Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone
This slow cooker minestrone soup is ideal for a weeknight family dinner! Slow cooking the beans, veggies, and spices allow the flavors to intensify, delivering a delicious, hearty meal that everyone's sure to enjoy.
Ingredients
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can kidney beans drained
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup green beans
- 1 small zucchini chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup elbow macaroni
- 4 cups chopped fresh spinach
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese or more to taste
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients.
- Combine broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, carrots, celery, green beans, zucchini, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme, and pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, 8 minutes; drain.
- Stir macaroni and spinach into the slow cooker; cover and cook for 15 more minutes.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Cook’s Note
One 10-ounce package of frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed dry) can be substituted for the fresh spinach.
You can use either white or red kidney beans.
Serve with a green salad and garlic bread for dipping.