Best Ever Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

This Best Ever Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is thick, comforting, and packed full of vegetables! It’s so flavourful and easy to make, and it’s the perfect way to warm up on a cold day!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes 

Servings: 8 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 cup kidney beans (canned)
• 1 cup white beans (canned)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup red potatoes, chopped, skins on
• 3/4 cup green beans (cut, frozen)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper (to taste)
• 1 cup diced tomatoes (canned)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 6-7 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup dried pasta noodles (fusilli, macaroni, or small shells)
• parmesan cheese (for serving)
• fresh parsley (for serving)

Instructions

• Add the zucchini, beans, carrots, onion, celery, potatoes, green beans, garlic, spices, salt and pepper, canned diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and vegetable stock to your slow cooker and stir well to combine. Depending on the size of your slow cooker and how thick you like your minestrone soup, add between 6 and 7 cups of stock (I usually add about 6 at first and sometimes add up to 1/2 cup more).
• Add the lid and cook on high for 4-5 hours, stirring once or twice. The soup will thicken slightly as it cooks (thanks to the starch in the potatoes!).
• Add the pasta and cook for 15 more minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
• Serve with some grated or shaved parmesan and some freshly chopped parsley.

Notes

This soup works well cooked in a Dutch Oven pot on the stovetop. Simply add some olive oil to the bottom of the pot, saute the onions, carrots, celery and garlic for a few minutes, and then add the remainder of the ingredients as directed. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue simmering until the soup thickens up slightly and the vegetables are tender. Add the pasta as directed and serve. 

Credit to: thebusybaker