This is by far the best recipe you’ll ever try for Minestrone soup – a classic, hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, white beans, vegetables and pasta. You can use Swiss chard or baby kale instead of spinach if you wish and you can omit the pasta if you don’t want the carbs – honestly you won’t miss it with everything else in this soup.
It’s just my preference, but I like to puree the beans in this soup, it thickens it and you don’t even know they are in there (great for picky eaters). What makes this soup extra special, is using the rind from a wedge of parmesan or Romano cheese. I always stash them in my freezer just for soups, if you don’t have one toss some grated cheese into the soup while it’s cooking.
This is an old recipe I’ve been making for a very long time! Originally I shared this as a slow cooker recipe in 2009, which is super convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. But I also love making this on the stove, so I’ve updated the directions for both crock pot AND stove top.
This is also great with mini turkey meatballs, or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage. To keep the pasta al dente, I cook the pasta separate and add it to each bowl when I serve it, rather than throwing it in the soup which winds up soaking up all the broth.
Hope you enjoy!
Crock Pot Minestrone Soup
gordon-ramsay-recipe.com
Servings: 8 • Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 3 • Weight Watchers Points+: 4 pt
Calories: 190 • Fat: 3 g • Carb: 32 g • Fiber: 8 g • Protein: 9 g • Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 483 mg • Cholest: 0 mg
Ingredients:
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained, rinsed (cannellini or navy)
- 32 oz container reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
- Parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- 1 fresh rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt and fresh black pepper
- 1 medium 8 oz zucchini, diced
- 2 cups chopped fresh (or frozen defrosted) spinach
- 2 cups cooked small pasta such as ditalini or elbows (al dente)
- extra parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Directions:
Crock Pot Version:
Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
Transfer to the crock pot along with the remaining broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Add the rosemary, basil and parsley, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle
1-1/4 cups soup into 8 bowls with 1/4 cup pasta in each and top with extra parmesan cheese if desired.
Stove Top Directions:
Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and saute until tender and fragrant, about 15 minutes.
Add the remaining broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Add the rosemary, basil and parsley, cover and cook on low 40 minutes. Add the zucchini and spinach, cover and simmer until the zucchini is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle
1-1/4 cups soup into 8 bowls with 1/4 cup pasta in each and top with extra parmesan cheese if desired.