Over-the-Rainbow Minestrone

Over-the-Rainbow Minestrone

from tasteofhome.com
Dinner
400 min
10 servings
231 kcal / serving

This vegetarian soup features a rainbow of vegetables. You can use any multicolored pasta in place of the spirals. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado

Ingredients

  • ½ poundswiss chard
  • 2 tablespoonsolive oil
  • 1 mediumred onion, finely chopped
  • 6 cupsvegetable broth
  • 2 cansfire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cankidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cangarbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 mediumyellow summer squash or zucchini, halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1 mediumsweet red or yellow pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 mediumcarrot, finely chopped
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cupsuncooked spiral pasta or small pasta shells
  • ¼ cupprepared pesto
  • optional toppings: additional prepared pesto, shredded parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes and minced fresh basil

Directions

  1. 1

    Cut stems from chard; chop stems and leaves separately. Reserve leaves for adding later. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and chard stems; cook and stir until tender, 3-5 minutes. Transfer mixture to a 6-qt. slow cooker.

  2. 2

    Stir in broth, tomatoes, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, squash, pepper, carrot and garlic. Cook, covered, on low until vegetables are tender, 6-8 hours.

  3. 3

    Stir in pasta and reserved chard leaves. Cook, covered, on low until pasta is tender, 20-25 minutes longer; stir in pesto. If desired, serve with additional pesto, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and fresh basil.