- 1 cup small pasta shells (I used Ditalini)
- 3/4 cup dried white northern beans
- 3/4 cup dried pinto beans
- 3/4 cup kidney beans
- 1/4 cup minced dried onion
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon Celery salt
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 Bay leaf
- 10 cups water
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 1-1/2 to 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1/2 cup of sugar (I always add a bit of sugar to my tomato based soups), this is an optional item.
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The first thing to do is place the seasonings in a small bag and close it. The seasoning bag will go on top of the pasta baggie and under the lid.
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Grab a wide-mouth quart mason jar (32-ounces) to layer some of the ingredients shown above.
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Start with the white beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. Be sure and watch for small rocks in the beans.
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Place the pasta in a baggie and place it on top of the beans.
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Now, place the seasonings in a small bag and close it.
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The seasoning bag will go on top of the pasta baggie and under the lid.
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Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker (I used a 3-1/2-quart slow cooker). *Set the pasta, tomatoes, and chopped carrots aside.
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Add 10 cups of water, turn the slow cooker on high for 7 hours, and then check the beans for doneness.
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Mix in the pasta, the tomatoes, and chopped carrots. Cook another 2-3 hours until the carrots and beans are tender.