Description
This Homemade Minestrone Soup recipe is a hearty and nutritious dish perfect for a comforting meal. Made with a variety of vegetables, beans, and flavorful herbs, this slow cooker version is easy to prepare and yields a delicious soup that the whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetable Mixture:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup small pasta, like ditalini or elbow
- 2 cups baby spinach (optional)
- Grated Parmesan for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Vegetable Mixture: In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine olive oil, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, zucchini, green beans, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, water, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours until vegetables are tender.
- Add Pasta and Spinach: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in pasta and baby spinach if desired. Cover and continue cooking on high until pasta is tender.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf before serving. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute other beans or veggies based on what you have on hand.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free pasta or omit the pasta and add cooked rice before serving.
- This soup stores well and tastes even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours on low
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
