Slow Cooker Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat {Slow Cooker} - For Phase 1 (serve with a grain) and Phase 3. Skip the sugar and the sprinkle of cheese at the end.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Ingredients

• 2 tsp Basil, dried
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cup Carrots
• 1 cup Celery
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 1 (14.5 oz) can Italian green beans
• 1 (15 oz) can Kidney beans, dark red
• 1 (15 oz) can Navy beans or cannellini beans, white
• 1 tsp Oregano, dried
• 2 tbsp Parsley, fresh
• 3/4 tsp Rosemary, dried
• 2 cups Spinach, packed fresh
• 1/2 tsp Thyme, dried
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans Tomatoes
• 1 cup Yellow onion
• 1 1/3 cups Zucchini
• 4 cups chicken stock, low-sodium
• 1 1/3 cups Shell pasta
• 1 Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Xylitol or Stevia
• 1 Romano cheese
• 2 cups Water

Directions

Add vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 6 - 8 hours or high 3 - 4 hours.

Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and white beans and cook on high heat and additional 30 - 40 minutes until pasta is tender.

Stir in spinach and Italian green beans and cook several minutes until heated through. Stir in more vegetable broth or water to thin if desired. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.

Notes

This can also be made on the stove top - heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add carrots, celery and onions and saute 4 minutes adding in garlic during last minute of sauteing. Pour in broth, water and canned tomatoes. Add herbs, sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and and reduce heat slightly, allow to gently boil 10 minutes, then add zucchini and pasta, cover and gently boil 15 minutes longer, or until pasta is tender. Then add canned beans (green and legumes) and spinach and cook 2 - 3 more minutes.