My forray into the foodie world began when I worked as a waitress-then-server at a restaurant when I was in college. The family-run establishment was full of the most amazing Italian menu items. Salmon penne. Chicken Marsala. Bruschetta. Tiramisu. And let me tell you, the chef knew how to make authentic Italian food. But when it came to ordering my free shift meal, I almost always went for the minestrone soup. Hearty. Warm. Simple. Flavorful. This was the meal I craved each and every night. After a long shift on my feet, I'd gather with the other wait staff and kitchen staff. Sitting around a big table, family style, we bonded over stories about horrible customers. In those late-night dinners, I learned invaluable lessons about life, one spoonful at a time.
This soup is a nod to those cozy meals. It's a throw it all together kind of soup that is truly not at all fussy. The hardest step is the chopping. But, if you wash all the vegetables immediately, and then chop them up as you have time in the days leading up to making the soup, you can just dump them in morning-of. This yields a BIG crockpot of soup, so be prepared to freeze half, to serve a crowd, or to enjoy leftovers for several days.
Here's the recipe.
Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
This soup is a nod to those cozy meals. It's a throw it all together kind of soup that is truly not at all fussy. The hardest step is the chopping. But, if you wash all the vegetables immediately, and then chop them up as you have time in the days leading up to making the soup, you can just dump them in morning-of. This yields a BIG crockpot of soup, so be prepared to freeze half, to serve a crowd, or to enjoy leftovers for several days.
Here's the recipe.
Slow-Cooker Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
1 small yellow
onion, diced
2 small
carrots, diced
2 celery
stalks, diced
4 medium Yukon
gold potatoes, diced into ¼-inch cubes
1 tablespoon
minced garlic
1 1/2 cups
fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch pieces
1 (28 oz) can
diced tomatoes, with juices
6 cups low
sodium vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can
red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 oz) can
cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon
dried oregano
1 teaspoon
dried basil
1/2 teaspoon
dried rosemary
1 teaspoon red
pepper flakes
2 small
zucchini, diced
Salt and black
pepper, to taste
Place all the ingredients, except the small zucchini and the salt and pepper in a large slow-cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours.
In the last 45 minutes, add the zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Turn it up to high for 30-45 minutes to make sure the zucchini is cooked through.
Ladle into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
