Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup Freezer Pack

Recipe By: Katie Webster

Your favorite restaurant soup just got easier and healthier with this freezer-to-crock-pot recipe. If you keep a special bottle of olive oil on hand for stand-out dishes, this is the recipe to pull it out for. The headiness of the fruity olive oil truly elevates the flavors in this Italian meal-prep slow-cooker soup.

  • 2 cups chopped onions 
  • 1 cup chopped carrots 
  • 1 cup chopped celery 
  • 1 pound cooked Meal-Prep Sheet-Pan Chicken Thighs (see associated recipe), diced 
  • 4 cups cooked whole-wheat rotini pasta 
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 
  • 4 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added white beans, rinsed 
  • 4 cups baby spinach (half of a 5-ounce box) 
  • 4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided (Optional)
  • 2 tablespoons best-quality Opus Black
  • ½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano che

Instructions

Step 1

Place onions, carrots and celery in a large sealable plastic bag. Place cooled cooked chicken and cooked pasta together in another bag. Seal both bags and freeze for up to 5 days. Defrost the bags in the refrigerator overnight before proceeding.

Step 2

Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large slow cooker. Add broth, Italian seasoning and salt. Cover and cook on Low for 7 1/4 hours.

Step 3

Add beans, spinach, 2 tablespoons basil, if using, and the defrosted chicken and pasta. Cook for 45 minutes more. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle a little oil into each bowl and top with cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons basil, if desired.

To make ahead

Prepare through Step 1 and freeze for up to 5 days.