Healthy Slow-Cooker & Crock Pot Vegetable Soups

Make a big batch of low-calorie veggie-packed soup with ease in this load-and-go crock pot recipe. After simmering away in the slow cooker, portion it into individual serving containers and store in the fridge or freezer for fast, healthy lunches or an easy, satisfying snack. This weight-loss vegetable soup fills you up without a lot of calories, plus it's an easy way to eat more vegetables.

A winter classic, this crock pot version of minestrone is heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta, keeping carbs in check while providing plenty of flavor.

Sherry adds sweetness and flavor to this slow-cooker vegetarian cabbage soup. It's balanced nicely by the crushed red pepper, fire-roasted tomatoes and a pop of acidity from the sherry vinegar. Potatoes give the soup heft and substance. Serve with crusty bread.

Let a slow cooker complete this vegetarian soup. Serve it in cups as a sandwich side or ladle it into bowls for a light meal.

Adjust the heat level in the dish by choosing either hot or mild Italian sausage. You can add red pepper, too, to make it extra hot. Serve this slow-cooker minestrone with crusty bread, if desired.

Don't skip cooking the onions for the meatballs. This step softens the onions so they more easily add their sweet flavor to the meatball mixture. Best part? This slow-cooker meatball soup only requires 25 minutes of hands-on time.

This easy slow-cooker potato soup has all the good stuff you love on a potato--including bacon, cheese and scallions. Serve this loaded baked potato soup with a salad for an easy dinner--just 15 minutes of active prep time!--whenever you're in need of some serious comfort food. It would also be fun fare for a casual party. Serve it straight out of the slow cooker and set out bowls of toppings so everyone can assemble their own. You can easily make this soup vegetarian--just use vegetable broth and skip the bacon.

In this genius slow-cooker soup recipe, two types of onions are caramelized for hours before adding a sherry-spiked broth. For a bistro-worthy presentation, ladle the soup into ovenproof crocks, top with the bread and cheese and broil.

The farro­­an ancient whole grain rich in iron and fiber--and butternut squash make this slow-cooker soup hearty and filling. If you're looking for an easy way to work whole grains into your diet, this is it.

This version of the Italian classic vegetable and bean soup is made in the slow cooker and mixes in flavorful sausage and squash. Use any variety of winter squash.

An abundance of vegetables, beans and pasta makes this soup so hearty you'll hardly notice the lack of meat. The drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of Parmesan at the end adds a special touch to this slow-cooker minestrone.

French green lentils and black lentils hold up well to long, slow cooking without becoming mushy. Save the rinds from used-up blocks of Parmesan in a resealable plastic bag or tightly sealed container in the refrigerator. They give soup broths a rich, savory flavor.