Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Craving some cozy comfort food? This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup brings the restaurant classic to your kitchen. 

Packed with colorful vegetables, tender beans, and perfectly cooked pasta, this hearty soup is a crowd-pleaser. 

Ready in just 30 minutes, it's the perfect healthy weeknight dinner solution. 

This easy-to-follow recipe creates a soul-warming bowl. Plus, it's vegetarian and budget-friendly. Double the batch since you'll want leftovers of this Italian-inspired favorite!

Why You'll Love This Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Perfect for All Seasons: With its vibrant mix of vegetables and savory broth, this soup is versatile enough to be enjoyed year-round.

One-Pot Wonder: Everything comes together in a single pot, meaning less cleanup and more time to enjoy your evening.

Budget-Friendly: Minestrone soup is made with affordable pantry staples like canned beans, pasta, and broth. It's ideal for feeding a family or hosting guests without breaking the bank.

Customizable: The recipe is highly adaptable. You can swap in your favorite veggies, use gluten-free pasta, or adjust the seasoning to make it uniquely yours.

Ingredients

• Olive Oil: Use it to sauté the vegetables. It adds richness and enhances the soup's overall flavor.
  
• Onion, Celery, Carrots, Zucchini, and Garlic: These aromatic vegetables create a hearty and flavorful base for the soup. Carrots add sweetness, celery adds a subtle earthiness, zucchini has a mild bulk, and garlic has a savory kick.
  
• Diced Tomatoes And Tomato Paste: The diced tomatoes add tanginess and texture. The tomato paste deepens the broth’s flavor and gives the soup a rich color.
  
• Vegetable Broth: It makes the soup hearty and vegetarian-friendly.
  
• Italian Seasoning, Salt, and Pepper: The seasoning blend infuses the soup with classic Italian herbs, and salt and pepper enhance all the flavors.
  
• Kidney and Small White Beans: These beans provide plant-based protein, a creamy texture, and a filling, hearty element to the soup.
  
• Frozen Or Fresh Green Beans: These add vibrant color and a crisp, vegetal bite, balancing the softer vegetables and pasta.
  
• Small Shell Pasta: It adds a chewy, satisfying texture and helps make the soup more filling.
  
• Baby Spinach Leaves: These tender greens melt into the soup, adding a fresh, nutrient-rich touch.
  
• Chopped Parsley: A fresh, aromatic garnish brightens the soup’s flavor and presentation.

How to Make Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

You won't believe how easy it is to recreate this restaurant favorite at home.

1. Saute the veggies. Heat the olive oil in a pot. Cook the onion, celery, carrots, and zucchini for 5 minutes, then add garlic for 30 seconds.

2. Simmer. Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer.

3. Add the beans a pasta. Stir in the white beans, kidney beans, green beans, and pasta. Simmer for 10–15 minutes until the pasta is al dente.

4. Wilt. Add the spinach leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Serve. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parsley if desired. 

Tips for the Best Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

For the true Olive Garden experience, follow these tips.

• Pick your favorite pasta. Swap the small shell pasta for other small shapes, depending on your preference or pantry stock. Ditalini, elbow macaroni, or orzo are fantastic options. 
  
• Put in the prep work. Dice all the vegetables in similar sizes (about 1/2 inch). This ensures even cooking and a consistent texture in every spoonful.
  
• Enhance the flavor. Add a Parmesan rind while simmering for an authentic Italian depth of flavor (remove before serving). Stir in extra tomato paste or diced tomatoes for a thicker soup. 
  
• Soak it up. Pair your soup with warm garlic bread, crispy baguette slices, or soft, buttery breadsticks to soak up every bit of the flavorful broth.
  
• Get ahead of the game. Prepare the soup without the pasta and spinach when making the soup in advance. Add these ingredients when you reheat to maintain optimal texture.
  
• Have fun and experiment. Swap in vegetables like potatoes, kale, or butternut squash for added texture and flavor variety. Try fresh basil or Parmesan cheese as an extra garnish. 

How to Store

Want to enjoy your soup all week? Follow these storage tips.

To Store: Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to an air-tight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

To Freeze: Cool the soup completely and portion it into freezer-safe containers, leaving space for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

To Reheat: Heat the soup on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. Add a splash of broth if it has thickened. Microwave smaller portions in a covered dish in 60-second intervals, stirring between each.

Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

4.7 from 22 votes

Course: Appetizer, Main CourseCuisine: Italian

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Calories

105

kcal

This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup is just like the original! Loaded with veggies, beans, tomatoes, and tender pasta, it'll warm your soul.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 cup diced onion

• 1/2 cup sliced celery

• 1/2 cup peeled and sliced carrots

• 1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 4 cups vegetable broth

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

• 1 (15-ounce) can small white beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup frozen or fresh green beans

• 1/2 cup small shell pasta

• 2 cups baby spinach leaves

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, optional for garnish

Instructions

• Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and zucchini. Cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
• Stir in the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, and Italian seasoning. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
• Add the white beans, kidney beans, green beans, and small shell pasta. Continue simmering for 10–15 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are tender.
• Stir in the spinach leaves and cook for 2–3 minutes until wilted. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper as desired.
• Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

• You can swap in other vegetables like potatoes, kale, or butternut squash.
• You can add more tomato paste or diced tomatoes if you prefer a heartier broth. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
• Serve with garlic bread, breadsticks, or crispy baguette slices.