Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Name: Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 6 h 15 min
Total time: 6 h 40 min
Yield: 7 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts).
Ingredients: 2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained; 2 cups water; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 1 medium onion, chopped; 1 medium zucchini, chopped; 1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules; 1/2 teaspoon dried basil; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained; 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry; 1-1/4 cups cooked elbow macaroni; Shredded Parmesan cheese

“I picked up this recipe in California in the ’80s and have been making it ever since. I love it partly because it’s simple to put together and partly because the flavor is so wonderful!” Bonnie Hosman - Young, AZ

Ingredients

2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups water
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in the beans, spinach and macaroni. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Cool soup and transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 276 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 974mg sodium, 41g carbohydrate (11g sugars, 12g fiber), 15g protein.

Reviews

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Average Rating:

nramsey

Nov 1, 2015

One of our family favorites! I make as is, and then add about 1/4 cup chicken broth to each bowl before serving as it does get very thick.
AdrianneKathleen

Sep 15, 2014

We thoroughly enjoyed this one! Next time I'll substitute the pepperoni for spicy Italian sausage (just for variety), but it's still very good as is.
contrarywife

Nov 27, 2013

Unfortunately, we were very disappointed in this soup. The onions nor carrots were tender after 7 hours on low plus 30 minutes on high. Surprisingly, it lacked flavor. I omitted the pasta as it was already so thick after adding 1.5 cans of kidney beans. Not a keeper for us; use your own judgment based on the other reviews. This is my go-to website for recipes and I'm very, very seldom disappointed.
skiking

Nov 20, 2011

I would add a little more moisture-water or broth. I substituted vegetable broth for chicken granules & add water to = 2c.
jmoore_112

Oct 14, 2011

Almost thought I was at Olive Garden!
mehalv

Nov 21, 2010

This was a great recipe! My husband and I loved it and I look forward to making it again.
scrapo

Nov 17, 2010

This turned out great! I think I did add too many noodles though but I added an extra can of tomatoe sauce and a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes and it turned out perfect!
dmilton

Aug 21, 2010

I substituted 4 large hot Italian sausages, removed the casings and cooked the meat in a fry pan to reduce the fat content. This gave the soup a little bit of a spice kick. I also used macaroni shells which I think gives the soup a nicer look.
skymom747

Nov 5, 2009

Everyone enjoyed this soup! So easy and so delicious :)
anniewil

Nov 1, 2009

I made this just last weekend and we all LOVED it! This- will become a family favorite, and next time, I'll add a little tomato juice to make it more tomato-y.You need to make this soup!