There’s nothing quite like the feeling of walking into a home filled with the inviting scent of a slowly simmering soup, especially after a busy day. We believe that a truly comforting meal should be both nourishing and simple to prepare. That’s why we’re so excited to share our recipe for Crockpot Minestrone Soup. This delightful dish captures all the rustic charm of a traditional Italian kitchen, but with the modern convenience of a slow cooker. It’s a genuine ‘set and forget’ recipe that promises a delicious, heartwarming meal for the whole family.

This soup is a vibrant tapestry of vegetables, beans, and pasta, all brought together in a rich, herb-infused tomato broth. It’s wonderfully wholesome, deeply satisfying, and an excellent way to enjoy a wide array of nutrients in one bowl. Let’s get started and show you how to create this beautiful dish right in your own kitchen.

What Exactly is Minestrone?

Before we begin, let’s explore what gives minestrone its unique character. Hailing from Italy, the name “minestrone” simply means “big soup,” which perfectly describes its hearty nature. Rather than following a rigid set of rules, it’s a wonderfully versatile soup that traditionally makes use of seasonal vegetables. The essential elements are a flavourful broth, beans for substance, and a small variety of pasta or rice. Minestrone is a proud emblem of “cucina povera,” or “peasant cooking,” a philosophy centred on crafting incredible meals from simple, affordable ingredients. Our slow cooker adaptation celebrates this spirit, offering a meal that is both economical and exceptionally tasty.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Hands-Off and Convenient: The true magic of this recipe is that the slow cooker handles all the heavy lifting. Just prepare your vegetables, add all the ingredients to the pot, and let it gently simmer for hours. It’s the perfect solution for a stress-free weekday dinner.
• Packed with Wholesome Goodness: Brimming with a colourful assortment of vegetables and protein-filled beans, this is one of the most delightful vegetarian slow cooker meals we know. It delivers a powerhouse of nutrition without ever sacrificing flavour.
• Restaurant-Quality at Home: If you adore the soups served at popular Italian-American restaurants, this recipe will bring that comforting experience to your table. It’s one of those fantastic Olive Garden copycat recipes that we think tastes even better when made with love at home.
• Endlessly Adaptable: Don’t have any celery? Perhaps you have some courgette that needs using up. Feel free to throw it in! This recipe is incredibly forgiving and serves as a brilliant way to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, helping to reduce food waste.
• A True One-Pot Wonder: As the entire meal comes together in a single pot, you can say goodbye to a mountain of washing up. It’s a complete, balanced meal in a bowl, making it an ideal choice for an easy, no-fuss dinner.

Ingredients

To create this wonderful Crockpot Minestrone Soup, we use a classic blend of fresh vegetables and pantry essentials that work together to build deep, layered flavours. Here is everything you will need:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 1.5 litres (about 6 cups) high-quality vegetable broth
• 1 (400g) tin of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (400g) tin of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 150g (about 1 ½ cups) small pasta, such as ditalini, small shells, or macaroni
• 100g (about 4 cups) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

How to Make Crockpot Minestrone Soup

Preparing this incredible soup is remarkably straightforward. We’ve outlined the process in a few simple stages. While you could add everything straight to the Crockpot, we highly recommend taking a few extra minutes to sauté the base vegetables first—it makes a world of difference to the final flavour.

1. Create a Rich Foundation (Optional but Recommended): Warm the olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery (a classic Italian soffritto) and cook for about 5–7 minutes, until they have softened nicely. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it becomes fragrant. This initial step builds a wonderfully aromatic base for your soup.
2. Combine in the Slow Cooker: Carefully transfer the sautéed vegetables into your slow cooker. To this, add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, rinsed kidney and cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together so it’s well combined.
3. Let the Crockpot Perform Its Magic: Place the lid on your slow cooker and choose your cooking time. We find cooking on LOW for 6 to 8 hours allows the flavours to meld beautifully, but cooking on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours also works well.
4. Add the Finishing Touches: Around 20–30 minutes before you plan to serve, turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting (if it isn’t already). Fish out and discard the bay leaf, then stir in the uncooked pasta. Pop the lid back on and allow the pasta to cook until it is al dente—tender with a slight chew. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, stir through the fresh spinach and let it wilt into the hot broth.
5. Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the steaming hearty vegetable soup into bowls. For a perfect finish, garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a generous helping of grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve straight away with some warm, crusty bread for dipping.

Expert Tips for the Perfect Minestrone

Are you ready to elevate your soup from delicious to truly exceptional? Here are a few of our favourite tips that will make all the difference.

• Time the Pasta Perfectly: The golden rule for any great bean and pasta soup is to avoid soggy pasta. Adding it towards the end of the cooking process is key. If you anticipate having leftovers, we suggest cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl just before serving to keep it perfectly al dente.
• Use a Parmesan Rind: Have you got a leftover rind from a block of Parmesan? Don’t throw it out! It’s a secret weapon for flavour. Simply drop it into the slow cooker with the broth at the beginning. It will gently infuse the soup with a rich, savoury, umami taste. Just be sure to remove it before serving.
• Select a Quality Broth: The broth is the very soul of this soup, so using a high-quality, flavourful vegetable stock will make a noticeable difference to the final taste. We recommend choosing a low-sodium version, as this allows you to have better control over the saltiness.
• Prepare in Advance: To make your morning even smoother, you can chop all the vegetables the night before. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and they’ll be ready to go when you are.

Serving and Storage Suggestions

How to Serve Your Soup

This Crockpot Minestrone Soup is certainly a meal in itself, but a few simple additions can make it even more special. We adore serving it with a thick slice of crusty bread, like sourdough or ciabatta, perfect for soaking up every last drop of the delicious broth. For an extra burst of flavour, try adding a spoonful of fresh pesto or a final drizzle of good-quality olive oil just before serving.

Storing and Reheating

Leftover minestrone makes for a wonderful lunch the following day! Simply store it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will keep well for up to 5 days. It’s worth noting that the pasta will continue to soak up liquid as it sits, causing the soup to thicken. When you’re ready to reheat, you might want to add a splash of water or broth to bring it back to your preferred consistency.

Can I Freeze This Crockpot Minestrone Soup?

Yes, you can! This soup is brilliant for batch cooking as it freezes beautifully. For the best texture upon reheating, we recommend freezing the soup *before* adding the pasta and spinach. Allow the soup base to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw it overnight in the fridge, gently reheat it on the hob, and then add fresh pasta and spinach to cook until tender.

FAQ

The Ultimate Comfort in a Bowl

And there we have it—a wonderfully simple, wholesome, and flavour-packed Crockpot Minestrone Soup that’s ideal for any day of the week. It’s a true celebration of how basic ingredients can come together to create something truly memorable. This recipe is proof that you don’t need to spend all day in the kitchen to enjoy a nourishing, satisfying meal that your entire family will love.

We sincerely hope you enjoy this easy slow cooker recipe. It’s the perfect way to warm your soul on a chilly day and a fantastic method for incorporating more vegetables into your meals. We encourage you to give it a try this week! We’d be delighted to hear how it goes, so please feel free to leave a comment below. Happy cooking!

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Create the ultimate comfort food with our easy Crockpot Minestrone Soup recipe! This flavourful, hearty soup is packed with vegetables and is the perfect set-and-forget meal for busy weeknights. Find the full recipe here!

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 3 to 8 hours
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes, undrained
• 1.5 litres (about 6 cups) high-quality vegetable broth
• 1 (400g) tin of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (400g) tin of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 150g (about 1 ½ cups) small pasta, such as ditalini or small shells
• 100g (about 4 cups) fresh spinach, roughly chopped
• Fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Sauté Vegetables: Warm the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
2. Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to your slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, rinsed kidney and cannellini beans, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir everything to combine.
3. Slow Cook: Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
4. Add Final Ingredients: About 20-30 minutes before serving, turn the slow cooker to HIGH. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the uncooked pasta and cook until al dente. During the last 5 minutes, stir in the fresh spinach and allow it to wilt.
5. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: —, Carbs: — g, Protein: — g, Fat: — g