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Tagged:

  • basil
  • cannellini beans
  • carrots
  • celery
  • garlic
  • green beans
  • kidney beans
  • onions
  • oregano
  • parsley
  • pasta
  • romano
  • spinach
  • tomatoes
  • vegetable stock
  • zucchini
Minestrone Soup - 1

Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup {Olive Garden Copycat}

Ingredients

  • 6 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock, then more as desired
  • 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
  • 1 cup diced carrots (2 carrots)
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion (1 small)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp dried basil*
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 3/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 1/3 cups zucchini sliced into half moons (1 small)
  • 1 1/3 cups frozen green beans (regular or Italian), thawed under warm water
  • 1 1/3 cups small or medium shell pasta
  • 2 cups packed chopped fresh spinach
  • 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can white navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • Finely shredded parmesan or romano cheese, for serving

Instructions

  • Slow Cooker Method: Add vegetable stock, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary to a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 7 - 8 hours or high 3 1/2 - 4 hours.
  • Stir in zucchini, pasta, green beans, and cook on high heat and additional 20 - 30 minutes or until pasta is tender.
  • Stir in spinach, kidney beans and cannellini beans, and parsley and cook several minutes until heated through.
  • Stir in more vegetable broth to thin as desired. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.

Notes

  • *If you don’t have all of the dried herbs listed 1 1/2 Tbsp Italian seasoning can be used instead.

STOVETOP INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat
  2. Add carrots, celery and onions and saute 4 minutes adding in garlic during last minute of sauteing.
  3. Pour in broth, water and canned tomatoes. Add herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat slightly, allow to gently boil 10 minutes, then add zucchini, green beans and pasta, cover and gently boil 10 - 15 minutes longer, or until pasta is tender.
  5. Add kidney and cannelini beans and spinach and cook 2 minutes longer.

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