This Olive Garden minestrone soup is loaded with vegetables, beans and pasta in a tomato broth. It’s a copycat of the restaurant version that tastes even better than the original recipe!
Every time I go to Olive Garden I order the soup, salad and breadsticks. I just can’t get enough of their minestrone soup, it’s my favorite! This homemade version is easy to whip up and is a great way to get the family to eat their veggies. Serve your soup with garlic knots for a complete meal.
Every time I go to Olive Garden, I have to get the minestrone soup. It’s filled with tons of great flavors and textures, yet is light enough not to fill me up before the main course arrives. This recipe is an Olive Garden minestrone soup copycat, and I have to say, it’s as good (or better!) than the original.
How do you make Olive Garden Minestrone group?
This recipe calls for a variety of vegetables cooked in a savory broth. Onions, carrots, celery and zucchini are sauteed, then tomatoes, vegetable broth, pasta and beans go into the mix. Let everything simmer and dinner is served!
What vegetables go into minestrone soup?
This soup is loaded with veggies, it contains onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, green beans and spinach. This is the same blend of vegetables that Olive Garden uses, but you can absolutely change up the veggies depending on what’s in season and what you have on hand. Other great vegetable choices are
- Russet potatoes
- Butternut squash
- Sweet potatoes
- Leeks
- Kale
Slow cooker Minestrone Soup
This soup can easily be made in the slow cooker if you’d prefer to go that route. You can add all the ingredients to the slow cooker minus the pasta, spinach and parsley, then let everything simmer for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high. Stir in the pasta and spinach and let everything cook for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Tips for Minestrone Soup
- You can use fresh or frozen green beans, whatever you prefer.
- Try to cut all the vegetables the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
- This soup freezes well, although the pasta and vegetables may be a little softer upon thawing and reheating.
- Be sure to drain and rinse your beans before adding them to the soup, you want to get rid of all that extra sodium!
- This soup is hearty enough to serve as a main course, but if you’d like an extra dose of protein, try adding some cooked Italian sausage.
This Olive Garden minestrone soup hits the spot on a cold day, and it’s so easy to make too! Add a sprinkle of parmesan and some warm bread and you’ve for a quick dinner that everyone is sure to love.
More great soup recipes
Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Video
Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup onion diced
- 1/2 cup celery sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1 zucchini halved and sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 15 ounce can small white beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup frozen cut green beans
- 1/2 cup small shell pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots and zucchini to the pot.
- Cook until the vegetables are tender, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste and Italian seasoning to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the white beans, kidney beans, green beans and pasta to the pot. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach leaves and cook for 2-3 minutes or until wilted.
- Sprinkle the parsley over the soup and serve.
conny Baumann says
oh guys I have found the magic ingredient! Paprika! just add a teaspoon. It is sooo good!
Dale foulks says
Delicious! I do add a little more broth so it goes further! The first time I made it I used too much pasta but I think that’s fur to trying to make a larger quantity . This is my go to vegetarian night dinner ! I’m not a meat eater and I try at least 2 nights of vegetarian recipes on my family !
Thanks …. great recipe ☺️
Vicki says
This is the best and easiest minestrone soup on the internet. I’ve made it several times. I add smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and onion powder because I like a very flavorful broth. It’s fine without it though.
Ann vsn says
Love this soup.. a vegetarian dream!!
Freezes well so I double up.
renee says
I made this recipe last night, but 4 cups of vegetable broth did not seem like enough broth. Do you suggest just adding more broth?
Sara says
Yes you can add more broth!
Barbara Asher says
How many servings does this recipe MAKE?
Sara says
It serves 6!!
Molly Mann says
Sara, I need the serving size again please.
This sounds really good and should make several lunches as well as a dinner!
Sara says
Serving size is also 1 1/2 cups!
AJ says
What about oregano, basil and thyme?
Sara says
That’s covered in the Italian seasoning!
Mia says
We made this tonight and it was great!
Thank you!
SandyP says
In my experience, the sauteing of the onions, celery and carrots together with a bit of garlic just before taking it up creates the best base of many soups and even meat dishes. It only takes a few minutes and is worth it.
Karly says
Delicious i added diced potatoes amd garbanzo beans instead of whote bean and cooked in crockpot, delicious
Rita DelPercio says
Can I use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth?
Sara says
Yes that’s fine!
Elizabeth says
This recipe is great, I followed the recipe exactly and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Yvonne Short says
Everytime I visit Olive Garden, I order the same thing. The Minnestroni Soup, salad and bread. I am so in love with this soup. Now that I have the recipe, I’ll be making it and adding some to my freezer for future cravings.
Ellie says
I just tried the minestrone soup at Olive Garden! I’ve never liked this kind of soup but surprisingly loved it!
I’m excited to try your recipe! I want to make it in my crock pot so I’m wondering if I can just put all ingredients in the crock (except spinach, I don’t like pasta) and not sauté anything on the stove before hand?
Thanks!!!!
Sara says
Yes that should work fine!
Laura Torres says
What type of Italian sausage would you recommend?
Sara says
I typically use Johnsonville!
Laura Torres says
Mild Italian sausage?
Also do you not add any water?
Sara says
Mild is fine and I just use broth!
Laura Torres says
Thanks! Trying it this weekend! Absolutely LOVE OG minestrone soup!