Slow Cooker Minestrone

A chunky, hearty Italian vegetable soup loaded with beans and pasta. Filling enough for a proper dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 1 courgette, diced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 400g tin kidney beans, drained
• 100g small pasta (macaroni or ditalini)
• 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 litre water
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper
• Grated Parmesan to serve (optional)

Method

1. Place all vegetables, beans, tomatoes, stock, and herbs in the slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
3. Add the pasta in the last 30 minutes of cooking.
4. Season to taste and serve with grated Parmesan if desired.

Tips

Add the pasta late — it only needs 30 minutes. If you’re batch cooking for the freezer, freeze WITHOUT the pasta and add fresh when reheating.