Spring Vegetable Crock Pot Minestrone
Do you need a fast and easy weeknight meal? Nothing’s better than a crock pot dinner! This Spring Vegetable Minestrone combines in-season, spring veggies with the traditional minestrone flavors of beans, broth, pasta and Parmesan. Yum!
I love embracing the season and trying new vegetables. I used the veggies below but feel free to try other vegetables in season this spring, such as leeks, new potatoes and broccoli, just to name a few.
This is a great time to use up any random pasta noodles you may have. Just break them up and add into the pot about an hour before ready to serve. You can also use up the rind of Parmesan that is too tough to eat. Cook it along with your veggies and take it out before serving. All that yummy Parmesan flavor will infuse into your soup.
Spring Vegetable Crock Pot Minestrone
Ingredients:
- 1 fennel bulb, stalk removed and chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 cups frozen peas **
- 1/2 bunch of asparagus, chopped and woody ends removed (about 30 skinny stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 32 oz. veg. broth
- 2 -15 oz cans diced tomatoes in Italian Seasoning
- 2 -15 oz cans Cannelini or Great Northern Beans
- 8 oz Pasta (I used tubes -this is a great time to use any leftover random pasta you may have) **
- 1 t. sea salt **
- 1/2 t. pepper **
- fresh grated Parmesan Cheese for topping **
** Ingredients are used in other recipes from This Week’s Menu, starred to help in your planning. Types of cheese, frozen veggies and pasta may vary. 🙂
Directions:
Serves 8
- Add fennel, carrots, peas, asparagus and garlic to a crock pot.
- Stir in tomatoes, beans and broth.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours or until vegetables are tender (crockpots may vary.)
- Add pasta to soup about 45-60 min. before ready to serve.
- Serve hot with fresh grated Parmesan.
Enjoy!!