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Easy Crockpot Minestrone Soup Recipe

Easy Crockpot Minestrone Soup

A hearty slow-cooker vegetable soup with tomatoes, beans, pasta, zucchini, green beans, and Italian herbs. Add the pasta during the final 20–30 minutes so it stays pleasantly tender rather than mushy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 6 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetables and Aromatics
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil, optional for sautéing
  • 1 medium Medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium Medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks Celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 medium Medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 cup Frozen cut green beans
Soup Base
  • 1 14-15 ounce can Diced tomatoes with juices
  • 6 cups Low-sodium vegetable broth
Beans and Seasoning
  • 1 15 ounce can Kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can Cannellini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
Finishing Ingredients
  • 1 cup Small dried pasta such as ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells
  • 2 cups Baby spinach or chopped kale, optional
  • 1 rind Parmesan rind, optional
  • as needed Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Dice the onion, carrots, celery, and zucchini. Mince the garlic, then drain and rinse both cans of beans.
  2. For extra flavor, warm the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 4–5 minutes. This step is optional, and the vegetables may go directly into the slow cooker.
  3. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, zucchini, green beans, diced tomatoes with juices, vegetable broth, kidney beans, cannellini or great northern beans, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and Parmesan rind to the crockpot.
  4. Cover and cook for 6–8 hours on LOW or 3–4 hours on HIGH, until the vegetables are tender.
  5. Stir in the dry pasta during the last 20–30 minutes of cooking. Continue cooking only until the pasta is just tender.
  6. Stir in the spinach or kale during the final 2–5 minutes, if using. Remove the Parmesan rind, taste, and adjust the salt and pepper.
  7. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with grated Parmesan. Serve hot with crusty bread if desired.

Notes

Add pasta near the end because extended slow cooking makes it soft and causes it to absorb too much broth. For make-ahead soup, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls before serving. A Parmesan rind adds savory depth, and a small amount of red pepper flakes can provide gentle heat.