Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Hands-down, there’s nothing I enjoy more in the fall than simple, delicious piping hot comfort foods like soups and stews,  My all-time favorite soup is Minestrone.  It’s guaranteed to warm up my taste-buds, body and soul on a cold day and it’s a treat my entire family enjoys.  When the smell the rich Italian spices and fresh vegetables simmering, it’s like a beacon calling them to the kitchen.

Minestrone, in it’s basic sense, is an Italian vegetable soup, prepared in various styles depending upon the region or even country interpreting this dish. I’ve tasted Minestrone Soup prepared many ways, some with very surprising elements like a German style minestrone I sampled that was more like a tomato soup which incorporated a variety of vegetables, spaghetti noodles, parsley and three types of beans (kidney, white and garbanzo.)

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker
As a Hamilton Beach Ambassador, I have the exciting opportunity to test out a Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker in the Rural Mom kitchen!  Though I’ve received this appliance at no charge, all thoughts, opinions and experiences are solely that of Rural Mom. 

 

The recipe I share with you today is one that I’ve adapted over the years to include the things I love best in a minestrone soup including fresh vegetables from my garden.  My secret for creating a well infused blend of flavors and soft, tender veggies without having to slave over the stove all day is to go hand-free and let my slow cooker do the work.  It’s so easy to prep and make Minestrone Soup using a slow cooker and create the perfect warm up for a brisk fall day!

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

To help me with my favorite soup creation this go-round, I have a new friend in the kitchen, the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker with Spoon/Lid.  This gorgeous little appliance is definitely a step up from my old slow cooker units!  Featuring three cooking choices program, probe and manual modes, you set and select what best suits your recipe and slow cooking needs.

The Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Slow Cooker shifts automatically to keep your food warm when your cooking time is up.  The cooking probe helps you determine correct temperatures with ease and the six-quart style readily fits a large items such as a full chicken for roaster or a generous portion of soup for enjoying!

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

  • 6 C chicken broth
  • 2 C tomato, chopped
  • 1 C zucchini, quartered and sliced thin
  • 1/2 C carrots, sliced thin
  • 1/2 C red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1/2 tsp basil
  • 1/2 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp sage
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 C pasta shells

Instructions

  1. In a 6 quart slow cooker, add tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, red bell pepper, and kidney beans. Sprinkle spices over the vegetables and beans. Pour in chicken broth. Gently stir with a spoon to fully mix.
  2. Cover the slower cooker and cook on low for six hours.
  3. When the six hour setting on the slow cooker is nearly complete, using traditional methods (according to manufacturer’s directions) cook your pasta shells, drain and set aside.
  4. When the minestrone has cooked for the full six hours in the slow cooker, remove the lid (according to manufacturer’s instructions) and stir in the pasta shells. Recover the slow cooker and allow the soup to sit for ten minutes. This will ensure the pasta shells are heated and fully incorporated into the soup.
  5. Ladle soup into bowls and enjoy! Optionally, serve with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic bread or rolls.
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Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

6 C chicken broth
2 C tomato, chopped
1 C zucchini, quartered and sliced thin
1/2 C carrots, sliced thin
1/2 C red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp sage
1/2 tsp salt
2 C pasta shells

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

Directions: 

In a 6 quart slow cooker, add tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, red bell pepper, and kidney beans.  Sprinkle spices over the vegetables and beans.  Pour in chicken broth.  Gently stir with a spoon to fully mix.

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

Cover the slower cooker and cook on low for six hours.

I like the the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker latches on the top.  If you’ve used other slow cookers before, you know that sometimes the lid can pop open when the food boils and make a rattling noise.  The latches keep everything nice and secure until I’m ready to lift off the lid.

The latch isn’t necessary for cooking, though and what it’s super handy for is traveling!  Want to take your Minestrone soup to a pot luck, neighbor or holiday gathering?  No problem!  The clip-locked, secure lid has a tight seal that holds all of the ingredients and the heat in.

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

The latched cover won’t prevent you from checking the internal temperature as a handy “insert probe” area on the top of the lid allows you to use the temperature probe that’s included.  This is particularly handy when cooking meats.  If you’ve used a slow cooker in the past, you know as I do that it can be difficult to gauge the temperature of meats to know precisely when the food is done.  When you lift the lid, you reduce the temperature and waste valuable cook time.  Having the ability to check the temperature without opening the lid is a total game-changer!  Kudos to Hamilton Beach for adding this valuable feature.

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

It’s easy to set the temperature on the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker.  All of the function are easily accessed via the buttons on the front of the unit and visible on the LED display screen.  You can use pre-programmed settings or manual, adjust your cooking time, desired temperature and view the actual temperature on the unit, as well using the probe.

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

When the six hour setting on the slow cooker is nearly complete, using traditional methods (according to manufacturer’s directions) cook your pasta shells, drain and set aside.

When the minestrone has cooked for the full six hours in the slow cooker, remove the lid (according to manufacturer’s instructions) and stir in the pasta shells.  Recover the slow cooker and allow the soup to sit for ten minutes.  This will ensure the pasta shells are heated and fully incorporated into the soup.

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

Ladle soup into bowls and enjoy!  Optionally, serve with grated Parmesan cheese and garlic bread or rolls.

To learn more about the Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget 6 Qt. Programmable Slow Cooker visit http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/programmable-slow-cookers-set-n-forget-6-qt-programmable-slow-cooker-with-spoonlid-33967.html

Rich & Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup #Recipe | Hamilton Beach Slower Cooker

 

Tags: dinner, lunch, Recipes
by
Barb Webb. Founder and Editor of Rural Mom, is an the author of "Getting Laid" and "Getting Baked". A sustainable living expert nesting in Appalachian Kentucky, when she’s not chasing chickens around the farm or engaging in mock Jedi battles, she’s making tea and writing about country living and artisan culture.
Exploring the Indiana Cave Trail #Family #Travel #Corydon Upgrading My #Travel Style with the Epiphanie Camera Bag

Comments

    • Jackie
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I love to make beef stew in the cooler weather.

    • D Schmidt mummytotwoboys
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I love to make sweet and sour meatballs in the crock pot.

    • Suburban prep
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    mac & cheese with cut up bits of canadian bacon

    • Daisy B
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I would love to try the Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup recipe! This looks like an amazing slow cooker. Much nicer than my current one that I bought many, many years ago. I need to upgrade and buy one like this.

    • Tammigirl
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    This may sound crazy – it’s me, afterall; I love fried potatoes. They are my #1 comfort food. Add gravy and I’m even happier.

    • Linda A. Kinsman
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    Chicken and Dumplings is a family favorite around here. Your Minestrone soup is so very Pin worthy! Your photo makes my mouth water.

    • HS
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I like Old Fashion Apple Crisp.

    • Frugal and Fun Mom
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    That pasta combinations looks delicious! I am definitely entering this giveaway!

    • mita
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I like Soup and Dumplings.

    • peg42
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    Tomato soup and grilled cheese

    • chickie717
    • October 17, 2014
    Reply

    I like apple and peach pies.. I also like apple crisp.

    • clc408
    • October 18, 2014
    Reply

    I like to make beef stew in the fall.

    • Deborah Wellenstein
    • October 18, 2014
    Reply

    I just love making lasagna.

    • Ann Fantom
    • October 18, 2014
    Reply

    I like to make Apple Streusel from fresh picked apples.

    abfantom at yahoo dot com

    • Cathy Truman
    • October 18, 2014
    Reply

    I like to make chicken and noodles and mashed potatoes

    • Positive Buzz
    • October 18, 2014
    Reply

    I like making pot roast

    • Lisa Brown
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    i like to make chili and rice

    • Wendy Rozema
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    My favorite Fall comfort food dish is Goulash!

    • Tracy Melhinch
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    Chicken Paprikas or Stew

    • mickeyfan
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    Like you, I love soup. Chili, potato, corn chowder, veggie beef….so many options!

    • Barbara Montag
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    I love making white chili in the fall – oh yum!
    thank you

    • maye
    • October 19, 2014
    Reply

    I love the Stuffed pepper soup. So easy

    • slehan
    • October 20, 2014
    Reply

    I like an easy pot roast.
    Thanks for the contest.

    slehan at juno dot com

    • sandyhills x
    • October 21, 2014
    Reply

    I love to cook chili . that is my favorite – shaunie.on.rafflecopter

    • Pat
    • October 22, 2014
    Reply

    My favorite fall dish is slow cooked pot roast

    • nightowl
    • October 24, 2014
    Reply

    Southwestern Chili (Rafflecopter name is Kimberly).

    • Terra Heck
    • October 24, 2014
    Reply

    I like to prepare a slow cooker meal that includes chicken breast, black beans, salsa, and corn. Thanks.
    partymix25(at)Hotmail(dot)com

    • Kim Hilbert
    • October 26, 2014
    Reply

    My favorite fall snack is roasted pumpkin seeds. I also love pumpkin bread. I only make these during the fall season.

    • Carolyn Gonzalez
    • October 26, 2014
    Reply

    Oh my favorite is chili with cornbread

    • Tanya White
    • October 26, 2014
    Reply

    I like making pulled pork with BBQ sauce

    • Nicole C.
    • October 27, 2014
    Reply

    I love to make potato soup.

    • Michelle
    • October 28, 2014
    Reply

    We like chili in the fall.

    • Karen Delaney
    • October 28, 2014
    Reply

    I love to make rice & beans, and lasagna

    • Jill Myrick (jsc123)
    • October 30, 2014
    Reply

    I love making homemade chicken stew with fresh busicuits.

    jweezie43[at]gmail[dot]com

    • laurasloves
    • October 31, 2014
    Reply

    I like making homemade chicken soup with homemade egg noodles and lots of veggies.
    Laurie Emerson
    lauraemerson17 at yahoo dot com

    • Angela Ash
    • October 31, 2014
    Reply

    My favorite comfort food is grilled cheese and tomato soup, especially in the fall.

    • tattwo
    • October 31, 2014
    Reply

    I love making chili in the slow cooker on a fall football Sunday. Thanks

    • Jeremy
    • October 31, 2014
    Reply

    Pumpkin Pie

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