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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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://kitchenbyrita.com/slow-cooker-minestrone-recipe/