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Enjoy a warm, comforting bowl of Olive Garden Minestrone Soup with this easy copycat recipe! Packed with fresh vegetables, beans, and pasta in a flavorful broth, it’s a healthy, hearty meal that tastes just like the restaurant favorite.
Meggan’s notes
Out of everything I’ve created recently, this Olive Garden copycat Minestrone Soup might just be my new favorite, especially when I’m craving something hearty, healthy, and packed with vegetables.
This minestrone soup is incredibly satisfying, easy to throw together, and honestly tastes exactly like the Olive Garden one. I can’t pinpoint the exact secret—but as a classically-trained chef, I’d say it’s the perfect balance of tomato broth and Italian seasoning that transforms a big mix of veggies from your crisper drawer into something ridiculously good.
In culinary school, we dedicated an entire unit to soup-making, breaking down the techniques and ingredients that make a great soup shine. The result? A minestrone soup like this one that is pure comfort in a bowl—no fancy tricks required. Just fresh, simple ingredients coming together in the tastiest way possible.
If you’re looking for a cozy, veggie-loaded meal that doesn’t feel like depressing health food, this is it. Start with a crisp salad tossed with my zesty Italian Dressing and serve it with a warm basket of Garlic Bread slathered in my signature Garlic Bread Spread for a delicioso pasta party at home.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Vegetable broth: I keep jars of homemade vegetable stock in the freezer, but store-bought is also good. Or, make broth from Better than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Base. Or substitute chicken broth.
- Tomato paste: If you don’t want to open a small can of tomato paste, look for a tube at the grocery store.
- Small shell pasta: Substitute any small pasta such as ditalini or macaroni. Minestrone can also be made with rice.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and a pinch of salt, and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red chili flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in vegetable broth, Cannelini beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes and their juice, kale, green beans, pasta, tomato paste, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish individual bowls with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes at least 16 cups of soup, enough for 8 servings (2 cups each). To serve as a first course, you’ll have 16 servings, 1 cup each.
- Storage: Store leftover soup in the refrigerator and enjoy the leftovers within 4 days.
- Make ahead: I love this soup the best on the day it’s made when the pasta is perfectly al dente. If you need to make it ahead, hold the pasta back and add it when you reheat the soup.
- Freezer: This soup is a great candidate for freezing. Portion, label, and date. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating on the stove.
- More veggies: Substitute or add veggies to use up what you have or showcase whatever is in season. Try kale, green beans, spinach, butternut squash, or sweet potatoes. This recipe is a great way to empty out your crisper drawer!
- Spice it up: Prepare your soup with fresh basil, dried oregano, extra red chili flakes, or a bay leaf.
- Parmesan cheese: You can store leftover Parmesan rinds in the freezer for future soup-making and pull them out to add to soups like this. Major flavor! Add a piece along with the tomatoes in step 5 of this recipe.
- Make it a meal: Start with a crisp salad tossed with my zesty Italian Dressing and serve it with a warm basket of Garlic Bread slathered in my signature Garlic Bread Spread for a cozy dinner in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Because minestrone soup is packed full of all kinds of vegetables and beans, it has a lot of nutrients and protein, so it is considered a very healthy meal to eat.
The basic ingredients of a minestrone soup are a trifecta of onions, carrots, and celery plus pasta, tomatoes, and beans. From there, you can add whatever vegetables you have on hand!
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Olive Garden Minestrone Soup (Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 3 medium carrots peeled and diced (about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 celery ribs chopped
- 1 medium zucchini quartered lengthwise and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 8 cups vegetable broth (see note 1)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 2 cups kale stemmed and chopped, or fresh spinach leaves
- 1 cup frozen cut green beans
- 1 cup small shell pasta (see note 3)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (see note 2)
- 1 bay leaf
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, and a pinch of salt, and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and red chili flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Stir in vegetable broth, Cannelini beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes and their juice, kale, green beans, pasta, tomato paste, bay leaf, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer until pasta is al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish individual bowls with Parmesan cheese and serve.
Notes
- Vegetable broth: I keep jars of homemade vegetable stock in the freezer, but store-bought is also good. Or, make broth from Better than Bouillon Roasted Vegetable Base. Or substitute chicken broth.
- Tomato paste: If you don’t want to open a small can of tomato paste, look for a tube at the grocery store.
- Small shell pasta: Or substitute any small pasta such as ditalini or macaroni.
- Yield: This recipe makes at least 16 cups of soup, enough for 8 servings (2 cups each). To serve as a first course, you’ll have 16 servings, 1 cup each.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Is this soup freezable
Hi Pam, yes! This soup is a great candidate for freezing! Portion, label, and date. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before gently reheating on the stove. Some choose to freeze it without pasta. It’s up to you! – Meggan
Can this be made in a slow cooker?
Hi Pam, I haven’t tried it yet, but I think it would be great. I would follow the instructions through step 3 (except for the pasta). Add the soup to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH 3 to 4 hours or LOW 7 to 8 hours. Add pasta and cook for about 10 minutes more or until pasta is al dente. Remove bay leaf and serve. I hope you love it! – Meggan