Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

This Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup is a family favourite.

I love coming home to a nourishing and warming meal after a long day. Packed with beans and vegetables this soup is a complete meal.

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My family recipe for Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup.

Minestrone soup is a staple on every Italian family table. However, I don’t think any two recipes would be the same. The recipe I’m sharing with you is a combination of my dad’s minestrone and my mother-in-law’s soup plus the slow cooker part is mine. What’s great about using the slow cooker to make anything is that the kitchen doesn’t heat up. So, in the middle of spring, I’m still making this minestrone soup because I love the convenience of have a meal ready when I get home. Plus, it still has all the flavours of nonno’s minestrone.

Which beans are best for Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup?

Generally I like to use a combination of dried peas, beans and lentils. Dried peas and lentils dissolve during long cooking resulting in a delicious, creamy texture in the soup. While the larger beans remain whole. Don’t store dried beans for too long because they continue to dry out and aren’t quite as good. This Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup requires about 2 cups of mixed dried peas, beans and lentils.

I buy an Italian soup mix which contains a combination of:

• borlotti beans
• navy beans
• red kidney beans
• black eye peas
• chickpeas
• yellow lentils
• red lentils
• green split peas

If you can’t buy a premixed variety choose your favourites. Be sure to choose a combination of lentils or split peas along with your choice of beans.

And yes, the flavour of dried beans are way superior to canned plus so much cheaper!

Should you soak dried beans before cooking?

Dried beans are not so hard to cook with. I recommend that you soak the beans overnight. Now you will find some people telling you that there is no need to soak dried beans. Maybe you can get away with this using very fresh dried beans. However, you can never tell the age of the beans you buy and how long they have been sitting on the shelf. It is better to err on the safe side and give the dried beans an overnight soak. Be sure to use plenty of water. You’ll be surprised at how much water they will adsorb.

Should dry beans be cooked in the slow cooker?

It is recommended to boil beans for 10 minutes on high before adding to the slow cooker. This will ensure all the toxins are removed and the beans are safe to enjoy.

How to add extra flavour to any slow cooker recipes.

That’s simple. Firstly, in a little oil fry the onion, garlic or any aromatic until just beginning to colour. In the case of this soup, also brown the bacon. Secondly and maybe most importantly, use any liquid to deglaze the frying pan and lift all the browned bits. This is where the flavour lies so don’t wash it down the sink! Tip the flavoured liquid into the slow cooker along with all the other ingredients. Finally use a good stock. My dad would always use his homemade stock or brodo. But there a lots of quality prepackaged stock available at the supermarket you can use.

This recipe makes quite a lot of soup – 8 servings, actually! What I love is that anything in the slow cooker usually freezes very well and this minestrone soup is no exception. But if you are going to freeze leftovers, don’t add the pasta or it will swell and become mushy. In fact, it is just as good with or without the pasta.

This is a wonderful complete meal but still I love a slice of sourdough or chunk of foccacia on the side. Enjoy my family’s Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup!

Baci,

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Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

An Italian family favourite, this soup is packed with beans and vegetables to make a complete meal. Using the slow cooker means you come home and dinner can be on the table in minutes. 

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours 10 minutes

Total Time: 8 hours 25 minutes

Servings:8 bowls

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ¾ cup dried beans see notes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely diced
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves finely chopped or crushed
• ▢ 1 cup diced bacon
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 2 carrots peeled and diced
• ▢ 1 potato peeled and diced
• ▢ 2 celery sticks diced
• ▢ 1 zucchini diced
• ▢ 1 cup sweet potato diced
• ▢ 3 cups water extra
• ▢ 3 cups chicken stock
• ▢ ½ cup passata
• ▢ 2 bayleaves
• ▢ 1 parmesan rind
• ▢ black pepper freshly ground
• ▢ ½ cup dried pasta optional, see notes

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Place the beans into a large pot and cover generously with water. Soak overnight. The next day, bring to the boil and boil continuously for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside for use later.
• In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat.
• Fry the onion and garlic until translucent.
• Add the bacon. Cook until starting to brown.
• Scrape onion/bacon mixture into slow cooker bowl.
• Return pan to heat, add 1 cup water and stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Tip this water along with all the flavoursome browned bits into the slow cooker bowl.
• Add remaining ingredients (including the cooked beans) except for pasta.
• Cook on high for 8 hours
• About 1 hour before the soup is done, add the pasta and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Serve with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese

Notes

• Dried beans – I buy an Italian soup mix which contains a combination of:
  • borlotti
  • navy
  • red kidney
  • black eye peas
  • chickpeas
  • yellow lentils
  • red lentils
  • green split peas
  If you can’t buy a premixed variety choose your favourites. Be sure to choose a combination of lentils or split peas along with your choice of beans.

  Should dry beans be cooked in the slow cooker?

  It is best to boil the beans for 10 minutes on high before adding to the slow cooker. This will ensure all the toxins are removed and the beans are safe to enjoy.
  Alternatively use canned beans.
   

  Pasta

  Any small dried pasta will be fine. Don’t add the pasta if you are going to be freezing the soup because the pasta will swell and become mushy.

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS

• Simply fry onion, garlic and bacon in a large saucepan.
• Add remaining ingredients (except pasta).
• Bring to the boil. Skim if necessary.
• Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered for 2-3 hours or until beans are tender and lentils and split peas have broken down.
• Add pasta in the last 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 601mg | Potassium: 1043mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5080IU | Vitamin C: 13.9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 4.3mg

Tried this recipe? I’d love to see!Mention @marcellina.in.cucina or tag #marcellinaincucina