serves 8 - 10
- 2 large carrots, scrubbed and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small zucchini, diced (seasonal)
- 1 1/2 c cooked kidney beans
- 1/2 c green beans (cut into 1" chunks, or from a bag of frozen green beans)
- 3 1/2 c (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 6 c vegetable broth
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 c cooked small pasta (ditalini, elbow, small shells)*
- 3-4 c chopped spinach, kale or chard
- 1 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for topping each bowl)
Into a 6 quart crockpot, mix carrots, celery, onion, garlic, zucchini (if in season), kidney beans, green beans, tomatoes, broth, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover. Heat on low 6-8 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in the cooked pasta* (boil approximately 3/4c pasta until aldente), greens, and parsley. Cover and heat 15 minutes more, or until greens are tender.
Serve topped with Parmesan.
Original Slow Cooker Minestrone Blog Post
