Minestrone Soup ( Olive Garden Copycat) Recipe

I fell in love with Olive Garden Minestrone Soup years ago, so I recreated a hearty, pantry-friendly version that channels all the classic Italian flavors and stands perfectly as a satisfying main.

Ever since I tasted Olive Garden Minestrone Soup I was obsessed and kept trying to nail that bright, layered flavor, so I made my own twist. This Minestrone Soup Easy version hits with little pops of zucchini and creamy cannellini beans, and a bit of garlic that sings without shouting, yet somehow it still surprises you in the best way.

I won’t pretend it’s perfect, there are happy accidents along the way, but those accidents are what make it honest. If you liked the original or just want something comforting that behaves like a main dish, give it a shot.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil: Healthy monounsaturated fats, helps absorb vitamins, adds rich mouthfeel, not heavy.
• Onions give savory sweetness, antioxidants like quercetin, adds depth, a little bite when raw.
• Carrots add natural sweetness and color, high in beta carotene and fiber, chewy texture.
• Cannellini beans pack plant protein and fiber, creamy texture, make soup more filling.
• Zucchini keeps soup light, adds vitamins and moisture, subtle mild taste that soaks flavors.
• Tomatoes lend acidity and sweetness, lycopene rich, balance savory broth with bright tang.
• Pasta shells give carbs and comfort, small shapes hold broth, make it hearty.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 cup green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium russet potato peeled and diced
• 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
• 1 can 15 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can 15 oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

How to Make this

1. Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, toss in the diced yellow onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt, sweat until theyre soft and starting to get a little color about 6 to 8 minutes.

2. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, then add the diced zucchini, green beans cut into 1 inch pieces and the peeled diced russet potato, stir and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Pour in the 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, the 15 ounce tomato sauce and stir in the tomato paste if youre using it, sprinkle the 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, add the bay leaf, a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat and a teaspoon of sugar if the tomatoes taste too sharp.

4. Add 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth, bring the pot to a simmer, then add the drained and rinsed cannellini and red kidney beans. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook until the potato and green beans are tender about 15 to 20 minutes.

5. To keep the pasta from getting mushy I like to cook the 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini separately in salted boiling water until just under al dente, drain and reserve about a half cup of the pasta water; if you prefer you can also add the dry pasta straight to the soup and simmer until al dente but it will soak up broth as it sits.

6. Stir the cooked pasta into the soup and add some reserved pasta water a little at a time if you need to loosen the broth, simmer everything together 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors marry.

7. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, remove the bay leaf, adjust red pepper flakes or sugar if needed to balance acidity.

8. Stir in the 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley right before serving for brightness.

9. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese, serve hot and enjoy, leftovers actually taste better the next day after the flavors have had time to marry.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy bottom pot about 6 quart for sweating veggies and simmering the soup, youll want it roomy so nothing overflows
2. Medium pot for cooking the pasta separately in salted boiling water
3. Chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board for dicing onion carrots celery potato zucchini and trimming green beans
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir so things dont stick
5. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse the beans and pasta
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for oil broth pasta and seasonings
7. Vegetable peeler for the potato and carrots
8. Ladle for serving plus a box grater or microplane for the Parmesan

FAQ

Minestrone Soup ( Olive Garden Copycat) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth: swap with low sodium chicken broth if you eat meat, or use mushroom or miso broth for deeper savory notes, or just water plus 1-2 tsp vegetable bouillon; taste and adjust salt.
• 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini: use gluten free small pasta or orzo, or even small rice like arborio, or skip the pasta and add extra beans or quinoa — cook times will change.
• 1 can 15 oz cannellini beans: substitute Great Northern or navy beans, or use 1 1/2 cups cooked dried cannellini; if using canned rinse well to cut sodium.
• 1 medium russet potato: swap for Yukon Gold or red potatoes for a creamier bite, or use sweet potato for a sweeter twist, or leave out and add more zucchini for a lighter soup.

Pro Tips

– Cook the pasta separately and undercook it by about 1 to 2 minutes so it finishes in the soup but doesnt turn to mush later. reserve some pasta water to loosen the broth if it sucks up too much, and if you plan to freeze portions leave the pasta out entirely.

– For deeper, rounder flavor toss a Parmesan rind into the simmering broth and fish it out before serving, or add a small splash of balsamic or red wine vinegar at the end to brighten things up. a little acid goes a long way to balance tomato sharpness.

– Want a creamier body without cream? Scoop out a cup of beans and some potato, puree until smooth, then stir back into the pot. it thickens the broth and makes it more satisfying while keeping it vegetarian.

– Add quick cooking veg like zucchini and fresh parsley near the end so they keep texture and color. overcooked zucchini turns to mush and makes the broth cloudy, so dont dump everything in at once.

– Season in layers and taste as you go, not just at the end. salt in the beginning helps draw moisture from veg, but final adjustments with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar or red pepper flakes should be done after it simmers so you dont over or under season.

Minestrone Soup ( Olive Garden Copycat) Recipe

Recipe by Noel Matthews

0.0 from 0 votes

I fell in love with Olive Garden Minestrone Soup years ago, so I recreated a hearty, pantry-friendly version that channels all the classic Italian flavors and stands perfectly as a satisfying main.

Pin

Servings

6

servings

Calories

352

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy bottom pot about 6 quart for sweating veggies and simmering the soup, youll want it roomy so nothing overflows
2. Medium pot for cooking the pasta separately in salted boiling water
3. Chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board for dicing onion carrots celery potato zucchini and trimming green beans
4. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to stir so things dont stick
5. Colander or fine mesh strainer to drain and rinse the beans and pasta
6. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for oil broth pasta and seasonings
7. Vegetable peeler for the potato and carrots
8. Ladle for serving plus a box grater or microplane for the Parmesan

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 3 medium carrots peeled and diced

• 3 stalks celery, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 medium zucchini, diced

• 1 cup green beans cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1 medium russet potato peeled and diced

• 1 can 15 oz diced tomatoes, undrained

• 1 can 15 oz tomato sauce

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)

• 1 can 15 oz cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

• 1 can 15 oz red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth

• 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini

• 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

• 1 bay leaf

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

• Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)

Directions

• Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, toss in the diced yellow onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt, sweat until theyre soft and starting to get a little color about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add the minced garlic and cook 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant, then add the diced zucchini, green beans cut into 1 inch pieces and the peeled diced russet potato, stir and cook another 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, the 15 ounce tomato sauce and stir in the tomato paste if youre using it, sprinkle the 1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, add the bay leaf, a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want heat and a teaspoon of sugar if the tomatoes taste too sharp.
• Add 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth, bring the pot to a simmer, then add the drained and rinsed cannellini and red kidney beans. Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, partially cover and cook until the potato and green beans are tender about 15 to 20 minutes.
• To keep the pasta from getting mushy I like to cook the 1 cup small pasta shells or ditalini separately in salted boiling water until just under al dente, drain and reserve about a half cup of the pasta water; if you prefer you can also add the dry pasta straight to the soup and simmer until al dente but it will soak up broth as it sits.
• Stir the cooked pasta into the soup and add some reserved pasta water a little at a time if you need to loosen the broth, simmer everything together 1 to 2 minutes so the flavors marry.
• Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, remove the bay leaf, adjust red pepper flakes or sugar if needed to balance acidity.
• Stir in the 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley right before serving for brightness.
• Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese, serve hot and enjoy, leftovers actually taste better the next day after the flavors have had time to marry.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 663g
• Total number of serves: 6
• Calories: 352kcal
• Fat: 6.2g
• Saturated Fat: 0.9g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Polyunsaturated: 0.6g
• Monounsaturated: 3.3g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 250mg
• Potassium: 830mg
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Fiber: 13g
• Sugar: 3.5g
• Protein: 10g
• Vitamin A: 2667IU
• Vitamin C: 20mg
• Calcium: 50mg
• Iron: 1.6mg