Description
Hearty and comforting Crockpot Minestrone Soup packed with ground turkey, fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta simmered to perfection. This slow-cooked Italian-inspired soup combines savory flavors and wholesome ingredients for an easy, make-ahead meal that’s perfect for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Meat
- 1 lb. ground turkey, cooked
Vegetables
- 3 large carrots (~1 1/2 cups), small dice
- 5 stalks celery (1 1/2 cups), chopped
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced (~ 2 1/2 tsp.)
- 8 small/medium red potatoes or 3-4 small Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed (~1 1/2 cups)
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 2 1/2 cups frozen baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen green beans
Pantry
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto, store bought (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cups vegetable broth (may substitute chicken or beef broth)
- 2 cups water
- 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups pasta (tortellini or any small pasta), cooked
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- Parmesan cheese for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Begin by cooking the ground turkey until fully cooked. Dice the carrots, peel and cube the potatoes, chop the celery and onion, and mince the garlic. Prepare all fresh vegetables as directed to have them ready to add to the crockpot.
- Combine in Crockpot: Place the cooked ground turkey, crushed tomatoes, sun-dried tomato pesto (if using), carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves into the Crockpot. Stir to combine evenly.
- Add Liquids and Cook: Pour in the vegetable broth and water, then stir the mixture again. Cover the Crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and vegetables to become tender.
- Add Beans and Additional Vegetables: After the initial cooking time, add the drained kidney beans, great northern beans, diced zucchini, frozen green beans, and frozen baby spinach to the Crockpot. Stir gently, cover, and cook for an additional 20 minutes on the same setting.
- Incorporate Pasta: Just before serving, stir in the cooked tortellini or pasta of your choice. To prevent the pasta from absorbing too much soup liquid, you can keep it separate and add individual portions to each bowl.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm for a nourishing meal. For leftovers, add extra broth or water when reheating to maintain the soup’s consistency.
Notes
- Cook the ground turkey ahead or use pre-cooked turkey for convenience.
- Keeping pasta separate prevents it from over-soaking and becoming mushy.
- You can substitute vegetable broth with chicken or beef broth for a different flavor profile.
- Leftovers can be stored for 2-3 days; consider adding more broth when reheating.
- Feel free to swap in any small pasta type instead of tortellini.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
