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A round white bowl served with copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup with parmesan cheese.

Best Recipe for Minestrone Soup

This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup is full of vegetables, beans, and a wonderful savory broth. It's quite healthy, low in calories, and makes a great meatless option for dinner!
5 from 1 vote
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Author Kori Butler
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Soup Recipes
Cuisine Italian
Servings 8
Calories 281 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • ½ cup fresh green beans (cut into 1" pieces)
  • ½ cup celery (sliced)
  • ½ cup carrot (peeled and sliced)
  • 1 small zucchini (diced)
  • 4 teaspoons garlic (minced)
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 (15-ounce) can small white beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach and kale blend
  • ½ cup dry small shell pasta
  • optional for serving: finely shredded parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add green beans, celery, onion, carrots, and zucchini. Saute until the onion is soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute.
    Sautéing the garlic onions zucchini in a white soup pot for minestrone soup.
  • Add in the remaining ingredients except the beans, pasta, and spinach. Bring soup to a boil.
    Pouring vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes to make this minestrone soup recipe.
  • Once boiling, add beans, spinach, and pasta. Gently simmer the soup for 20 minutes, reducing heat if needed. Stir occasionally.
    Adding kidney beans and stirring the minestrone soup in a white soup pot.
  • Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh herbs such as parsley or basil.
    Ladling minestrone soup into a white bowl.

Kori's Tips

  • Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
  • VARIATIONS: 1/2 pound of browned Italian sausage can be added for more protein. 
  • TIPS: Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
  • SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Sprinkle soup with parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh Italian parsley. A salad and breadsticks or crusty bread pair well with this soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 15gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 1126mgPotassium: 1051mgFiber: 12gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 3166IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 168mgIron: 6mg
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