Slow Cooker Green Minestrone

This Slow Cooker Green Minestrone is your new best friend for busy weeknights, offering a vibrantly flavorful and nutrient-packed meal with minimal effort. It’s the perfect way to load up on vegetables and hearty beans for a satisfying and healthy dinner that simmers itself to perfection.

Key Ingredients for Slow Cooker Green Minestrone

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a touch of heat)
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells)
• 4 cups packed fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Optional garnishes: grated Parmesan cheese, crusty bread for serving

How to Make Slow Cooker Green Minestrone

This Slow Cooker Green Minestrone is incredibly simple, making it a lifesaver on hectic days. You’ll achieve a deeply flavorful and satisfying soup with tender vegetables and hearty beans, all with minimal prep work. The beauty of slow cooking means the ingredients meld together beautifully, creating a rich texture and taste. This recipe typically takes about 15-20 minutes of active preparation time, then the slow cooker does all the work.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Sauté the Aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened slightly, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add Garlic and Seasonings: Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Transfer to Slow Cooker: Carefully transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to your slow cooker insert.
4. Add Broth and Beans: Pour in the vegetable broth and add the rinsed and drained cannellini beans and navy beans.
5. Cook on Low: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
6. Cook the Pasta: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the small pasta into the slow cooker. Cook on high, uncovered (if your slow cooker allows, otherwise it’s fine to keep it covered), until the pasta is al dente.
7. Wilt the Greens: Stir in the chopped spinach or kale and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the greens have wilted.
8. Season and Serve: Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Ladle the Slow Cooker Green Minestrone into bowls.
9. Garnish and Enjoy: Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and with crusty bread for dipping.

Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Green Minestrone

You’ll adore this Slow Cooker Green Minestrone for its vibrant medley of garden-fresh vegetables and protein-rich beans, all simmered into a comforting and wholesome soup. It’s an incredibly budget-friendly option that allows you to create a restaurant-quality meal at home for a fraction of the cost of buying it out, and it’s packed with more nutrients than a simple tomato-based minestrone. The addition of fresh parsley and optional Parmesan cheese elevates the flavors, making each spoonful a delightful experience.

This easy, set-it-and-forget-it recipe is perfect for busy families and anyone looking for a nutritious and satisfying meal without the fuss. Unlike many other slow cooker recipes that can leave textures mushy, this green minestrone maintains a delightful balance of tender vegetables and perfectly cooked pasta. Give this glorious Slow Cooker Green Minestrone a try this week – your taste buds and your wallet will thank you!

Storing and Reheating Tips

To store Slow Cooker Green Minestrone leftovers, allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Refrigerated, the soup will stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the minestrone in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 2-3 months.

To reheat, gently warm the soup on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If the soup has thickened too much from sitting, you can add a splash of vegetable broth or water to achieve your desired consistency. If reheating from frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat as described above.

Final Thoughts

This Slow Cooker Green Minestrone is a testament to how simple ingredients can create an incredibly delicious and nourishing meal. It’s the perfect comforting dish to whip up any day of the week, and we encourage you to give it a try for a wholesome and satisfying experience.

Slow Cooker Green Minestrone

This Slow Cooker Green Minestrone is your new best friend for busy weeknights, offering a vibrantly flavorful and nutrient-packed meal with minimal effort.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 8 minutes mins

Pasta Cooking Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 8 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian-American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Aromatics and Seasonings

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional, for a touch of heat

Broth and Beans

• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans rinsed and drained

Finishing Touches

• 1 cup small pasta such as ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells
• 4 cups fresh spinach or kale packed, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
• to taste salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Optional Garnishes

• N/A grated Parmesan cheese
• N/A crusty bread for serving

Equipment

• Slow Cooker
• Large skillet

Method

 

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened slightly, about 5-7 minutes.
   2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery
2. Stir in the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
   4 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3. Carefully transfer the sautéed vegetable mixture to your slow cooker insert.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the rinsed and drained cannellini beans and navy beans.
   6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans
5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
6. About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the small pasta into the slow cooker. Cook on high, uncovered (if your slow cooker allows, otherwise it’s fine to keep it covered), until the pasta is al dente.
   1 cup small pasta
7. Stir in the chopped spinach or kale and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the greens have wilted.
   4 cups fresh spinach or kale
8. Stir in the fresh parsley. Taste and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed.
   1/4 cup fresh parsley, to taste salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper
9. Ladle the Slow Cooker Green Minestrone into bowls. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and with crusty bread for dipping.
   N/A grated Parmesan cheese, N/A crusty bread

Notes

This recipe takes about 15-20 minutes of active preparation. It can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 2-3 months.