Slow Cooker Minestrone : Great For Topsy-Turvey Cooler Days!

I know it's July but our UK weather is a little topsy turvey at the moment. From chilled soup one day (see post here) to this hearty Italian Minestrone soup, so tasty for cooler days! It is made with pasta and beans, and is great for batch cooking, just divide into portions and pop in the freezer and wonderfully warming soup will never be far from your bowl. This soup will keep in the freezer for two months.

Some readers may find the carb. content a little high ... each serving provides 24g protein, 29g carbohydrate (of which 9.5g sugars), 14g fat (of which 4g saturates), 8.5g fibre and 1.5g salt.

Ingredients

Serves Four

100g/3½oz smoked, dry-cured lardons*
2 carrots, roughly chopped
2 sticks celery, sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, needles finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g/14oz can chopped plum tomatoes
1.2 litres/2 pints good-quality chicken stock
400g/14oz can cannellini beans in water, rinsed and drained
50g/1¾oz spaghetti, snapped into short lengths
100g/3½ head baby leaf or spring greens, thickly shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
25g/1oz parmesan, grated (optional)

*Lardons are small chunks of diced bacon (smoked or unsmoked) that are used to give a good, salty depth of flavour. They are very often sold vacuum-packed in most supermarkets, but if you can’t find them buy thick rashers of bacon and dice them yourself.

Method

1. Put a large frying pan over a low heat, add the lardons and cook for 10 minutes until crisp, golden and the fat has run from the meat. Transfer onto a plate.
2. Tip the carrots, celery and onion into the bacon fat and fry for two minutes before adding the garlic, herbs and tomato purée. Cook for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and most of the stock. Bring to the boil. Carefully transfer the soup to a slow cooker, cover with the lid, then cook on high for 4 hours until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir the beans and pasta into the soup, adding the rest of the stock if it seems overly thick. Scatter the shredded greens over the top of the soup, then re-cover with the lid. Cook for 30 minutes until the pasta is tender. Stir in the greens, season with salt and pepper, then serve in bowls with a drizzle of oil and plenty of parmesan.

From original idea here

For readers who do not have a slow cooker you may wish to try this alternative quick minestrone soup recipe, see here

You will find a variety of recipe ideas and articles within this blog, and it is important to note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e., use a reliable meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan