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Olive Garden Copycat Minestrone Soup

Close-up of a rich, hot bowl of minestrone soup featuring pasta, beans, spinach, and grated Parmesan cheese.
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You can make this hearty, vegetable-packed comfort food classic at home. This recipe tastes just like the restaurant favorite, featuring tender pasta, beans, and spinach in a rich tomato broth, perfect for a cozy dinner or meal prep.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup small pasta, like ditalini or elbow macaroni
  • 2 cups chopped fresh spinach
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic, oregano, basil, and thyme to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juice), kidney beans, cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and water. Stir everything together.
  4. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
  5. Increase the heat to medium and add the small pasta to the soup. Cook according to the package directions, usually about 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender.
  6. Stir in the fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking until it wilts into the broth.
  7. Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
  8. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • For a richer broth flavor, use high-quality vegetable broth.
  • If you plan for meal prep, cook the pasta separately and add it just before reheating to prevent it from absorbing too much liquid and becoming mushy.
  • You can substitute kale for spinach if you prefer a heartier green.

Nutrition

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