Servings: 6-8
Start to finish: 8 to 10 hours on high
Slow cooker size: 4 to 7 quarts
1 onion, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup dried great Northern or cannellini beans, picked over and rinsed
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup small pasta, such as ditalini, tubettini, or elbow macaroni
Salt and pepper
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 ounces Swiss chard, stemmed and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Microwave onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, oregano, and pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, beans, and carrots. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours on high.
Meanwhile, bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add pasta and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water, then toss with remaining 1 teaspoon oil in bowl; set aside.
Stir zucchini and chard into soup, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in pasta and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing Parmesan and extra oil separately.
Nutrition information per serving: 224 calories; 46 calories from fat; 5 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 1 mg cholesterol; 601 mg sodium; 34 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 11 g protein.
For more recipes, cooking tips and ingredient and product reviews, visithttps://www.americastestkitchen.com. Find more recipes like Garden Minestrone in “Complete Slow Cooker .”
America’s Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press
