minestrone soup in slow cooker

By carolync

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup peeled and chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian style tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dry basil
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup ditalini pasta, uncooked
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Details

Servings 10
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 450mins

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring to break up. Season with salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink. Drain off as much of the grease as possible and transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot, zucchini, celery, garlic, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf to the slow cooker with the beef. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
After initial cooking time, add beans, ditalini pasta (uncooked), and Parmesan. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until pasta is al-dente.

Instructions