Olive Garden Vegetarian Minestrone Soup

Olive Garden Minestrone Soup is the perfect soup for when you want a light and filling meal. It’s easy to make, packed full of fresh veggies, tender pasta, and savory broth. This copycat of the restaurant version is an easy minestrone soup recipe. You are going to love the copycat version. It is perfect for busy weeknights. 

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Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe

Everyone loves minestrone, and this copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup recipe is straightforward to make at home – it does not require much work.

Just let everything simmer away, and dinner is served! Plus, this is a great soup to hit the spot at any time of the year. A light soup for summer or a steaming hot bowl on a cold day. It doesn’t hurt that this soup is tasty and very colorful!

The flavors smell so wonderful while it’s cooking. If you have kids, you’ll receive a What smells so good? When they rush in from school.

Why Try This Version of the Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup?

This hearty soup is perfect if you are following a vegetarian diet. Some online recipes recommend chicken broth, but that isn’t the way the Olive Garden does it. This is a vegetarian option at the restaurant. This soup is made with fresh vegetables, dark red kidney beans, in a rich tomato broth. You are going to love this easy soup! So why not whip out your Dutch oven and get started?

Olive Garden Soups

One of my favorite spots for soup and salad is the Olive Garden. I am addicted to their salads, and they also have the most delicious soups! Every time I eat at the Olive Garden, I order unlimited soup, breadsticks, and salad.

I just never get tired of their minestrone soup; it’s my absolute favorite! This homemade version is easy to put together and is a great way to get your family to not only eat their veggies but also enjoy them! Serve your soup with garlic knots or some crusty bread for a complete meal.

What is in Olive Garden Minestrone Soup?

Every time I visit the Olive Garden, I have to get the minestrone soup. It’s full of great flavors and textures, yet it’s light enough that I still have room for the main course.

I love this copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup recipe because it’s loaded up with some of my favorite veggies – zucchini, spinach, carrots, green beans – with pasta and beans in a savory tomato broth.

Minestrone Soup Ingredients

Here’s what you need for making this copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe:

• Olive oil
• White onion
• Celery
• Carrots
• Zucchini
• Fresh garlic
• Canned diced tomatoes
• Vegetable stock
• Bay leaf
• Italian seasoning
• Tomato paste
• Canned small white beans (cannellini beans)
• Canned kidney beans
• Fresh or frozen green beans
• Small shell pasta
• Fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Here are the simple steps for preparing the soup:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium to medium-high heat.
2. Add onions, celery, carrots, zucchini, garlic, and salt.

3. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables turn color and soften.
4. Add canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Stir to combine everything.
5. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down to low to simmer the soup.
6. Add white beans, kidney beans, green beans, zucchini, and pasta.
7. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until the pasta and vegetables are tender.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Garnish with parsley if desired. Or you can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Here are a few tips for making this soup:

• Try to cut all the veggies more or less the same size so that they cook at the same rate.
• You can use fresh or frozen green beans, whichever you prefer.
• It’s ok to change up the veggies depending on what you have on hand or what’s in season. Other great veggie options are russet potatoes, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, leeks, kale.
• To get rid of all that extra sodium, be certain to drain and rinse your canned beans before adding them to the soup.
• This is a vegan soup that is hearty enough to serve as a main course, but if you’d like more protein, add some pieces of cooked Italian sausage or chicken. You can make up a big pot of this tasty soup ahead of time.
• You can freeze this soup, but keep in mind that the pasta and vegetables may be a little softer after thawing and reheating.

Please feel free to send me a comment on this soup. I always want to hear from my readers. And, be sure to take a look at more copycat Olive Garden soup recipes.

How long is homemade minestrone good for?

Now that you have made a large batch of minestrone soup, you have two choices, enjoy it quickly, or freeze it. This soup will stay fresh in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 4 days. If you still have a lot left over, you can freeze this soup.

Can you freeze minestrone soup?

Yes! You can freeze it for up to 3 months. I recommend defrosting it completely in the fridge before heating it gently in a pot over low to medium-low on the stovetop. I like to freeze this soup in either vacuum-sealed bags, plastic freezer bags, or freezer-safe containers.

Is minestrone soup vegetarian?

All minestrone soups may not be vegetarian. This recipe is vegetarian, we start with vegetable stock and we only add vegetables to this recipe. So this recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and perfect if you want a low-fat or gluten-free diet.

What can you serve with Olive Garden Minestrone soup?

I recommend some homemade hot bread or salad to go along with this soup. Why not try the Olive Garden Salad Dressing or some Homemade Olive Garden Breadsticks?

Best Minestrone Soup Recipe

If you are anything like me, you will be dipping into this pot of soup before it has even finished cooking. You will be breathing in the enticing aroma and you won’t be able to resist.

Add a sprinkling of parmesan and some warm, crusty bread, and you’ve got a quick dinner that everyone is sure to love.

Try these great Olive Garden copycat recipes!

• Shrimp Alfredo
• Gorgonzola Alfredo
• Fried Mozzarella
• Olive Garden Cheese Ravioli
• Crispy Chicken Fritta
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Olive Garden Italian Dressing Recipe
• Shrimp Caprese
• Olive Garden Cheesecake – Pumpkin
• Peaches and Cream Cheesecake

More Soup Recipes

• Pasta E Fagioli Soup
• Friendship Soup
• Copycat Panera Black Bean Soup
• Homemade Potato Soup

Make garlic parmesan hot wings as an appetizer to enjoy before the soup. The soup also goes well with this shrimp taco recipe.

Be sure to check out more copycat favorites and the best restaurant soup recipes.