Slow Cooker Vegetarian Minestrone

4 to 6 servings
6.5 hr
Emily Weinberger
Meat

This vegetable-packed minestrone relies on flavorful dried cannellini beans, which benefit from the long cooking time of a slow cooker (and no soaking is required!).

8 ounces dried cannellini beans (about 1 cup)
3 medium carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
2 large stalks celery, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium sweet potato (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Parmesan rind, optional, for simmering
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups thinly sliced curly kale
Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
Sliced toasted baguette, for serving
Cooked ditalini pasta, for serving, optional

Add the beans, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, celery, sweet potato, onion, crushed red pepper flakes, Parmesan rind, if using, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the insert of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and 4 cups water. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, 6 hours on high or 8 hours on low.

Stir in the kale, cover and let simmer until just wilted, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan. Serve with toasted baguette, if desired.

If using pasta, spoon 1/2 cup cooked pasta into each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Store the pasta and soup in separate containers.