Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

by Renee M
(Altoona, WI)

This recipe is soooo yummy, and easy. Plus a great way to get your kids to eat lots of veggies.

This made a HUGE crock pot full. I made this when I had some family visiting. It made 8 heaping bowls for adults, and 1 little bowl for my daughter. Plus I had enough left over for lunch for me and my daughter the next day. The left overs freeze great. But, if don't want to make that much you may want to cut the recipe in half.

8 cups of beef or vegetable broth
1 can whole tomatoes
1 cup of dried mixed beans, I used 1/3 cup of each, northern, kidney, and black beans
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium onion chopped
1 medium zucchini chopped
1 10oz package of frozen spinach
1 TBS dried basil
1 TBS dried oregano
3 cups of dried pasta to add later, I used Rotelle
Optional 1 pound of ground chicken or beef! I use ground chicken and it tastes great, and it's a little healthier.
Optional Parmesan cheese to top
Salt to taste

Soak beans, either over night or a quick soak of boiling for 10 minutes and then soaking with a cover on for an hour. Or if you're in a rush you can use a can of beans of your choice and just drain and rinse them before you add them.

If using brown ground beef or chicken...

Put broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, celery, onion, zucchini, frozen spinach, basil, oregano, and cooked meat into crock pot. Set on low heat for 7-8 hours. Or until beans are soft.

20-30 minutes before you want to eat, turn crock pot on high and add the dried pasta.

Pour into bowls, top with Parmesan cheese, and salt to taste.