Classic Minestrone For The Slow Cooker Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the first 13 ingredients in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Stir in beans, zucchini and pasta. Cook, covered, on high about 30 minutes longer, until pasta is tender. Discard bay leaves. If desired, top with grated Parmesan cheese. Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary.

Steps:

• Add the beans, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, celery, sweet potato, onion, crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan rind, if using, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and 4 cups water. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
• Stir in the kale, cover and let simmer until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with toasted baguette, if desired.
• If using pasta, spoon 1/2 cup cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Store the pasta and soup in separate containers.

Steps:

• In a casserole heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook until golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the beans, bay leaf and thyme and toss for 1 minute. Then add the beef stock, Parmesan rind (if using), plum tomatoes and their juice, and salt and pepper to taste. (Careful with the amount of salt since Parmesan rind will add a salty flavor.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour. Add the potatoes, zucchini and savoy cabbage and cook for 20 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender. Finally, add your pasta and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and serve with some pesto.

Steps:

• Combine broth, carrots, celery, cabbage, onion, diced fennel, zucchini, summer squash, kidney beans, tomatoes, basil, salt, pepper and garlic in a 6 quart slow cooker.
• Cook minestrone on low-heat setting until vegetables are tender, about 6 hours.
• Turn slow cooker to high-heat setting, and add the macaroni. Cover and cook until macaroni is tender, 15-20 minute.
• To serve, stir parsley into soup; garnish each serving with Parmesan and basil.