Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
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Published Sep 14, 2020, Updated Feb 21, 2022
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This slow cooker minestrone soup is packed with fresh veggies, beans and seasonings. Pop everything in your slow cooker and come home to a warm and comforting meal.
As soon as the weather cools, I’m all about soups and slow cooker meals. It’s funny how much the weather impacts my food choices! We have one cooler week and I immediately pull my slow cooker out.
This soup is packed with veggie goodness, fiber and protein-rich beans. Pair the healthy ingredients with Italian flavor thanks to the seasonings and spices and you’ve got a winner! It almost reminds me of the minestrone soup at Carrabba’s, which I used to be hooked on in college.
Minestrone Soup Ingredients
- Vegetables – carrots, yellow onion, celery hearts, savoy cabbage, zucchini and garlic
- Potatoes – for this minestrone I like to use chopped potatoes instead of pasta
- Canned ingredients – diced tomatoes, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, white beans
- Chicken or vegetable stock
- Parmesan cheese
- Olive oil
- Seasonings and spices – fresh parsley, dried basil, dried oregano, bay leaf, sea salt and pepper
How to Make Minestrone Soup in the Slow Cooker
I’ve said it before, but I love slow cooker meals because they are so easy to make!
For this soup, I like to start by sautéing the carrots, onion, celery and garlic before adding them to the slow cooker, just for additional flavor. My slow cooker base is stove-top friendly, which makes the transition from stove-top to slow cooker a breeze.
Next, you simply add the sautéed vegetables and all remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours or until the potatoes are cooked. Taste the soup before serving and season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf. Portion the soup into bowls, top with parmesan cheese and enjoy!
How to Make This Minestrone on the Stove Top
On the stove-top: Start by heating the oil in your pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery and cook until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Add in the garlic and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients into the pot. Bring to a bowl, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Check your potatoes and cook if they’re not soft yet. When the potatoes are fully cooked, remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper as needed. To serve, portion the soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.
Can I Make Minestrone in the Instant Pot?
I haven’t tested this method, but here’s what I would try if you want to make this minestrone soup in the Instant Pot. If you do happen to try it, please comment below and let me know how it turns out for you!
In an Instant Pot: Start in sauté mode on your Instant Pot. Add the oil, carrots, onions and celery and cook until the onions are translucent and fragrant. Add in the garlic and continue sautéing for an additional five minutes. Add in the diced tomatoes, white potato, cabbage, spices, parmesan rind, water and stock. Press cancel (to turn off sauté mode) and close the lid. Pressure cook on high for about 8 minutes. When done pressure cooking, turn the valve to quick release. Push cancel again and then turn on sauté mode again. Add the zucchini and beans and cook for 5-6 minutes or until all of the vegetables are tender and cooked through. Remove the parmesan rind and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper as needed. To serve, portion the soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.
Minestrone Variations
- Dairy-free – Make this soup dairy free by skipping the parmesan rind and the extra parmesan for topping or try using a dairy-free or vegan parmesan.
- Add grains – Make this soup heartier by adding in cooked rice or pasta before serving.
- Use what you have – This is a great “clean out the fridge” soup! Have different vegetables you want to get rid of? Throw them in! This is delicious with added leafy greens or even green beans.
What to Serve with Minestrone
Like most minestrone soups, this one is a little brothy, which I like, but it’s nice to have something (like bread or crackers) to dip. I have served it up with homemade bread or my almond crackers, which are delicious. Another option is to add some cooked rice before serving. I should also note that I love adding a hefty squeeze of sriracha into my bowl of soup for some extra heat — I highly recommend it. 🙂
Want More Slow Cooker Recipes? Try These:
- Slow Cooker Dairy Free Butter Chicken
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Kale and Sausage Soup
- Slow Cooker Quinoa Vegetable Soup
- Slow Cooker Apple Pie Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Soup
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery hearts, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 14- oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 white potato, peeled and chopped into cubes
- 1/2 head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped into small cubes
- 1 15- oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15- oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15- oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 rind from 2 oz. of parmesan cheese
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- 32 oz container chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion and celery and cook until onions are translucent and fragrant. Add in garlic and sauté for 5 minutes more.
- Add sautéed veggies and all remaining ingredients into the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours or potatoes are cooked. Taste the soup before serving and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Remove parmesan rind and bay leaf. Portion soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the idea of using potatoes instead of pasta. Will be perfect for my GF family.
Yay! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it. 🙂
Very tasty, easy and fulfilling!
Can this soup be frozen? If so, how would you suggest storing it to freeze?
Totally! I would store it in an airtight bag or container and when you’re ready to use pull it out into the fridge to thaw overnight.
This looks amazing! Should the diced tomatoes be drained?
No need to drain them!
Absolutely love this soup! I’m making a second batch to freeze.
Yay! So glad you’ve been loving this soup, Tim!
My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.
Woo!! So glad this recipe was a hit with your family. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I made the minestrone soup. It was excellent so flavorful. I’ve been cooking a lot of these recipes. I haven’t run into one that I didn’t like. Thank you
Ah yay! This makes me so happy to hear, Kristina! So pumped to know you are enjoying my recipes. Thanks for the review!
Love the subtle sweetness and enjoyed that it wasn’t over powering like some of the carnita’s that are served in our area burrito Thanks for a delicious recipe…will follow for more!!