Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is a cozy meal great for the winter months. Yummy, healthy, and hearty, your family will love this! Check it out!
Warm up with a hearty bowl of homemade Minestrone soup, perfect for those chilly days or when you crave a comforting meal. This recipe features a medley of vegetables, beans, and pasta, all simmered to perfection. It’s easy to make and packed with flavor, making it a favorite for family dinners or meal prepping. Keep the flavors bright by adding them in the right order and you’ll absolutely love this light yet hearty minestrone soup!
Love delicious Soups? Check out my popular Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup and Weight Loss Cabbage Soup recipes for more incredible flavors made with unbelievable ease that the whole family will enjoy during those busy weeknights or whenever you want soup for dinner.
Table of contents
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Sabrina’s Slow Cooker Creamy Minestrone Soup is a meal made all winter long because it’s hearty, healthy and despite tasting creamy it contains no cream at all in it! The secret to this minestrone soup is in the cannellini beans! The only indulgent ingredient in the soup is the Parmesan cheese which means you can throw caution to the wind and add that handful of cheese.
What is Minestrone?
Minestrone is a traditional Italian soup, and its exact origin can be traced back to Italy. It has a long history in Italian cuisine and is believed to have been developed during the Roman Empire. Minestrone typically features a variety of vegetables, beans, pasta or rice, and sometimes meat, all simmered together in a flavorful broth.
Ingredients
- 1 can (about 28 oz) Diced Tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes provide a rich, tomatoey base for the soup. You can use fresh diced tomatoes as a substitute during the tomato season for a fresher taste.
- ¼ cup Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds depth and a concentrated tomato flavor to the soup. If you don’t have tomato paste, you can use tomato sauce, although it may slightly thin the soup.
- 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese Chunk: Parmesan cheese chunks infuse the soup with a savory, umami richness. If unavailable, grated or shredded Parmesan can be used instead.
- 4 cups Vegetable Stock: Vegetable stock forms the soup’s flavorful base and makes it vegetarian-friendly. For a non-vegetarian twist, you can use chicken stock.
- 2 cups Water: Water helps balance the thickness of the soup and ensures it doesn’t become too concentrated. You can use additional vegetable or chicken stock instead of water for a richer flavor.
- 3 medium Carrots, diced: Carrots add natural sweetness and a delightful crunch. Feel free to use baby carrots or substitute with sweet potatoes for a unique flavor.
- 3 stalks Celery, diced: Celery imparts a subtle earthy note and adds a pleasant texture.
- 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced: Onions provide a foundational savory base. Red onions can be a colorful substitute.
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced: Garlic adds a robust, aromatic flavor to the soup. Adjust the quantity to suit your taste.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Slow Cooker: The heart of this recipe, a slow cooker, is essential for simmering the soup to perfection. For ease, set your All-Clad one with the aluminum insert and forget it, making your cooking process hassle-free!
- Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife: A sturdy cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife are crucial for dicing vegetables and mincing garlic with ease. A good knife ensures precise and safe chopping.
- Can Opener: You’ll need a can opener to easily access canned ingredients like diced tomatoes and beans. Ensure it’s in good working condition for smooth opening.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: Accurate measurements are vital in cooking. Use measuring cups for liquids like water and vegetable stock, and measuring spoons for precise amounts of herbs, spices, and tomato paste.
- Food Processor: This will be used to purée the white cannellini beans.
How to Make
Time needed: 4 hours and 15 minutes.
- Prepare Cannellini Bean Puree
Begin by creating a creamy cannellini bean purée. Add the can of cannellini beans, along with the included water, to your food processor. Blend for about 30 seconds until it transforms into a smooth purée. Use a spatula to ensure you transfer all of the purée to your slow cooker.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker
In your slow cooker, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Parmesan cheese chunks, vegetable stock, water, carrots, celery, onions, minced garlic, dried oregano, dried rosemary, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, kidney beans, great northern beans, and processed cannellini beans. Mix everything well.
- Cook the Soup
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the vegetables to become tender.
- Add Zucchini and Pasta
About 20 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to high heat if it wasn’t already on high. Then, add diced zucchini and pasta to the soup. Set the timer for 20 minutes.
- Add Green Beans and Spinach
During the last five minutes of cooking, add green beans and baby spinach to the soup, stirring gently.
- Serve and Enjoy
Ladle your delicious Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup into bowls, and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Offer warm crusty bread on the side for dipping. Enjoy your homemade soup!
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 can diced tomatoes (about 28oz)
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 ounces Parmesan chunk , cut into 1 inch chunks
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 3 medium carrots , diced
- 3 stalks celery , diced
- 1 medium yellow onion , diced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 leaves bay
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1 can red kidney beans , (15oz) drained and rinsed
- 1 can great northern beans , (15oz) drained and rinsed
- 1 can cannelini beans , (15oz) drained and processed until smooth in your food processor
- 2 medium zucchini , diced
- 6 ounces pasta (ditalini or elbow)
- 1 cup green beans cut in half
- 3 cups baby spinach
- grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
Instructions
- Add the can of cannellini beans and the included water to the food processor and blend for about 30 seconds until it turns into a creamy purée. Use a spatula to help transfer the beans to the slow cooker.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan, vegetable stock, water, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, oregano, rosemary, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, kidney beans, great northern beans and pureed cannellini beans to a slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- 20 minutes before you are ready to serve, turn the slow cooker to high heat if it wasn't already on high heat.
- Add in the zucchini and pasta and set time for 20 minutes.
- In the last five minutes, add in your green beans and spinach and stir.
- Serve with additional Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Click on the “yield” amount to slide and change the number of servings and the recipe will automatically update!
- Click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
- To convert measurements to grams, click on the “Metric” option next to “Ingredients” in the recipe card.
Nutrition
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Nutritional Facts
How to Store
- Store: Cool the soup and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Gently reheat on the stove over medium heat until warm. Add a little extra water or stock if the soup has thickened.
- Freeze: Freeze the soup without the pasta in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove. If you plan to freeze it, you can keep out the noodles and add them freshly boiled later when ready to help them avoid getting mushy.
Ideas to Serve
- Soup in Bread Bowls: Hollow out small round bread loaves to create edible bread bowls. Ladle the soup into these bread bowls for a rustic and tasty presentation. Don’t forget to offer the scooped-out bread on the side.
- Soup Shooters: For a creative appetizer at a party, serve small portions of Minestrone Soup in shot glasses or mini cups. It’s a fun and elegant way to offer a taste of this hearty soup.
- Dinner with a Twist: Pair your Minestrone Soup with a simple green salad and a glass of white wine or Italian red. This transforms it into a sophisticated Italian-inspired dinner.
- Add-On Toppings Bar: Set up a toppings bar with options like crumbled bacon, extra Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh herbs, and red pepper flakes. Let guests customize their soup to suit their taste.
Frequent Questions
Absolutely! You can substitute fresh tomatoes for canned ones. Use about 3 cups of fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced, or even cherry tomatoes. Just ensure they are ripe and juicy for the best flavor.
The pasta, zucchini, and spinach need far less cooking time than the rest of the ingredients. If you were to add them all at once you’d have pasta that has melted into a mess and yellowed zucchini and spinach.
The way we make this minestrone soup creamy is by taking a whole can of white beans and pureeing it in the food processor before adding it to the slow cooker. This faux cream is pumped up by a shower of Parmesan Cheese.
To prevent the pasta from becoming mushy, consider cooking it separately and adding it to individual bowls just before serving. This way, it retains its texture, especially in leftovers.
Variations
- Italian Seasonings: Add depth with fresh basil, thyme, or marjoram. Substitute dried rosemary with fresh basil leaves for vibrancy. Enhance flavor with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Alternatively, a blend of Herbs de Provence is a wonderful all-in-one with a flavor from France!
- Meat Lover’s: For heartiness, add two cups of brown ground beef, Italian sausage, or diced cooked chicken.
- Gluten-Free: Cater to gluten sensitivities with gluten-free pasta or rice. Even though gluten itself is found only in grains including wheat, barley, and rye, ensure all ingredients, including broth and beans, are certified gluten-free and/or were processed in a gluten-free facility.
- Vegan Delight: Craft a vegan version using vegetable broth, plant-based Parmesan cheese, and vegan pasta. Boost the umami flavor with nutritional yeast!
- Various Veggies: Experiment with seasonal produce like asparagus, kale, or sweet potatoes for a fresh twist based on the season or personal preference.
- Spicy Minestrone: Infuse a spicy kick with hot sauce, diced jalapenos, or crushed red pepper flakes. Adjust the spice level to your liking for a personalized heat experience.
More Slow Cooker Soups
Photos used in previous versions of this post.
Have you ever popped this soup in the freezer? Recipe says it makes 16 servings.. which is good (and a lot) but I’d like to know if it freezes well.
Thanks!
I haven’t tested it yet but I think with a few changes, it would work. I would suggest changing the pasta to possibly a rotini which is less likely to stick together. Also if you want to avoid some of the soggy vegetables during freezing, I’d recommend swapping out the zucchini for a vegetable that freezes better or even just leaving it out. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to try it!
I’m normally cooking for one, so I like to make a full batch of something in the crock pot and then freeze individual portions for an easy reheatable meal later. How would you suggest I do that with this soup? I would think freezing and then reheating the pasta and some of the later veggies might make it soggy…
Yes, it may make the pasta swollen and a bit soggy. If you want to avoid some of the soggy vegetables I’d recommend swapping out the zucchini for a vegetable that freezes better or even just leaving it out. With the pasta, I would probably switch to a shape less likely to stick together, maybe a rotini?
This looks delicious and cheesy, yum!
Thanks Lauren!
Anytime I can make a soup in my slow cooker is a good day!
I couldn’t agree more!
With all the bone chilling cold we are having right now, THIS would be a great way to warm up!
This soup looks and sounds amazing! Perfect for the weather!
I love making minestrone on a cold day but have never made it in my slow cooker – what a great idea!
This sounds fantastic! I need to make it after Christmas!
Incredible looking soup….love the Parm shards on top, too! Sharing on FB and on a Facebook page.
Thank you Dorothy!