This No Starch Slow Cooker Pesto Minestrone Soup is a versatile, one-of-a-kind recipe that you need to try. Flavored to perfection, this Minestrone Soup freezes way better than traditional recipes so it’s perfect for meal planning.
Look online and you’ll find so many different recipes for minestrone soup. That’s because traditionally, there’s no set recipe for it; it’s meant to be made from whatever vegetables you have on hand. The only key ingredient that makes it a minestrone soup is beans. I like to use cannelini beans (also called Great Northern Beans) because they soak up the flavor of the broth. This flavorful thick vegetable soup can be adapted to your taste; if you prefer one vegetable over another, just change it up! I love adding pesto to the broth because it’s a simple way to add spice and flavor without a lot of fuss.
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 2 cups frozen peas
- 2 15.5-oz cans cannelini beans, rinsed and drained (also called Great Northern Beans)
- 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup prepared pesto
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- Parmesan cheese (optional, for garnish)
- In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients except the Parmesan cheese.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or 6-8 hours on low, until carrots are tender.
- Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
This Slow Cooker Pesto Minestrone Soup recipe is so versatile. I like to serve half for dinner, then freeze the rest for a meal later in the month. You’ll notice there is no starch (pasta, potatoes, etc.) in the soup. I do that for two reasons:
- We serve our soup without the starch so we can have breadsticks or garlic bread on the side (very helpful if some family members are eating less carbs).
- When you freeze leftovers, it’s better to leave the starches out out. The soup freezes fine, but the pasta or potatoes would get too mushy.
If you want to make the minestrone soup even heartier, peel and dice a few potatoes to add to the slow cooker or boil pasta on the side, and add it to the soup as you’re serving it.
We hope you love this Slow Cooker Pesto Minestrone Soup recipe from SoFabFood Contributor, Gina from Moneywise Moms, as much as we do. If you love this recipe, be sure to visit our Crock Pot section for more easy weeknight meal ideas. For daily recipe inspiration, like us on Facebook, follow us on Pinterest, and stop by our Google+ Community to see all of the amazing recipes our community members are sharing. Enjoy!
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