1
Into a large crock pot, pour 3 cans Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes and 1 can tomato sauce.
2
Add 4 C beef broth. (I just dissolved 4 teaspoons beef soup base granules into 4 cups hot water.)
3
Slice 1 1/2 cup carrots, chop yourself 1/2 a cup of onions, and about 1 cup of green beans. Add them to the crock pot.
4
Next you will need 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon thyme and 1 teaspoon oregano. Once you have the seasonings measured out, crush them between your fingers as you add them to the pot. This really maximizes the flavor.
5
Drain and rinse 1 can kidney beans and 1 can garbanzo beans. Add them to the pot.
6
Now for the meatballs! These Italian Style Meatballs from Costco are absolutely fabulous. Toss about 6 cups of these frozen treasures into your pot. Cover and let the old girl cook on high for 6-8 hours.
7
When your soup has simmered away all day and you are ready to eat, cook the pasta according to package directions. Don’t be tempted to add the uncooked pasta to the crock pot. The pasta will be kind of squishy and gross, and will also soak up a lot of the broth, leaving you with a thicker soup than you want. Just cook the pasta separately and all will be well. :)
8
Add 1 can of tomato soup into your crock pot. Give it a nice stir, cover the soup and let it heat through. Your soup should thicken just a bit with the addition of the tomato soup.
9
When you are ready to serve, dish a nice healthy portion of the pasta into each soup bowl then pour the Meatball Minestrone over the top. Garnish with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese.