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    Home » Recipes » Every Day Dinners

    Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup Recipe

    Published: Aug 24, 2021 by Amanda · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    minestrone soup in a slow cooker and in a red crock with a spoon
    red crock with minestrone soup and rolls next to it

    This easy slow cooker minestrone soup is a hearty vegetarian dinner chalked full of pasta, beans and zucchini. This easy and delicious weeknight dinner is one the whole family will love.

    red soup crock filled with vegetarian minestrone soup next to dinner rolls.

    This post was originally published in October 2020 and has been updated for content.

    As a busy mom, I try to make things easier on myself when it comes to dinnertime. I love to create intricate dishes, but sometimes you just need to get dinner on the table!

    This slow cooker minestrone soup recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight or when it's cold outside. Serve this easy soup with cheddar chive biscuits, homemade honey wheat bread or italian pesto bread.

    Jump to:
    • 🥘 Ingredient notes
    • 📋 Substitutions and variations
    • 🔪 Step by step instructions
    • ⭐ Expert tips
    • 🥘 Alternative cooking methods
    • ⏲️ Make ahead instructions
    • 🥡 Storage suggestions
    • 🥘 More slow cooker recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    🥘 Ingredient notes

    broth, beans, ditalini pasta, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, tomato paste and seasonings.
    • Pasta - Minestrone soup is typically made with a smaller type pasta. This recipe uses ditalini pasta which is a small tubular shaped pasta. Small shells or elbow macaroni can be used as a substitute.
    • Vegetables - This recipe uses garlic, onions, celery, carrots and zucchini. Fresh tomatoes, yellow squash, green beans, spinach and/or kale can be used as well!
    • Beans - I like using cannellini beans and kidney beans in this slow cooker minestrone soup recipe. Garbanzo beans or black beans could also be used!

    📋 Substitutions and variations

    • Meat - If you prefer meat in your minestrone soup, cooked ground beef, italian sausage or even diced cooked chicken can be added at the end with the pasta and zucchini.
    • Spicy - Add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes with the other seasonings to spice this soup up a bit!
    • Cheese - This soup can be garnished with fresh parmesan cheese before serving for extra flavor if desired.
    • Gluten Free - Switch out the pasta and zucchini for some zucchini noodles to make this slow cooker minestrone soup gluten free. Gluten free pasta can be used as well, however, I recommend cooking it ahead of time and adding it right before serving.
    • Vegan - This slow cooker minestrone soup is naturally vegan as long as the pasta you are using does not contain animal products such as eggs. Check the package instructions to verify.

    🔪 Step by step instructions

    Combine the garlic, onions, celery, carrots, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, seasonings and stock all into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.

    Add in beans, zucchini and pasta and cook for an additional hour on high until pasta is cooked through but still al dente.

    slow cooker with spoon stirring broth and vegetables and zucchini, pasta and beans added.

    Remove the bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

    slow cooker with minestrone soup and red crock with minestrone soup.

    If you ever don't recognize a tool or skill that I mention, be sure to look it up in the Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information.


    ⭐ Expert tips

    • Serve this soup with a warm loaf of Italian bread from the bakery. It's great for dipping!
    • Buy or make bread bowls for an extra special way to serve this delicious soup!

    🥘 Alternative cooking methods

    Stovetop - This soup can be made on the stovetop instead of the slow cooker. In a large pot or dutch oven heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and then saute the garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add in the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are completely softened and pasta is cooked through.

    ⏲️ Make ahead instructions

    This minestrone soup can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and reheated on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. Additional broth may need to be added as the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid as it sits.

    🥡 Storage suggestions

    This easy minestrone soup will keep up to 5 day in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container. If frozen, allow the soup to thaw completely before heating. Additional broth may need to be added during reheating.

    🥘 More slow cooker recipes

    If you loved this recipe for easy slow cooker minestrone soup, check out these other slow cooker recipes that I know you will love too!

    • Three Bean Slow Cooker Chili
    • Slow Cooker Barbacoa Beef Tacos
    • Creamy Crock Pot Chicken Marsala
    • Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

    Don't Forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.


    📖 Recipe

    minestrone soup in a red ceramic soup crock with a spoon

    Easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup Recipe

    Amanda
    This easy slow cooker minestrone soup is a hearty vegetarian dinner chalked full of pasta, beans and zucchini. This easy and delicious weeknight dinner is one the whole family will love.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 5 hrs
    Total Time 5 hrs 10 mins
    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 276 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh garlic approximately 3 cloves
    • ½ cup chopped fresh white onion approximately ½ of a small onion
    • ½ cup chopped fresh celery approximately 2 small stalks
    • ½ cup chopped fresh carrots approximately 2 small carrots
    • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
    • 14 ounces canned diced tomatoes with italian seasoning
    • 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 quarts vegetable stock
    • 14 ounce canned white cannellini beans rinsed and drained
    • 14 oz canned dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
    • 1 medium zucchini chopped
    • 1 ½ cup uncooked ditalini pasta
    • salt & pepper to taste

    Instructions
     

    • Combine garlic, onion, celery, carrots, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, oregano, marjoram, bay leaf and vegetable stock all into the slow cooker.
    • Stir to combine everything together and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
    • Add in beans, zucchini and pasta and cook for an additional hour on high.
    • Remove bay leaf, season with salt and pepper and serve!

    Video

    Notes

    • Serve this soup with a warm loaf of Italian bread from the bakery. It's great for dipping!
    • Buy or make bread bowls for an extra special way to serve this delicious soup!
     

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Pasta - Small shells or elbow macaroni can be used as a substitute for ditalini.
    • Vegetables - Fresh tomatoes, yellow squash, green beans, spinach and/or kale can be used as substitutes or in addition to the other vegetables.
    • Beans - Garbanzo beans or black beans are other beans that can be added or used as substitutes.
    • Meat - If you prefer meat in your minestrone soup, cooked ground beef, italian sausage or even diced cooked chicken can be added at the end with the pasta and zucchini.
    • Spicy - Add ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes with the other seasonings to spice this soup up a bit!
    • Cheese - This soup can be garnished with fresh parmesan cheese before serving for extra flavor if desired.
    • Gluten Free - Switch out the pasta and zucchini for some zucchini noodles to make this minestrone soup gluten free. Gluten free pasta can be used as well, however, I recommend cooking it ahead of time and adding it right before serving.
    • Vegan - This soup is naturally vegan as long as the pasta you are using does not contain animal products such as eggs. Check the package ingredients to verify.
     

    Alternative Cooking Methods

    Stovetop - This soup can be made on the stovetop instead of the slow cooker. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and then saute the garlic, onions, carrots and celery for 3-5 minutes until softened. Add in the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are completely softened and pasta is cooked through.
     

    Make Ahead Instructions

    This soup can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and reheated on the stovetop or in the slow cooker. Additional broth may need to be added as the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid as it sits.
     

    Storage Suggestions

    This soup will keep up to 5 day in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer when stored in an airtight container. If frozen, allow the soup to thaw completely before heating. Additional broth may need to be added during reheating.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 10ouncesCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 13gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1068mgPotassium: 762mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2050IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 4mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?Mention @SaporitoKitchen or tag #SaporitoKitchen!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Daylea Hanzel

      December 14, 2020 at 8:03 pm

      5 stars
      This soup has been added to my weekly menu. I add a squash as well as the zucchini for even more veggies. Perfect for those cold days. Plus when you leave it in the fridge and reheated the next day it just seems to be even better. 🥰

      Reply
      • Amanda

        December 15, 2020 at 1:37 pm

        Thank you! It's one of our favorite Winter dinners as well!

        Reply

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