Vegetable Minestrone Slow Cooker
This Vegetable Minestrone Slow Cooker recipe is the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights or cozy weekends. Packed with a medley of hearty vegetables like zucchini, green beans, and spinach, plus the satisfying addition of kidney beans, cannellini beans, and tender pasta, this dish delivers robust, nourishing flavors in every spoonful. With just 20 minutes of prep time and the magic of slow cooking, you’ll enjoy rich tomato-based broth infused with Italian herbs, garlic, and a hint of bay leaf that develops effortlessly over 6-8 hours. Perfect for meal prepping or feeding a crowd, this easy slow cooker recipe is vegetarian-friendly and pairs wonderfully with crusty bread. Don’t forget to sprinkle some grated Parmesan on top for an extra savory touch!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole yellow onion, diced
- 2 whole carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery stalks, sliced
- 1 whole zucchini, diced
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cans canned diced tomatoes (14 oz can)
- 1 can canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup uncooked small pasta (like ditalini or elbow)
- optional grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the diced onion, carrots, and celery for 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker.
Add the zucchini, green beans, minced garlic, diced tomatoes (with their juice), kidney beans, cannellini beans, and vegetable broth to the slow cooker.
Stir in the Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
About 30 minutes before the cooking time is up, stir in the baby spinach and uncooked pasta. Replace the lid and allow the pasta to cook until tender.
Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary, adding more salt or pepper as desired.
Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired. Enjoy your comforting bowl of vegetable minestrone soup!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
376 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 8.0 g | 10% | |
| Saturated Fat | 1.3 g | 7% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.7 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 1 mg | 0% | |
| Sodium | 1273 mg | 55% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 63.2 g | 23% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 14.6 g | 52% | |
| Total Sugars | 12.0 g | ||
| Protein | 17.3 g | 35% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 163 mg | 13% | |
| Iron | 6.0 mg | 33% | |
| Potassium | 1373 mg | 29% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
