Name: Minestrone
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 h 30 min
Total time: 5 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 4–6
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 x 400 g (14 oz) tins cannellini or borlotti beans, drained and rinsed; 1 brown onion, finely chopped; 400 g (14 oz) tin diced tomatoes; small handful basil, leaves picked, stalks finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 zucchini (courgettes), quartered lengthways, thinly sliced; 100 g (3½ oz) spaghetti, broken into approximately 3 cm (1¼ inch) lengths; 1.25 litres (44 fl oz/5 cups) good-quality vegetable stock; 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced; 2 carrots, halved lengthways and thinly sliced; 35 g (1¼ oz/¼ cup) finely grated parmesan cheese, to serve

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
6 hr

Appears in

Slow Cooker Vegetarian

By Katy Holder

Published 2018

About

This hearty soup is a great way to introduce kids to vegetables like celery, which softens and mellows with slow cooking. To make this vegan, leave out the parmesan and top with toasted pepitas and sunflower seeds instead.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

Put the oil, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, chopped basil stalks (not leaves), tomatoes, beans and stock into the slow cooker and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently, then cook on low for 5 hours.

Add the spaghetti and zucchini and cook for 30 minutes, or until the pasta and vegetables are tender.

Serve topped with the grated parmesan and basil leav