Crock Pot Vegetable and Bean Soup

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 03/14/22
bowl of vegetable and bean soup

Pickstock / Getty Images 

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 10 hrs
Total: 10 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12 servings

This vegetable soup recipe is loaded with flavor, but that doesn't mean it is loaded with fat or calories. Boasting seven different vegetables and two kinds of beans, this hearty soup has a rich flavor, enhanced by basil and oregano, as well as a few drops of hot sauce. But don't let these amounts scare you away—this is basically an "add all ingredients and let cook" kind of recipe. A good strategy is to chop the vegetables the night before and then add to the crock pot the next morning. Imagine coming home from a long day at work to this delicious, and filling meal that everyone will love! 

The soup can be made vegetarian by swapping out the chicken broth for vegetable broth, or you might add some browned diced or ground beef for a meaty soup.

This recipe is for a 5- to 6-quart cooker, but you can cut back the ingredients for a smaller crock pot. Serve with crusty bread and grated Parmesan cheese on the side if desired.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil, optional

  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, optional

  • 1/2 cup chopped onion

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 3 cups chopped cabbage

  • 2 cups chopped zucchini

  • 1 cup diced carrots

  • 1 cup chopped celery

  • 1 (28-ounce) can tomatoes, undrained

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained, rinsed well

  • 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed well

  • 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

  • 4 cups low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth

  • 4 cups tomato juice, or V8

  • 2 teaspoons crushed dried basil

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 3 to 5 drops hot sauce, optional

  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. If desired, sauté the onion in a small amount of butter and oil before adding to slow cooker.

  3. Add the onion to slow cooker, along with the remaining ingredients, except the cheese.

  4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

  5. Serve the soup with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Variations

  • This is the type of recipe you can eliminate or swap out vegetables that you don't care for, tailoring it to your taste, without sacrificing the soup's integrity. If you don't like zucchini, for example, substitute it with summer squash or throw in some bell pepper instead. Not a fan of cabbage? Don't include it. Don't have any celery in the fridge? Not to worry—your soup will still turn out great.
  • If you enjoyed this crock pot vegetable soup and are looking for similar recipes, why not try a crock pot barley vegetable soup, a soup filled with vegetables like sweet potato, spinach, and corn, as well as fennel, which gives this recipe its unique flavor. Or perhaps a lentil soup made in the crock pot is what you are in the mood for—the bacon brings a nice smoky flavor to this simple recipe.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
139 Calories
1g Fat
25g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 139
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 379mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 8g 30%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 44mg 220%
Calcium 132mg 10%
Iron 3mg 16%
Potassium 711mg 15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)