Heart Healthy
This one-pot meal is full of fiber and flavor. It has all the tradition of the classic version with far less sodium.
Print Recipe
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
-
Servings:
6
-
Serving Size :
2 cups
Ingredients
-
1 medium onion -
2 cups carrots -
2 cups celery -
2 cups green beans -
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend -
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder -
1/4 teaspoon salt -
1/4 teaspoon pepper -
3 cups chicken broth -
1 tomatoes -
1 can kidney beans -
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) -
3 bay leaves -
1 zucchini -
1 cup spinach -
1 cup whole wheat ditalini pasta -
2 teaspoons canola or corn oil -
1 cup parsley
Directions
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
-
Put the onion, carrots, celery, and green beans in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in the Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. -
Pour in the chicken broth. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, chickpeas, and bay leaves. Do not stir. Cook, covered, on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours. -
Thirty minutes before serving, using tongs, discard the bay leaves. Stir in the zucchini and spinach. If using the low setting, change it to high and re-cover the slow cooker. Cook for 30 minutes. -
Meanwhile, prepare the ditalini pasta according to the package directions. Drain well in a colander. Drizzle the oil over the pasta, tossing to prevent the pasta from sticking together. -
When the soup is finished cooking, ladle into serving bowls. Top with the pasta. Sprinkle with the parsley.
Cooking Tip: Ditalini pasta is commonly used for minestrone soup, but any small pasta, such as elbow or orzo, can be used, too.
Keep it Healthy: If you prefer thick soup, after the soup has cooked, in a food processor or blender, carefully puree 1 to 2 cups of the soup (vent the blender lid) until smooth. Stir it back into the remainder of the soup.
Tip: For leftovers, store the pasta separately from the soup. Otherwise, the pasta will soak up all the liquid.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
Protein
FiberNutrition Facts
| Calories | 306 | |
|---|---|---|
| Total Fat | 3.0 g | |
| Saturated Fat | 0.5 g | |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 g | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.5 g | |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1.0 g | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | |
| Sodium | 244 mg | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 57 g | |
| Dietary Fiber | 12 g | |
| Sugars | 12 g | |
| Protein | 16 g | |
Dietary Exchanges
3 starch, 3 vegetable, 1 lean meat
-
Servings:
6
-
Serving Size :
2 cups
Ingredients
-
1 medium onion -
2 cups carrots -
2 cups celery -
2 cups green beans -
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning blend -
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder -
1/4 teaspoon salt -
1/4 teaspoon pepper -
3 cups chicken broth -
1 tomatoes -
1 can kidney beans -
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas) -
3 bay leaves -
1 zucchini -
1 cup spinach -
1 cup whole wheat ditalini pasta -
2 teaspoons canola or corn oil -
1 cup parsley
Directions
Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.
-
Put the onion, carrots, celery, and green beans in a 3- to 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in the Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. -
Pour in the chicken broth. Add the tomatoes, kidney beans, chickpeas, and bay leaves. Do not stir. Cook, covered, on high for 5 hours or on low for 10 hours. -
Thirty minutes before serving, using tongs, discard the bay leaves. Stir in the zucchini and spinach. If using the low setting, change it to high and re-cover the slow cooker. Cook for 30 minutes. -
Meanwhile, prepare the ditalini pasta according to the package directions. Drain well in a colander. Drizzle the oil over the pasta, tossing to prevent the pasta from sticking together. -
When the soup is finished cooking, ladle into serving bowls. Top with the pasta. Sprinkle with the parsley.
Cooking Tip: Ditalini pasta is commonly used for minestrone soup, but any small pasta, such as elbow or orzo, can be used, too.
Keep it Healthy: If you prefer thick soup, after the soup has cooked, in a food processor or blender, carefully puree 1 to 2 cups of the soup (vent the blender lid) until smooth. Stir it back into the remainder of the soup.
Tip: For leftovers, store the pasta separately from the soup. Otherwise, the pasta will soak up all the liquid.