HEARTY SLOW COOKER MINESTRONE SOUP

Hearty Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup image

"I picked up this recipe in California in the '80s and have been making it ever since. I love it partly because it's simple to put together and partly because the flavor is so wonderful!" Bonnie Hosman - Young, AZ

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Lunch

Time 6h40m

Yield 7 servings (about 2-1/2 quarts).

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

2 cans (one 28 ounces, one 14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups water
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 package (3-1/2 ounces) sliced pepperoni
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/4 cups cooked elbow macaroni
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Steps:

In a 5-qt. slow cooker, combine the first 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until vegetables are tender., Stir in the beans, spinach and macaroni. Cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Freeze option: Cool soup and transfer to freezer containers. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen soup, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 276 calories, Fat 7g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 12mg cholesterol, Sodium 974mg sodium, Carbohydrate 41g carbohydrate (11g sugars, Fiber 12g fiber), Protein 15g protein.