If you crave a certain Italian-style restaurant’s minestrone soup, this recipe will hit the spot. Speed things up by using frozen veggies instead of fresh.
Ingredients
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup sun-dried tomato pesto
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Parmesan rind
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1¼ cup diced celery
- 1½ cup diced white onion
- 4–5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Serving Day
- 1½ cups diced zucchini
- 1½ cups macaroni or shell pasta
- cup green beans (fresh or thawed)
- 2½ cups baby spinach, chopped
- Shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese, for serving
How to Make It
- Combine all prep day ingredients in a large bowl. Label a 1-gallon freezer bag, place it in another large bowl, and pour in the soup mixture. Squeeze the remaining air out of the bag and seal it. Lay the bag flat to freeze. Serving Day
- Allow the soup to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. On serving day, pour the mixture into the slow cooker, cover it, and cook on low for 7–8 hours. Once the beans and vegetables are cooked through and tender, add the zucchini and pasta and cook on high for an additional 20–25 minutes until the pasta is tender. Then add the green beans and spinach and cook for 5 minutes more. Serve individual portions topped with shredded cheese.