Slow-Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup Freezer Pack

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.”

Ingredients

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 extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions

1Place 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.
2Transfer the vegetable mixture to a large slow cooker. Add broth, Italian seasoning and salt. Cover and cook on Low for 7¼ hours.
3Add 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.

Tip: Get the full meal-prep plan for this recipe and a whole week of dinners here.
To make ahead: Prepare through Step 1 and freeze for up to 5 days.