Crockpot Minestrone Soup
Ingredients:
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz tomatoes, diced
- 15 oz white beans (cannellini or navy), drained and rinsed
- 3 cups chicken broth, fat free (or vegetable broth)
- 1 oz Parmesan cheese rind
- 1 sprig rosemary (fresh)
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tablespoons basil (fresh), chopped
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley (fresh), chopped
- salt and fresh pepper
- 1 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 cups spinach (fresh or frozen - defrosted), chopped
- 2 cups pasta (small, like Ditalini or elbows), cooked al dente
- extra Parmesan cheese, to top
Directions:
- Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
- In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, Parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra Parmesan cheese.