Crock Pot Minestrone

November 1, 2012

Super simple, set it and forget it crock pot minestrone soup. The perfect fall soup for cozy weeknight dinners or to freeze away for a cold day.

Do you ever look back at some of the things you did when you were younger and ask yourself, “Why in God’s name did I think that was cool?”

For example, remember Tamagachi’s? How cool were we with our Japanese speaking digital pets. I could never keep mine alive. I wasn’t allowed to bring it to school. So when I got home from school I would fling down my Lisa Frank trapper keeper on the kitchen table, run up to my room, check my little animal only to see it wasn’t an animal anymore. It was an angel floating above its old dead crumpled up body.

Crock Pot Minestone Soup | Sarcastic Cooking

But, I had one, so it was cool.

I went to a Catholic grade school so we all had to wear uniforms. At the time, the things that made you cool were scrunchies, Nike swoop socks, Jansport backpacks, and DocMarten shoes. Nothing crazy. In fact, I wish I still had my brown DocMarten shoes. They might have weighed fifty pounds, but at least they are still kinda in fashion.

All things come back into fashion, right?

slow cooker minestrone soup

Oh man, remember Hypercolor t-shirts? I always wanted one. My neighbor’s older sister (who was in high school when I was in grade school) had one. I used to think she was so cool because of her Hypercolor shirt. Looking back now, I am so happy I never had one of those shirts. I am a sweaty person as is. I don’t need my shirt to draw any more attention to the situation I have going on under my pits!

What does this have to do with crock pot soup?

I also went through a flannel phase. Not fitted girls flannel shirts…my dad’s old ones. And I didn’t even listen to Nirvana at the time. But I thought I was soooo trendy.

Do you think we will look back on this time in our lives and think what we now think about our adolescence? I am sure we will. Like, oh man, why did I have such large framed glasses and sunglasses? Painting one nail a different color than all the rest, seriously?

You know one thing that never goes out of style? Minestrone. I am pretty sure the origin of this recipe goes back hundreds of years. So, on a day when I doubt my trendy Ugg boot and skinny jean outfit, I am eating something timeless. It is like the Chanel of the soup world, always in style. However, this soup, I can afford.

Super simple crock pot minestrone soup is loaded with flavor, veggies, and lots of noodles!

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup | Sarcastic Cooking

Crock Pot Minestrone

Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 - 10
Author Sarcastic Cooking

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ - 2 Cups Diced Zucchini
  • ¾ Cup Diced Red/Yellow Bell Pepper
  • 1 Celery Stalk diced
  • 1 Carrot peeled and diced
  • 2 Cups Fresh Spinach chopped
  • ¾ Cup Diced Red Onion
  • 1, 16 Ounce Can Kidney Beans rinsed and drained
  • 1, 16 Ounce Can Garbanzo Beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tablespoon Sea Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
  • 2 Cloves Garlic Grated
  • 4 Cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock
  • 1, 28 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 Parmesan Rind
  • 1 ½ Cup Whole Wheat Elbow Noodles

Instructions

  1. Add all the above ingredients into the crock pot, except the elbow noodles. Cover with lid. Set the crock pot to low and cook for 6-8 hours or high and cook for 3-4 hours.
  2. In the last 30 minutes of the cooking, add the noodles. Cover with lid.
  3. Remove bay leaf before serving. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or freeze and keep for a month or two.

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup - Sarcastic Cooking

 

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  • Sadye
    April 4, 2013 at 8:17 pm

    Super-easy, hearty and had an unexpected but delightful kick thanks to the red pepper flakes (or are my scoops just too generous?). Anyway, looking forward to trying another recipe!

  • Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen
    November 1, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    At least you had a real Tamagachi and not the weird off-brand “Nano-pet” that I had, haha. Now THAT made me cool 🙂

    This is the second minestrone soup recipe in a row I had waiting in my Google reader. I’m officially craving a bowl now!

    • Stefanie
      November 1, 2012 at 10:58 pm

      You were just as cool as me! More than one minestrone? What the what?!? At least I’m trendy in that respect!

  • Kristi Rimkus
    November 1, 2012 at 6:39 pm

    As far as I’m concerned, this is one of my favorite soups. I love that I can make it in the crockpot. I love coming home to the aroma of food cooking in the pot!

  • Stephie @ Eat Your Heart Out
    November 1, 2012 at 1:10 pm

    Heck yes, slow cooker!!

    My tamagatchi creatures never lived past one or two days, either. They’d either starve to death or drown in their own poop while I was at school…(Man, those things were weird)

  • Ashley Bee
    November 1, 2012 at 11:08 am

    Mmm I love my crock pot! Put food in in the morning, get dinner as soon as you get home!