A Good Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup, a Real Autumn Delight

The arrival of cold weather makes you crave a warm soup?

Then you absolutely need to try this easy-to-make slow cooker minestrone soup. 

It is filled with good ingredients that make it substantial enough for a meal soup. 

Ingredients

• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons of dried basil
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• 3/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1-2 cups of water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 medium zucchinis, chopped
• 1/2 cup of canned or cooked red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of canned or cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup of small dried pasta
• 1-2 cups of fresh spinach, chopped (optional)
• 1-2 teaspoons of balsamic vinegar (optional but adds a lot of flavor)
• Grated Parmesan, for serving
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large slow cooker, add the carrots, celery, garlic, onions, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaves. 

Stir in the vegetable broth and water and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Cover with the slow cooker lid and cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1-2 hours.

20-30 minutes before serving, stir in the red beans, cannellini beans, zucchinis, spinach, and pasta. 

Cook on high until the pasta is tender.

Season with more salt and pepper if desired. Add balsamic vinegar.

Serve hot with bread and top with Parmesan and parsley.

For a glimpse of this comforting recipe, take a look at the following video.