Quick and Healthy Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

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Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup was one of the first slow cooker meals I ever made. It remains one of my favorite quick and healthy slow cooker recipes today. It’s tasty and incredibly easy with the quick tip below. It’s always a delicious and healthy dinner to come home to.

Here’s a quick tip: I like to prep my vegetables the night before, dice and chop everything except the potatoes. Store in a container in the refrigerator, and the next morning all you need to do is chop the potatoes and toss everything into the slow cooker.

I always serve this Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup with sliced crusty French bread… and most often, I like to put my slice at the bottom of the soup bowl and ladle warm soup over the top. For me… it wouldn’t be complete without freshly shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese.

For my husband… it wouldn’t be complete without a sprinkling of red pepper flakes.

An easy slow cooker meal to add to your regular meal rotation! Filled with healthy and hearty vegetables.

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/2 small head cabbage, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup dried cannellini beans or (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 pound (8 ounces) Yukon Gold or red potatoes, diced into bite-size pieces
1/2 pound (8 ounces) fresh or frozen green beans
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1 sprig fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 large sprig fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 sprig fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 dried bay leaf
1 cup ditalini or elbow pasta
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced crosswise
2 cups fresh spinach

Garnish

• Fresh thyme leaves
• Snipped chives
• Shredded Parmesan cheese
• Red pepper flakes
• Chopped fresh parsley

• Serve with thick slices of crusty French bread.

Directions

Note on beans: I love to use dried beans in my slow cooker soups. Rinse and add directly to the slow cooker, no need to presoak. If you’re using canned beans, add it with the pasta, zucchini and spinach.

Place all the ingredients except the zucchini, pasta, and fresh spinach in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker and stir to combine.

At about 5 1/2 hours cooking time, open the slow cooker and stir in the pasta, zucchini, fresh spinach, and canned beans (if not using dried). Then cook for another 15-20 minutes more until the pasta and zucchini are tender. (During this last step, I actually like to add my cabbage, instead of at the beginning. I prefer it on the crispy side but if you prefer it soft, add it as directed above).

If using fresh herbs, remove and discard the sprigs before serving.

Season the soup with salt and pepper as needed. Divide into soup bowls and garnish suggestions above.

Cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The night before I’m making this soup, I prep all the vegetables, except for the potatoes, and store them in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. The next morning, I chop the potatoes, dump in last night’s pre-cut vegetables, add the broth and seasoning… and walk away. It’s wonderful!

Storage: Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

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