Recipe for Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup

Simplistic and scrumptious Olive Garden Minestrone Soup brimming with fresh vegetables, leafy greens, and simmered in the most delicious broth! Effortlessly prepared in a single pot for a warm weeknight meal that the entire family will adore!

It’s no exaggeration that this is undoubtedly one of my top soups. Drawing inspiration from Olive Garden’s well-known minestrone soup, I crafted and published this replica recipe around 15 years ago, but I truly needed some refreshed photos. This timeless minestrone soup recipe is EXTREMELY flavorful, filled with an assortment of vegetables and is incredibly cozy and comforting, whether it’s a cold day or you’re feeling a bit unwell. Pair it with some crusty bread or a side salad for a well-rounded meal!

Reasons to Love This

• Nourishing and satisfying – this imitation Olive Garden inspired soup is full of a variety of fresh veggies, beans, and fiber-rich pasta for a tasty and wholesome dish.
• Quick and simple – this entire soup comes together effortlessly in just 30 minutes using basic pantry staples.
• One pot recipe – you only require one pot which allows this dish to come together swiftly and clean-up is a breeze.
• Perfect for leftovers – as this soup settles, the flavors combine making it even tastier the following day! An ideal recipe for meal preparation.

Needed Ingredients

• onion, carrots, and celery – forms the ideal savory foundation for soups.
• vegetables – I utilized fresh zucchini and green beans along with the onion, carrots, and celery, but feel free to use any assortment of vegetables you prefer.
• beans – I included both red kidney beans and white beans, but navy beans, cannellini beans, and pinto beans are also excellent choices.
• pasta – I opted for small shell pasta in this soup, but any type of small pasta such as ditalini, orecchiette, or macaroni will suffice. You can also omit it for a lower-carb option.
• vegetable broth – chicken broth or any stocks available in your pantry would work well too.
• tomatoes – I utilized one large can of crushed tomatoes, but diced tomatoes are a good alternative.
• garlic – this truly enhances the flavor and is a necessity in this soup!
• leafy greens – spinach or kale are fantastic in this soup.
• herbs and spices – I used a blend of dried oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper, but you could also swap in one teaspoon of Italian seasoning for the dried herbs. You could also add some fresh parsley or a bay leaf.

How to Prepare Minestrone Soup

The wonderful aspect of this soup is that everything unites in just 30 minutes through a few straightforward steps! Here’s my method:

• Sauté the vegetables.  Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium-high heat and cook onion, celery, carrots, and zucchini until softened, around 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
• Allow the soup to simmer.  Stir in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, beans, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and let the soup simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
• Add spinach and pasta.  Incorporate the baby spinach leaves and pasta, cooking for an additional 10 minutes.
• Serve and savor! Spoon the soup into bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve with crusty bread or croutons.

Substitutions and Alterations

The greatest advantage of minestrone soup is its high customization! Here are some ways to modify this soup to your taste.

• Veggies – use any variety of vegetables that you enjoy! Yellow squash, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, etc., all work beautifully.
• Protein – the beans in this recipe provide a wonderful protein source, but you can also introduce some chicken, turkey, ground beef, or even Italian sausage.
• Gluten-free – substitute the pasta with gluten-free pasta or even regular rice or wild rice instead.
• Vegan – while this soup is inherently vegan, instead of topping with parmesan cheese, you could opt for vegan cheese or nutritional yeast.
• Spicy version – add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce to inject some heat into this soup

Preparation and Storage

To Store:  Leftovers will stay in your refrigerator in a sealed, airtight container for up to 5 days.  The noodles may absorb a lot of broth as the soup rests, but you can easily add more broth as needed when reheating.

To Freeze:  If you plan to freeze, let the soup cool completely first and then store it in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months.  When you’re ready to enjoy, allow the soup to thaw fully in the fridge.  Reheat it in a pot on the stove or warm individual servings in the microwave.

More Tasty Soup Recipes

I hope you all relish this Olive Garden Minestrone Soup, and if you adore it as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I enjoy seeing all your delightful recreations!