Slow Cooker Hamburger Minestrone
This Slow Cooker Hamburger Minestrone is loaded with fresh vegetables, ground beef, and pasta. This hearty, comforting soup is a meal in itself. Slice a loaf of crusty bread, pour a glass of wine, and dinner is served!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 1 poundlean ground beef (i use 90% lean)
- ½ teaspoonsalt
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 cupdiced sweet yellow onion
- 1 cuppeeled and chopped carrot
- 1 cupchopped zucchini
- 2ribs celery (chopped)
- 2 teaspoonsminced garlic
- 4 cupslow-sodium beef broth
- 28 ouncecan crushed italian seasoned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoondried basil
- 1 teaspoondried oregano
- ½ teaspoondried thyme
- 1bay leaf
- 15 ouncescanned cannellini beans (rinsed and drained)
- 15 ouncescanned kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
- 1 cupditalini pasta (uncooked)
- ½ cupgrated parmesan (plus additional, for garnish)
Directions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break it 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.
- 2
After initial cooking time, add the beans, ditalini pasta (uncooked), and Parmesan. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until pasta is al-dente.
- 3
Garnish individual servings with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.