This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup recipe combines fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a rich broth. Perfect for those busy days when cooking feels impossible but you still want something homemade and nourishing – just set it and forget it!

Two bowls of slow cooker minestrone soup with pasta, beans, carrots, potatoes, and kale sit on a striped towel next to a stainless steel Crockpot. One bowl has a spoon resting in it.


 

👩‍🍳 Serve this hearty soup with crusty sourdough bread or buttery breadsticks for the ultimate comfort meal. Your family will think you spent hours in the kitchen, but we’ll keep the slow cooker secret between us!

Table of Contents

My 2 Best Tips For Making Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Season Generously at the End: Vegetable-heavy soups need more seasoning than you might think. Taste your soup before serving and don’t be shy with the salt and pepper – it really makes all the flavors pop!

Use Quality Stock for Maximum Flavor: Since the broth is such a big component of this soup, invest in good vegetable or chicken stock. It truly makes a difference in the final taste. If you’re using low-sodium broth, you’ll likely need to add more salt to taste.

Melissa in her kitchen smiling in front of the starting ingredients for the chicken the quinoa salad and skillet chicken on the wood block in front of her

🩷 Melissa

What I love most about Italian minestrone soup is that it’s a blank canvas for whatever vegetables are hiding in your fridge!

Got some zucchini that needs using up? Toss it in. Extra green beans from dinner last night? Perfect addition.

This is a super budget-friendly and filling meal. With beans providing protein and pasta adding heartiness, this soup stretches your dollar while keeping everyone satisfied.

It’s amazing how a few simple ingredients can create something so substantial and delicious!

A slow cooker filled with minestrone soup featuring macaroni noodles, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, kale, and broth, sitting on a white surface next to a striped towel.
No ratings yet

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

By: Melissa Griffiths
This easy Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup recipe combines fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a rich broth. Perfect for those busy days when cooking feels impossible but you still want something homemade and nourishing – just set it and forget it!
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 6 hours
Total: 6 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Print Recipe
Save This Recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
  • 2 medium ribs celery, chopped
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 4 cups vegetable broth, or chicken stock
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, with liquid, 28-ounces
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups chopped mixed seasonal vegetables, potatoes, squash, zucchini, green beans, or peas all work
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 cup small pasta, orecchiette, shells, or elbow macaroni
  • 1 can beans (15 ounces), such as kidney, Great Northern beans or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups home-cooked beans)
  • 2 cups baby spinach or chopped kale
  • Additional salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions 

  • Add the onion, carrots, celery, tomato paste, garlic, oregano, thyme, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, water, mixed vegetables, salt, bay leaves, and black pepper to the slow cooker. Stir well.
  • Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
  • About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender.
  • Stir in the beans and spinach (or kale) and cook for another 5–10 minutes, until heated through and the greens are wilted.
  • Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Serve hot with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.

Notes

Slow Cooker Size: This recipe works perfectly in a 6-quart slow cooker. For a 4-quart, you might want to reduce the recipe by about 1/3 to ensure everything fits comfortably without overflowing.
Additional Recipe Tips:
  • If using hearty vegetables like potatoes or green beans, chop them a little smaller so they cook evenly.
  • To prevent pasta from overcooking, you can boil it separately and stir it in just before serving.
  • Use a good stock here, it’s a big part of the flavor. 
  • Don’t be stingy with the salt when serving this because it adds so much to a vegetable heavy dish. 
Serving Suggestion: I like to serve this with some more carbs like breadsticks or sourdough bread so that we all stay full a little longer.
Freezer-Friendly for Meal Prep: Make a big batch and freeze portions for those nights when you need dinner in a hurry. Just remember to cook the pasta separately if you’re planning to freeze – it prevents mushy noodles when you reheat!
Storing Leftovers: Your leftover soup will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better overnight! Just add a splash of broth when reheating if it’s gotten too thick.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups, Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 876mg, Potassium: 471mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 5993IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 2mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

How To Make Minestrone Soup

A wooden cutting board displays chopped celery, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, onions, garlic, kale, kidney beans, a can of diced tomatoes, elbow macaroni, tomato paste, and small bowls of spices and herbs.

Step 1: Prep all the vegetables – chop, mince, and open cans!

A slow cooker filled with a tomato-based soup with chopped vegetables sits next to a bowl of cooked macaroni and a small bowl of leafy greens on a striped cloth.

Step 2: Add everything EXCEPT pasta, kale (or spinach), and beans to slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours or High for 3–4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.

A slow cooker filled with minestrone soup featuring macaroni noodles, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, kale, and broth, sitting on a white surface next to a striped towel.

Step 3: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the pasta. Cover and cook until the pasta is tender. Stir in the beans and spinach (or kale) and cook for another 5–10 minutes, until heated through and the greens are wilted.

A slow cooker filled with vegetable macaroni soup, a blue ladle inside. Two bowls of the soup are served nearby on a striped towel, with spoons and an empty bowl beside them.

Step 4: Remove the bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth?

Yes, chicken stock actually adds wonderful depth to the soup. I often use chicken broth when I have it on hand – it makes the soup even more satisfying and flavorful.

Should I cook the pasta separately?

For best results, add the pasta during the last 30 minutes of cooking. However, if you’re meal prepping or freezing portions, definitely cook the ditalini pasta separately and add it when serving to prevent it from getting mushy.

What’s the best way to prevent the vegetables from getting too soft?

Cut heartier vegetables like carrots and potatoes into slightly larger pieces – they’ll hold their shape better during the long cooking process. Adding delicate vegetables like baby spinach at the very end helps them maintain their texture and vibrant color.

More Comforting Soup Recipes To Try

Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ review and share it on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest!

About Melissa Griffiths

Read More About Me

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating