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Minestrone Soup (Olive Garden Copycat)

Minestrone soup is so hearty it can stand on its own as a main dish. I fell in love with minestrone at the Olive Garden, so this is a pretty darn close attempt at copying the classic Italian soup. Minestrone soup is not just tasty, it’s healthy as well! The delicious tomato-y broth is chock-full of vegetables and beans. Made in one-pot, healthy minestrone is a great option for a quick weeknight dinner as the weather starts to cool off.
Servings: 10
Author: Momsdish

Ingredients

  • 2 medium carrots diced into small cubes
  • 2 small zucchini diced into small cubes
  • ½ large onion diced into small cubes
  • 6 celery sticks diced into small cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 15-ounce can great northern beans drained
  • 1 15-ounce can Kidney beans drained
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon dry basil
  • ½ cup macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups water
  • parmesan cheese to serve
  • pesto to serve
  • crusty bread to serve

Instructions

  • Heat a dutch oven over medium-high, add the olive oil and heat until shimmering.
  • Add zucchini, carrots, celery and onions and sautee for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
  • Add the diced tomatoes.
  • Stir in the Italian seasoning and dry basil.
  • Add the vegetable broth, noodles, kidney and Great Northen beans. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the soup, you can add 2 more cups of water to the mix.
  • Press garlic into the mixture and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Serve with grated parmesan, pesto, and crusty bread.

Notes

  • Noodles are notorious for sucking up liquid. As your leftover minestrone sits in the fridge, you may notice that your noodles are slowly absorbing your broth. If this is a problem for you, add more broth to the soup. Alternatively, cook your pasta in a separate pot in stock or water, add to individual portions, and store it separately.
  • Switch up the Vegetables: Yellow squash, sweet potatoes, kale, spinach, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes all make fine additions or substitutions.