If you're looking for the perfect Crockpot Minestrone Soup, you're in the right place. Whether you love Crockpot Recipes or want to explore our Chicken Breast Recipes collection, we've got you covered.
Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Minestrone Soup
- Hands-off cooking: Just chop, dump, and let the slow cooker work.
- Deep, rich flavor: Slow simmering melds vegetables, herbs, and broth perfectly.
- Adaptable ingredients: Easily use up extra veggies from your fridge.
- Complete one-pot meal: Packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta.
Ingredients & Tools
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups vegetable broth (low sodium if preferred)
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 cup ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- For serving: Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley
Notes: Two types of beans provide textural contrast; dried herbs infuse the broth with classic Italian flavor.
Tools: A 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories: | 280 kcal |
| Protein: | 12 g |
| Fat: | 4 g |
| Carbs: | 50 g |
| Fiber: | 12 g |
Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 6-8 hours (Low) or 3-4 hours (High) | Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes (minimum)
Before You Start: Tips & Ingredient Notes
- Don’t skip the olive oil. Even though you’re not sautéing, a little fat helps carry the flavors of the aromatics (onion, garlic) throughout the soup as it cooks.
- Why two kinds of beans? Kidney beans hold their shape beautifully and have a meaty texture, while cannellini beans become wonderfully creamy and help thicken the broth slightly. It’s a perfect combo.
- Chop your veggies uniformly. Aim for a 1/2-inch dice on the carrots, celery, and onion. This ensures they all cook at the same rate and you get a bit of everything in each spoonful.
- Low sodium broth is your friend. Since the soup reduces and concentrates over many hours, starting with a low-sodium broth gives you full control over the final seasoning. You can always add more salt, but you can’t take it out!
How to Make Crockpot Minestrone Soup
Step 1: Start by prepping all your vegetables. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into a relatively uniform size—this is the “soffritto” base that will build the foundation of your soup’s flavor. Mince the garlic and trim and chop your green beans. Honestly, this is the only real “work” involved, so take your time and get it right.
Step 2: Add all the prepped vegetables (onion, carrots, celery, garlic, green beans) directly into the slow cooker insert. There’s no need to sauté anything first—the long, slow heat will soften them perfectly and mellow their flavors. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, and give everything a good stir to combine.
Step 3: Now, stir in both cans of rinsed beans, along with the dried oregano, dried basil, and the single bay leaf. Season generously with a few big pinches of salt and black pepper. The bay leaf is a quiet hero here, adding a subtle, earthy depth that you’ll miss if it’s not there.
Step 4: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Now, you have a choice. For the deepest, most melded flavor, cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. If you’re short on time, you can cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. The soup is ready when the carrots and celery are completely tender.
Step 5: About 20-30 minutes before you plan to eat, it’s time to add the pasta and spinach. Stir in the dry ditalini pasta and the chopped fresh spinach. Re-cover the slow cooker and turn the heat to HIGH (if it wasn’t already) to cook for that final 20-30 minutes. This prevents the pasta from becoming mushy and the spinach from dissolving completely.
Step 6: Once the pasta is al dente and the spinach has wilted, remove the bay leaf. Do a final taste test and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. The soup should be vibrant, hearty, and perfectly seasoned.
Step 7: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and finish with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and some fresh parsley. The Parmesan adds a salty, umami kick that really makes the whole dish sing. Serve immediately with some crusty bread on the side for the ultimate comfort food experience.
Storage & Freshness Guide
- Fridge: Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Portion into freezer-safe containers (leave headspace) and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reviving: Reheat with a splash of broth or water to restore soupy consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Complementary Dishes
- Garlic Bread — It’s non-negotiable, really. The crispy, buttery, garlicky bread is perfect for dipping into the rich tomato broth and scooping up beans and vegetables.
- A Simple Green Salad — A light salad with a sharp vinaigrette provides a refreshing, crisp contrast to the hearty, warm soup and cleanses the palate between bites.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches — Take the comfort factor to the next level. A classic, crispy grilled cheese is a match made in heaven with a bowl of minestrone, especially for a cozy weekend lunch.
Drinks
- A Light-Bodied Red Wine — A Chianti or a Pinot Noir has enough acidity to stand up to the tomatoes without overpowering the delicate vegetables in the soup.
- Sparkling Water with Lemon — The effervescence and citrus cut through the richness of the soup beautifully, making each spoonful taste fresh and new.
- Iced Herbal Tea — A chilled, unsweetened peppermint or hibiscus tea is a wonderfully refreshing and non-alcoholic pairing that complements the herbal notes in the soup.
Something Sweet
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake — The bright, citrusy flavor of this moist cake is a fantastic, not-too-heavy way to end the meal after a savory and filling soup.
- Panna Cotta — A silky, smooth, and cool panna cotta with a berry compote offers a lovely textural and temperature contrast that feels light and elegant.
- Biscotti — A classic Italian choice. The crunchy, twice-baked cookies are perfect for a little dunking into a post-dinner coffee or espresso.
Crockpot Minestrone Soup
Make this easy Crockpot Minestrone Soup recipe for a hearty, healthy meal. Just dump the ingredients and let your slow cooker do the work. Get the recipe now!
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 large yellow onion (diced)
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2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
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2 stalks celery (diced)
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3 cloves garlic (minced)
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1 can crushed tomatoes (28 oz)
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6 cups vegetable broth (low sodium if preferred)
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1 can kidney beans (15 oz, rinsed and drained)
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1 can cannellini beans (15 oz, rinsed and drained)
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1 cup green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces)
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1 tsp dried oregano
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1 tsp dried basil
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1 bay leaf
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3/4 cup ditalini pasta (or other small shape)
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2 cups fresh spinach (roughly chopped)
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Salt and black pepper (to taste)
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Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley (for serving)
Instructions
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Prep the vegetables. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into a uniform size for the soffritto base. Mince the garlic, and trim and chop the green beans.01
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Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and green beans to the slow cooker insert. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth, then stir to combine.02
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Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans and kidney beans, dried oregano, dried basil, and the bay leaf. Season generously with salt and black pepper.03
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Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours (best flavor) or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the carrots and celery are completely tender.04
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About 20–30 minutes before serving, stir in the dry ditalini pasta and chopped fresh spinach. Re-cover and cook on HIGH until the pasta is al dente and the spinach is wilted.05
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Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.06
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Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve immediately, optionally with crusty bread.07
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