Slow Cooker Minestrone

Make Ahead and Storage

Keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days; the pasta softens. Freeze the soup without pasta for up to 3 months.

Making Slow Cooker Minestrone

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1. Put the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, stock, beans, oregano, bay leaves and salt in the slow cooker and stir.

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2. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours. Add the courgettes and cook for 1 hour more. If your slow cooker runs hot, check at 4 hours 30 minutes.

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3. Turn to high, stir in the pasta and cook for 20 minutes until tender.

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4. Remove the bay leaves, taste for salt and serve with the parmesan.

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Tips for Success

• Add the pasta in the last 20 minutes.
• Add courgettes late to keep their colour.
• Drop in a parmesan rind for extra flavour.
• Thin with hot water when reheating.

Serving Ideas

Crusty bread · Pesto · Garlic bread · Green salad

Ingredient Swaps

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried oregano at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Quick Answers

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.