Minestrone Soup Recipe (Olive Garden Copycat)
This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup is warm, hearty, and packed with veggies, beans, and pasta. Made in one pot, it’s the perfect healthy comfort food for busy weeknights or prepping ahead for cozy lunches.
Ingredients
- 2 medium carrots diced into small cubes
- 2 small zucchinis diced into small cubes
- ½ large onion diced into small cubes
- 6 ribs celery diced into small cubes
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 32 oz vegetable broth
- 15 oz canned Great Northern beans drained
- 15 oz canned Kidney beans drained
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon dry basil
- ½ cup pasta any small pasta work great
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups water
- 1 to taste Salt and pepper optional
- 1 sprinkle parmesan optional, omit for vegan version
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and zucchini. Sauté for about 10 minutes until softened.
- Stir in canned diced tomatoes with juice, Italian seasoning, and dried basil. Let simmer for a few minutes.
- Add vegetable broth, Great Northern and kidney beans, and pasta. Cook for about 10 minutes, monitoring pasta for doneness.
- Stir in minced garlic. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Add water if the soup thickens too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with parmesan or fresh basil, if desired. Serve with crusty bread or a salad.
Notes
- For best results, don’t overcook the pasta—add it only once the soup is already simmering.
- Add greens like spinach or kale in the final minutes of cooking.
- For leftovers, store pasta separately to prevent it from absorbing all the broth.
- Soup tastes even better the next day.
Nutrition
Calories: 152kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 7gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 599mgPotassium: 594mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 2436IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
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