gluten-free.
• Adding Parmesan cheese is optional but adds a nice savory note to the soup.
• The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
• Feel free to add other vegetables like spinach or kale during the last 30 minutes of cooking for extra nutrition.

Keywords: Slow Cooker Minestrone, Minestrone Soup Recipe, Italian Soup, Vegetable Soup, Slow Cooker Soup, Hearty Soup, Bean Soup