Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

Soup was originally scheduled for Thursday night's dinner, but somehow, I managed to be a day behind in this week's menu plan.  I'm kind of glad that it worked out this way, since we woke up to more snow on the ground here in Pennsylvania on Friday morning.  There's nothing like a nice pot of soup cooking on a cold, snowy day!  So warming, so comforting. 

Let's throw it all in the crock pot and call it soup! 

 I really didn't have any idea how I was going to make this pot of soup.  I only knew a few things for sure:

1. Cabbage would be a key ingredient, since I had a head of cabbage in the fridge that needed to be used. 
2. This soup would give me a chance to use up some of the homemade vegetable broth I had stored in the freezer.
3. I planned on using the crock pot, of course. 



Homemade Vegetable Broth



After checking my pantry (and freezer), this is what I threw together for last night's dinner: 

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:  

• 2 c. carrots, chopped
• 1 1/2 c. celery, chopped
• 6 c. cabbage, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 c. vegetable broth, canned or homemade
• 15.5 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 15.5 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 15.5 oz. can chick peas
• 14.5 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes w/garlic
• 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes w/basil
• 1 T. parsley
• 1/2 T. Italian Seasoning
• 1/2 T. Mrs. Dash
• crushed red pepper, to taste
• cooked pasta
• 2 c. cooked green beans
• 1 c. cooked peas

Directions: 

• add all ingredients to crock pot (except pasta and green beans)
• stir until well combined
• cook on high 4-6 hours or cook on low 6-8 hours
• just before serving, add green beans and peas, stir until combined
• to serve, add a bit of cooked pasta to your bowl and ladle the soup over the pasta

Notes: 

• I was really pleased with how this soup turned out.  For a veggie soup, it was amazingly hearty.  The flavor of the soup reminded me of canned Progresso Minestrone, only better!  When I was a kid, that was the only soup I would eat.  I remember my brother and I looking for the chick peas in our bowls as if they were something special!   
• I usually add garlic to most of my soups.  This time, the only garlic added was the garlic that was already in the can of fire roasted tomatoes.  After opening that can of tomatoes, my kitchen was filled with the garlic-y aroma, so I didn't feel I needed to use any additional garlic. 
• I'm sure this soup would be great with some shredded cheese sprinkled on top or even a dollop of sour cream.  If you like a little heat added, try adding a couple of dashes of Tabasco Chipotle Pepper Sauce.
• I suggest keeping the pasta separate from the soup.  I continuously make the mistake of adding the cooked pasta (or rice) to a pot of soup and every time, I end up having to add more broth when reheating the leftovers. 
• Speaking of leftovers - There WILL BE LEFTOVERS!  My 5 quart crock pot was filled to the brim of this tasty soup!  We barely put a dent in this batch of soup!  We'll be having this for dinner again tonight! 

I'll be sharing this recipe with the following linky parties: 

• Check ME Out Saturday
• Strut Your Stuff
• Not "Baaad" Sundays
• Homemaker Monday
• My Meatless Monday
• Mouthwatering Monday
• Just Another Meatless Monday
• MMMmonday
• Midnite Maniac Meatless Mondays
• Made From Scratch Tuesday
• Delicious Dishes
• Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods
• Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
• Tuesdays at the Table
• Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays
• Tasty Tuesdays Bloghop
• Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesday
• Hearth and Soul Hop
• Tuesday Night Supper Club
• It's a Keeper Thursday
• Full Plate Thursday
• Beat the Winter Blues
• Food On Fridays
• Foodie Friday 
• Ultimate Recipe Swap Crock Pot Recipes