It’s hard to not go overboard when you’re at Olive Garden. From the Never Ending Pasta Bowls to the all-you-can-eat breadsticks and tiramisu for dessert, it’s pretty much a carbapalooza. Luckily, for people who want a lighter option, there’s Olive Garden minestrone soup.
This healthy, hearty vegetable soup is easy to replicate at home using a few pantry staples and fresh produce from your grocery store or farmers market.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots (aka soffritto or mirepoix).
Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season the vegetables with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.
Add tomato paste (here’s what to make with the leftover tomato paste), stir to coat the vegetables, and caramelize for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
Add the white beans, kidney beans and pasta to the pot. Simmer for 6-8 minutes until pasta is almost al dente.
Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the spinach, green beans and zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach is wilted and veggies are tender-crisp.
Editor’s Tip: If you prefer your zucchini and green beans to be extra tender (no crunch) you can add them to the soup when you add the beans and pasta to extend their cooking time.
Garnish the soup with fresh basil and parsley, ladle the soup into bowls and top generously with Parmesan cheese. We recommend serving a slice of Olive Garden chocolate lasagna for dessert.
Here are our favorite tips for making the best Olive Garden minestrone soup from scratch!