This hearty Crock Pot Minestrone Soup is the ultimate comfort food that practically makes itself! Packed with colorful vegetables, tender beans, and savory herbs, this classic Italian soup simmers to perfection in your slow cooker while you go about your day. No standing over the stove or constant stirring required—just toss everything in, set it, and return to a kitchen filled with mouthwatering aromas and dinner ready to serve!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Effortless Cooking: Simply chop, dump, and let your slow cooker do all the work—perfect for busy days when you don’t have time to babysit a pot on the stove.
  • Incredibly Nutritious: Loaded with fiber-rich beans, vitamin-packed vegetables, and leafy greens, this soup is like a delicious multivitamin in a bowl.
  • Budget-Friendly: Using simple pantry staples and frozen vegetables makes this a cost-effective meal that feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.
  • Versatile: Works beautifully as a standalone meal or paired with crusty bread for a more substantial dinner. Plus, it tastes even better the next day!

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Russet potato: Creates a hearty base and gives the soup body and substance—their starch helps thicken the broth naturally.
  • Carrots, celery, and onion: The classic mirepoix trio that forms the flavor foundation of any great soup. These vegetables add depth and sweetness as they slowly cook.
  • Zucchini: Adds a tender texture and mild flavor that complements the more robust vegetables perfectly.
  • Green beans and corn: Frozen vegetables are a time-saver that work beautifully in slow-cooked soups, maintaining their texture and adding variety.
  • Vegetable broth: The liquid backbone of our soup—choose low-sodium if you’re watching your salt intake.
  • Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce: Brings acidity, sweetness, and a rich tomato flavor that’s essential to authentic minestrone.
  • Italian seasoning: A convenient blend of herbs that provides classic Italian flavor without measuring multiple spice jars.
  • Sugar: Just a touch balances the acidity of the tomatoes and brings the flavors into harmony.
  • Salt, garlic powder, and pepper: Basic seasonings that enhance every other flavor in the pot.
  • Bay leaves: These unassuming leaves work magic as they slowly infuse the broth with subtle complexity.
  • White beans and kidney beans: Provides protein, fiber, and creamy texture—the contrast between the two bean varieties adds interest to every spoonful.
  • Spinach: Added at the end for a nutritional boost and pop of color without overcooking.
  • Parmesan cheese: The perfect finishing touch that adds a salty, umami richness to each bowl.

Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Variations

Protein Additions

Transform this vegetarian soup into a heartier meal by adding Italian sausage (brown it first), shredded chicken, or even small meatballs.

Pasta Possibilities

Add 1 cup of small pasta shapes like ditalini, shells, or elbow macaroni during the last 30 minutes of cooking for a more traditional minestrone.

Seasonal Swaps

In summer, swap in fresh garden vegetables like yellow squash or bell peppers. In fall, try adding cubed butternut squash or pumpkin.

Dietary Adaptations

Make it vegan by skipping the Parmesan or using a plant-based alternative. For gluten-sensitive folks, this soup is naturally gluten-free—just double-check your broth ingredients.

How to Make Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

Step 1: Load Your Slow Cooker

Place the cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, celery, chopped onion, zucchini, and frozen green beans and corn into your large 6-quart slow cooker. Pour in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, and tomato sauce.

Step 2: Season the Soup

Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Add the bay leaves and stir everything together until well combined.

Step 3: Add the Beans

Gently fold in your drained and rinsed white and kidney beans, being careful not to mash them.

Step 4: Slow Cook to Perfection

Cover your slow cooker and set it to low for 6-8 hours or high for 4 hours. The longer cooking time on low heat develops deeper flavors, but both methods work beautifully.

Step 5: Finish with Greens

Once cooking time is complete, remove the bay leaves (they’ve done their job!). Stir in the chopped spinach, cover again, and let cook for 15 more minutes until the spinach wilts and becomes tender.

Step 6: Serve and Garnish

Ladle the hot soup into bowls and top generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Watch as it melts slightly into the soup, creating little pockets of creamy goodness.

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

  • Chopping Consistency: Try to cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces for even cooking—about 1/2 to 1 inch works well.
  • Layer Strategically: Place harder vegetables like potatoes and carrots at the bottom of the slow cooker where they’ll be closest to the heating element.
  • Seasoning Secret: If the soup tastes flat after cooking, a splash of vinegar (red wine or balsamic) can brighten all the flavors instantly.
  • Texture Control: For a thicker soup, mash some of the potatoes and beans against the side of the pot before serving.
  • Flavor Booster: For deeper flavor, sauté the onions, carrots, and celery in a tablespoon of olive oil before adding to the slow cooker.

How to Serve

Perfect Pairings

This soup begs for a chunk of crusty Italian bread, garlic bread, or a simple grilled cheese sandwich on the side for dunking.

Garnish Options

Beyond Parmesan, try a drizzle of good olive oil, a sprinkle of fresh herbs (basil or parsley), or a dollop of pesto on top.

Complete the Meal

For a full Italian dinner experience, serve smaller portions as a starter before pasta or alongside a simple green salad with vinaigrette.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

This soup actually improves with time! Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors will continue to meld and develop.

Freezing

Minestrone freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, leaving about an inch of headspace for expansion.

Reheating

Warm refrigerated soup gently on the stovetop or microwave until heated through. For frozen soup, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or heat directly from frozen over low heat, stirring occasionally.

If you’ve added pasta to your minestrone, be aware that it will continue to absorb liquid during storage. You might need to add a splash of broth when reheating to restore the original consistency.

FAQs

  1. Can I make this soup on the stovetop instead of a slow cooker?

    Absolutely! Simply follow the same layering of ingredients in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

  2. My family doesn’t like spinach. Can I substitute another green?

    You can easily swap in kale (which needs about 5-10 minutes longer to cook than spinach) or even Swiss chard. If you prefer to skip leafy greens altogether, try adding more green beans or some broccoli florets instead.

  3. Is there a way to reduce the sodium in this recipe?

    Definitely. Use low-sodium or no-salt-added versions of the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. You can adjust the seasoning with herbs and a touch of acid (like lemon juice) to keep the flavors vibrant without extra salt.

  4. How can I make this soup more filling for my hungry teenagers?

    This is easy to bulk up! Add cooked pasta, a handful of cooked farro or barley, or even some cooked Italian sausage. For a vegetarian protein boost, try adding a can of chickpeas along with the other beans.

Final Thoughts

This Crock Pot Minestrone Soup recipe embodies comfort food at its finest—nourishing, flavorful, and wonderfully simple. What I love most is how it transforms humble ingredients into something truly special while requiring minimal effort. Whether you’re feeding a family on a busy weeknight or meal-prepping for the days ahead, this soup delivers maximum flavor with minimum fuss. Give your kitchen the day off and let your slow cooker create this Italian classic that’s sure to become a regular in your recipe rotation!

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Crock Pot Minestrone Soup Recipe

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  • Author: Evelyn
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 hours
  • Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Soups
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: Italian
Print Recipe

Description

A hearty and wholesome Crock Pot Minestrone Soup loaded with vegetables, beans, and Italian flavors. This comforting and nutritious soup is perfect for the colder months or any time you need a satisfying meal. Best of all, it’s incredibly simple to prepare in a slow cooker!

 

Ingredients

Units Scale

Vegetables

  • 2 cups russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 cup sliced zucchini
  • 1 cup frozen cut green beans
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels

Liquids and Sauces

  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

Seasonings

  • 1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Beans and Add-ins

  • 1 (15 oz.) can white beans, drained and rinsed (such as cannellini beans, navy beans, or northern beans)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups loosely packed roughly chopped baby spinach leaves

For Serving

  • Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Vegetables
    Peel and chop the russet potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Slice the carrots, celery, and zucchini, and chop the yellow onion. If using fresh vegetables instead of frozen for green beans and corn, slice them as needed.
  2. Combine Ingredients in the Crock Pot
    In a large 6-quart slow cooker, add the potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, zucchini, green beans, corn, vegetable broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, sugar, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and bay leaves. Stir everything together to combine evenly.
  3. Add Beans
    Drain and rinse the white beans and red kidney beans. Add them to the slow cooker and gently stir to distribute the ingredients.
  4. Cook the Soup
    Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or on high heat for 4 hours. This allows the vegetables to become tender and flavors to meld.
  5. Add Spinach and Finish Cooking
    Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the roughly chopped baby spinach leaves to the crock pot and stir them in. Cover the slow cooker again and cook for another 15 minutes on low heat, allowing the spinach to soften.
  6. Serve and Garnish
    Serve the soup hot in bowls, and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy this warm, comforting dish!

Notes

  • Variations: Feel free to substitute or add vegetables like bell peppers, peas, or mushrooms based on your preference.
  • Pasta Option: To make this soup heartier, you can cook a small amount of pasta separately and add it to the soup just before serving.
  • Gluten-Free Option: Ensure all canned products and broths used are labeled gluten-free if you are serving this soup to someone with gluten sensitivities.
  • Storage Tips: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
  • Freezer-Friendly: This soup freezes well without the spinach. Add fresh spinach when reheating.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 7g
  • Sodium: 280
  • Fat: 3g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 31g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 7g
  • Cholesterol: 0mg
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Hey, I'm Evelyn! I'm a home cook with a passion for fun, real recipes that make my kitchen my happy place. Dive in and share the flavor of my everyday foodie adventures!

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