Slow cooker Minestrone Soup

When the weather turns cold and snowy, a bowl of homemade Slow cooker Minestrone soup comes to the rescue. This robust and hearty soup is one of the healthiest soups on the blog as it is packed with vitamins, fiber, protein, and minerals.

My family and I love sipping on this soup on cold days because it is so comforting and downright delicious!

What is Minestrone Soup?

Minestrone is an Italian vegetarian soup that features:

• A combination of vegetables such as celery, spinach, and carrots,
• Rich tomato broth,
• A wide assortment of beans, and
• It usually contains either rice or noodles. 

In short, it’s an extremely nutritious, well-balanced, healthy soup that is made in one-pot – all the magic happens in your crockpot from start to finish! It’s a perfectly balanced meal for a cold winter night.

The best part, this cozy bowl of goodness is just perfect for picky eaters as it’s a pasta soup!

Why is Slow cooker Minestrone soup so good for you?

• Super easy to make
• Delicious and healthy
• Customizable
• And a complete meal in itself!

This is one of the easiest soups I have made in my crockpot. Simply add the ingredients to your crockpot and let it do its magic. A delicious and hearty meal will be on the dinner table within a few hours – now isn’t that awesome! It saves so much hassle on a busy weeknight!

And the beauty of Minestrone soup is that it requires a handful of fresh ingredients and delivers so much flavor and nutrition in one bowl. So let’s have a look at the ingredient list. 

Ingredients for Slow cooker Minestrone Soup

» Oil – I have used olive oil; you can add any mild flavor oil of your choice.

» Onion + garlic – the must-have flavor squad.

» Vegetables – I have added celery, carrots, and green beans to my crockpot Minestrone Soup. Carrots, celery, and zucchini add a nice texture and so much nutrition.

» Beans – My choice for minestrone soup starts with a can of – red kidney beans. You can use either canned or raw beans for the soup. Quick note – If using raw beans, you’ll need to soak them for 6-8 hours, cook them until tender, then add to the soup.

» Diced tomatoes – I have used fire-roasted diced tomatoes as it adds ao much depth of flavor and makes a yummy base for our crockpot Minestrone Soup.

» Spices and herbs – To make our soup flavorful, Italian seasoning, salt, and bay leaves (for some herbal flavor) are added– that’s where all our flavor comes from.

» Pasta – My favorite pasta for minestrone is macaroni pasta. But you can swap macaroni for ditalini pasta, mini penne pasta, or any small pasta of your choice. Orzo works great too.

» Vegetable Broth – Stock gives a real zest to this slow cooker minestrone soup, and not to mention the added nutrition and flavor. 

How to make Minestrone soup in a Slow cooker?

Add the ingredients – Combine olive oil, celery, onion, carrots, and green beans, to the bowl of a large slow cooker. Stir in diced tomatoes. Now, add garlic paste, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Finally, pour in vegetable stock. Stir to combine.

Cook the soup – Close the lid and cook on a low setting for 5-6 hours or on a HIGH setting for 3-4 hours.

Add beans – Once the timer beeps, uncover the soup. Carefully remove the bay leaves and discard them. Add kidney beans and stir to combine. Cook on HIGH for another 30 -45 minutes.

Add pasta – Unplug the slow cooker, and add Maraconi pasta to the soup. Cover the slow cooker and let the soup rest until the pasta is all cooked and tender. Add water to adjust the soup consistency.

Serve – Serve hot and enjoy this filling soup with a crispy slice of focaccia bread!

Substitutes and Variations

» To add some warmth and zest to the slow cooker minestrone soup, you can add a teaspoon of ginger paste too.

» Minestrone soup is completely customizable – you can add whatever vegetables you have on hand – Other great veggie options include zucchini, red potatoes, bell peppers, red cabbage, broccoli, squash, and any other leafy vegetable of your choice. Kale would be great here.

» You can use any beans; chickpeas, pinto beans, and cannellini beans as a substitute. Be sure to drain and rinse your beans before adding them to the soup.

» I have used canned tomatoes, but feel free to substitute them with a hearty pasta sauce or a rich and tomato-based consistency.

» Like the soup spicy, you can add pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the crockpot minestrone soup.

» Classic minestrone includes fresh parsley; therefore, add a teaspoon of chopped parsley towards the end; however, you can use fresh cilantro alternatively.

» If you want to add some protein, toss in some cooked shredded chicken to the soup.

» The traditional minestrone soup is meatless and vegetarian, but you can surely add chicken broth for more flavor. 

Storing Slow cooker minestrone soup

Slow cooker minestrone soup is a great soup to keep on hand for light lunches. Store the leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator; it will last for about 3-4 days.

Minestrone soup becomes tastier and richer as it soaks in all the beautiful flavors, but make a small note that the pasta will absorb all the liquid, and the broth will become thick. 

To reheat the next day, make a little base with pasta sauce and vegetable broth in a pan.

Add the soup and give it a gentle stir because the pasta will start to fall apart if stirred too much. Heat until warmed through. Serve hot. 

LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

This deeply comforting and soul-satisfying minestrone is loaded with tons of flavor and is a delicious tomato-y broth soup that I like to pair with garlic knots or dinner rolls. Do give it a try, and I am sure you’re going to enjoy it as much as we do!

Should you make this Slow cooker minestrone soup, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. 

And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.

CRAVING FOR MORE, TRY SOME OTHER WINTER SOUPS!