Slow Cooker Minestrone Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the first 13 ingredients in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans, zucchini and pasta. Cook, covered, on high about 30 minutes longer, until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

Steps:

• Combine vegetable broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, onion, celery, carrots, green beans, zucchini, garlic, parsley, oregano, salt, thyme, and black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker.
• 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 spinach and macaroni into minestrone; cook another 15 minutes. Top with Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Add the beans, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, celery, sweet potato, onion, crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan rind, if using, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and 4 cups water. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
• Stir in the kale, cover and let simmer until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with toasted baguette, if desired.
• If using pasta, spoon 1/2 cup cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Store the pasta and soup in separate containers.

Steps:

• In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first nine ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour. Reduce heat to low; cook for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are almost tender., During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the macaroni. Cover and cook until macaroni is tender. Stir in the tomatoes and spinach; heat through.

Steps:

• Heat oil in the bottom of a 4- or 6-quart slow cooker on High. Add zucchini, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.
• Pour in vegetable stock, chickpeas, undrained tomatoes, and green beans. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.
• Add ditalini and cook for 1 more hour. Stir in pesto and serve.

Steps:

• Spray 4- to 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and spinach.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 9 hours (or on High heat setting 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours 30 minutes).
• Stir in pasta and spinach until spinach is wilted. If cooking on Low, increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 25 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Serve immediately for soup consistency, or let stand for thicker, stew-like consistency.

Steps:

• In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pasta and cheese.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours.
• Stir in pasta. Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese. Note: This recipe was tested in slow cookers with heating elements in the side and bottom of the cooker, not in cookers that stand only on a heated base. For slow cookers with just a heated base, follow the manufacturer's directions for layering ingredients and choosing a temperature.

Steps:

• In a crock pot, combine beef with water, onion, salt, thyme, parsley, pepper, and tomatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours. Remove beef bones (if using beef shank); cut up meat and return to pot. Turn control to high. Add zucchini, beans, cabbage, and macaroni. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes or until the macaroni/vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.