Slow Cooker Minestrone
Cannellini beans, tomato, carrot, celery and courgette cook 6 hours on LOW into a vegetable-heavy minestrone, with the pasta cooked separately.
Slow Cooker Minestrone
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes6
hoursCannellini beans, tomato, carrot, celery and courgette cook 6 hours on LOW into a vegetable-heavy minestrone, with the pasta cooked separately.
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 parmesan rind
2 courgettes, diced
2 cups baby spinach
1 cup small pasta, cooked separately
Directions
- Heat the oil and soften the onion, carrots and celery for 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic for 30 seconds and move everything to the slow cooker.
- Add the beans, tomatoes, broth and Italian seasoning.
- Tuck in the parmesan rind.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.
- Add the courgettes and cook 1 hour more.
- Stir in the spinach for the last 10 minutes.
- Remove the parmesan rind.
- Cook the pasta separately and add a spoonful to each bowl.
- Finish with olive oil and black pepper.
Notes
- Keep the pasta separate in the refrigerator too, or it swells. Soup keeps 5 days and freezes for 3 months without the pasta.
Why the pasta is separate
Pasta left in a hot soup keeps drinking broth and swells into mush. Cooking it on the side and adding a spoonful to each bowl keeps the minestrone clear and the noodles firm.
The parmesan rind melts slowly and gives the broth a deep depth.
Slow Cooker Minestrone: swaps
Kidney or white beans can replace cannellini. Green beans work in place of courgettes. If you have no rind, stir in grated parmesan at the end. Do not add the spinach early, because it turns dull and slimy.
Small shapes like ditalini work best.
Serve and keep
A slice of crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil finish the bowl. Freeze the soup without the pasta, and keep any cooked pasta in its own container in the refrigerator.
A mistake to avoid
Adding the courgettes at the start. They turn soft and watery over a long cook. The card adds them in the last hour for a reason. Do the same with the spinach, and your minestrone keeps its fresh color and texture.
Slow Cooker Minestrone at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 6 hours
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by olive oil, onion, carrots, celery stalks
Tips for Slow Cooker Minestrone
Keep the pasta separate in the refrigerator too, or it swells. Soup keeps 5 days and freezes for 3 months without the pasta.
Slow Cooker Minestrone FAQ
How long does Slow Cooker Minestrone take?
Slow Cooker Minestrone takes 6 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does Slow Cooker Minestrone serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Slow Cooker Minestrone?
13 ingredients, led by olive oil, onion, carrots, celery stalks. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
Part of: 10 Healthy Crockpot Recipes: Dinners With Portions Stated
