Ingredients (~4-5 servings)
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, diced
- 1 (16 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 3/4 cup whole wheat elbow noodles
Combine and Cook
Add all the ingredients into the crock pot, except for the elbow noodles.
This includes the zucchini, bell pepper, celery, carrot, spinach, onion, beans, tomatoes, stock, and all the spices and aromatics.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid. Set it to low and cook for ~6-8 hours or on high for ~3-4 hours.
Cook the Pasta
In the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, add the uncooked elbow noodles to the soup. Cover the pot with the lid and let the soup continue to cook until the pasta is tender.
Remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind before serving.
Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
Super simple, set it and forget it crock pot minestrone. It’s loaded with veggies, beans, and noodles – the perfect fall soup for cozy weeknight dinners or to freeze for later.
Ingredients
Ingredients (~4-5 servings)
- 1 cup diced zucchini
- 1/2 cup diced red or yellow bell pepper
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach chopped
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 can kidney beans 16 oz, rinsed and drained
- 1 can garbanzo beans 16 oz, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes 28 oz
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 Parmesan rind optional
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 garlic clove grated
- 3/4 cup whole wheat elbow noodles
Instructions
- Dice zucchini, bell pepper, celery, carrot, spinach, and onion.
- Add vegetables, beans, tomatoes, stock, and seasonings to slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- Add uncooked elbow noodles in last 30 minutes.
- Cook until pasta is tender.
- Remove bay leaf and Parmesan rind before serving.
Notes
Use low-sodium vegetable stock for best flavor control.
