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Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too!

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too! #mustlovehomecooking

This is the Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe that everyone has been waiting for.  Soup made from this easy minestrone soup recipe tastes just like the original, maybe even better. With a savory flavor and mouth-watering aroma, this soup is perfect to serve to your hungry family anytime.

I got this recipe from a friend of a friend of a friend, who said she got it from a chef that works in the restaurant. Playing telephone anyone?

Besides the amazing flavor, this soup is good for you too! It’s also vegetarian and is perfect for using up leftover veggies.

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too! #mustlovehomecooking

INGREDIENTS FOR COPYCAT OLIVE GARDEN MINESTRONE SOUP

There’s a lot of ingredients that go into making this minestrone soup recipe. It’s the key to the depth of flavor and what makes it so incredibly popular. The amazing flavor of this timeless Minestrone comes from the variety of vegetables it uses like zucchini, green beans, celery, carrots, tomatoes and spinach.

  • Olive Oil
  • Vegetables – Onion, Zucchini, Green Beans, Celery, Tomatoes, Carrots and Spinach
  • Spices – Minced Garlic, Dried Parsley, Dried Oregano, Italian Seasoning
  • Beans – Kidney Beans, Northern Beans
  • Vegetable Stock
  • Tomato Paste
  • Shell Pasta

This recipe is one of Olive Garden’s best kept secrets.  Anyway I got it, and it tastes completely like the original restaurant version! 

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too! #mustlovehomecooking

If you love this recipe, you might want to check out our other soup recipes too!

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too! #mustlovehomecooking

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup is an amazing vegetarian soup that is hearty, delicious and tastes just like the original! It’s low calorie too!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time :5 minutes
Cook Time :40 minutes
Total Time :45 minutes
Servings :10
Calories :328
Course :Soup

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 1 medium zucchini thinly sliced
  • 12 ounce frozen Italian cut green beans
  • 1 medium celery stalk diced
  • 1-1/2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 30 ounce kidney beans 2 (15 ounce) cans
  • 30 ounce Great Northern beans 2 (15 ounce) cans
  • 14 ounce diced tomatoes drained
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1/2 cup carrots shredded
  • 2 teaspoons parsley flakes or 2 tablespoons minced fresh
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 3 cups hot water
  • 4 cups baby spinach
  • 4 ounces pasta dry, small shells

Instructions 

  • Heat olive oil over medium heat in large pot. Add onion, celery, green beans and zucchini and cook for 5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute more.
  • Add vegetable broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, carrots, hot water and spices.
  • Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach leaves and pasta to the pot and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
  • Allow to simmer an additional 5-10 minutes for a thicker consistency.

Chef Tips

Note – use reduced-sodium vegetable broth and omit salt to reduce sodium content
Note – I drain my canned diced tomatoes, but you don’t have to. It’s a personal preference.
Serve with a salad and crusty bread for a perfect weeknight meal.

Nutrition Facts

Nutrition Facts
Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe
Serving Size
 
1 cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
328
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5.5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
0.86
g
5
%
Sodium
 
648.1
mg
28
%
Potassium
 
1032.74
mg
30
%
Carbohydrates
 
54.98
g
18
%
Fiber
 
15.21
g
63
%
Sugar
 
4.99
g
6
%
Protein
 
17.87
g
36
%
Vitamin A
 
2753.02
IU
55
%
Vitamin C
 
18.76
mg
23
%
Calcium
 
143.52
mg
14
%
Iron
 
6.02
mg
33
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

© Copyright Christine Mello for Must Love Home. We would love for you to share a link to this recipe but please do not copy/paste the recipe instructions to websites or social media. We are happy for you to share a photo with a link back to this website instead.

Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup made with zucchini, beans and pasta has all the flavor of the original. Healthy and vegetarian too! #mustlovehomecooking

 

I’m Christine, a self-appointed foodie and almost empty-nester who is addicted to creating quick and tasty recipes that anyone can make. My goal is to give you the confidence and know-how to cook from scratch with easy, budget-friendly recipes. Welcome to my kitchen! Learn more…

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If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I would appreciate the chance to troubleshoot any issues you might have had before you leave the rating!

10 Comments

  1. Hi Melissa, that’s a great question. Diced tomatoes usually have calcium chloride added to help the tomatoes stay firm, and a fair amount of salt (depends on the brand). I drain the liquid before adding them to dishes to remove as much of these two additives as possible. Some cooks don’t drain the liquid…it’s a personal preference. Thanks for asking and have a great one! I’d love to know how your soup turns out!?

  2. Melissa Orruego

    I’m planning on making a low sodium version of this! May I ask why drain the tomatoes?

  3. Christine

    HI Miz Helen, you are welcome! Have a wonderful day:)

  4. Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great day and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

  5. Christine

    Hi Debbie, thanks for stopping in. This soup is super easy to make, easy enough that I make a double recipe of it about every 2 weeks! And the fact that it is vegan is a real bonus:) Have a great weekend Debbie! Hugs- Christine

  6. Christine

    Thank you very much!

  7. Christine

    Hi there, my husband love’s this soup too! And it’s healthy!! You have a wonderful weekend also:)

  8. My husband’s favorite! Thanks for joining the Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop and have a blessed weekend!

  9. My husband’s favorite! Thanks for sharing at Thursday Favorite Things Blog Hop.

  10. I love minestrone but I rarely make it. This sounds so delicious. I think their soup is one of the few vegan items on the menu at Olive Garden, so I love it very much. Who says that August isn’t soup time?

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