Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup! This vegetarian or vegan soup is SO delicious and packed with vegetables. Healthy comfort food with kale, beans, lentils and orzo pasta.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 3/4 cup orzo pasta
- 1 cup well-chopped kale or collard greens
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1/2 medium lemon, juiced
- grated parmesan, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery along with 1 teaspoon salt and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then transport all of the contents into the base of a slow cooker.
- Add the basil, oregano, paprika, thyme, lentils, broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, zucchini and bay leaves and stir together. Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours.
- Stir the soup, then add in the dried orzo. Cook for another hour, or until the orzo is tender.
- Just before serving, stir in the kale and let sit for 5 minutes to wilt. Then stir in the parsley and lemon juice.
- Divide into bowls and top with more parsley or parmesan cheese, if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 364kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 15gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gSodium: 1120mgPotassium: 986mgFiber: 16gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 6618IUVitamin C: 34mgCalcium: 125mgIron: 6mg