Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

This Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup is as flavorful and hearty as the original, maybe even more so. It’s loaded with tons of veggies, pasta, and great flavor.

white bowl on a wooden hot pad filled with minestrone soup

We love the minestrone soup at Olive Garden, but we don’t always want to go there to get it. So we made this copycat version that’s just as flavorful as the original. It’s so satisfying and so easy to make.

white bowl on a wooden hot pad filled with minestrone soup

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • It’s a hearty, delicious, and healthy recipe.
  • It only uses simple ingredients that anyone can find easily.
  • It’s a great meal any time of year because it’s so light.

🛒Ingredients

broth, tomatoes, beans, seasonings, onion, celery, zucchini, carrots, garlic, oil, and pasta laid out on a counter

You’ll only need a few simple ingredients that you can find easily at your local grocery store. All you need is veggies, pasta, and broth. Easy! Be sure to check out the recipe card at the end of the post for exact quantities.

  • Minced garlic
  • Chopped onion
  • Diced zucchini
  • Chopped celery
  • Chopped carrots
  • Canned diced tomatoes
  • Canned kidney beans
  • Canned great northern beans
  • Vegetable broth
  • Italian seasoning
  • Dried basil
  • Elbow macaroni
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

🔪 How to Make Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Making this soup is super easy. it only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps, and you’re all done!

Step 1: Saute the Vegetables

Saute the onions, zucchini, celery, and carrots until softened in olive oil over medium heat. Then, mix in the Italian seasoning, basil, and salt and pepper to taste.

broth being poured into vegetables in a large pot

Step 2: Add the All Ingredients Except Garlic

Pour in the broth, water, and diced tomatoes. Bring to a light boil and add the noodles and beans. Then, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the noodles are tender.

white dutch oven filled with minestrone soup

Step 3: Add Garlic

Add the garlic and simmer for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

📝Variations

Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!

  • Spicy – Add diced jalapenos or red pepper flakes for a spicy soup.
  • Meat – And ground beef or chicken to this soup.
  • Macaroni – You can use any short noodles you have on hand for this recipe.

If you love light soups like this, then check out this cabbage roll soup.

🥄 Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Pot
  • Spoon

🥫 Storage

Store this soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, you can freeze it for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container.

💭 Tips

  • Don’t try to cook the garlic with the other vegetables. It could burn and turn bitter.
  • A light boil – just a bit more than a simmer – is the best way to cook the noodles in the soup.
  • Be sure to cook your noodles no further than al dente for the perfect texture.

⁉️ FAQ

Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.

What is minestrone soup?

It’s a rustic Italian tomato-based soup made with vegetables and rice or pasta.

Is minestrone soup healthy?

It’s incredibly healthy. It’s a light soup loaded with vegetables and pasta, making it full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Why are my minestrone noodles mushy?

You cooked them for too long. It’s important to add the noodles at the end of the cooking process and only cook them until they’re al dente.

🍽 More Recipes

Do you enjoy soup? Then try these delicious recipes:

📌 PIN IT!!

white bowl on a wooden hot pad filled with minestrone soup

🧾Recipe Card

Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.

white bowl on a wooden hot pad filled with minestrone soup

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup is super easy to make and just as delicious as the original – maybe even more so!
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 242kcal

Equipment

  • knife and cutting board
  • large pot or dutch oven

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons Minced garlic
  • 1 cups Onion chopped
  • 2 Small zucchini diced
  • 2 cups Celery chopped
  • 1 cup Carrots chopped
  • 28 ounces Diced tomatoes undrained
  • 15 ounces kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounces Great northern beans rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups Vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 Tbsp. Dried basil
  • ½ cup Elbow macaroni noodles
  • 1 tablespoons Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups Water

Instructions

  • Add the olive oil to a pot over medium heat.
  • Saute the onion, zucchini, celery and carrots in the oil until they begin to soften.
  • Mix in the Italian seasoning, basil and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour in the broth, water and diced tomatoes.
  • Bring the mixture to a light boil, and mix in the noodles and beans.
  • Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the noodles become tender.
  • Stir in the garlic, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Notes

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Disclaimer

Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 958mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 3301IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 7mg

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