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When I want to cozy up with a hearty bowl of soup, I go for this copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe. It’s a classic one-pot dinner that’s loaded with flavor, seasonal veggies, tender beans, and pasta in every spoonful. From start to finish, I can simmer it up in less than an hour, for a filling meal my whole family loves.
Mmm…minestrone soup. With a thin tomato broth, fresh veggies, pasta, and beans, minestrone soup is one of those magical dishes that manages to be both light and hearty at the same time. This copycat version of Olive Garden’s famous soup recipe is made with the same iconic ditalini pasta, zucchini, spinach, and savory tomato broth. If you like a classic soup’d like my chicken orzo soup recipe, then you’re going to love this restaurant-style favorite! It comes together in just 40 minutes and is perfect for busy weeknights.
Janette – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a delicious recipe. I try my hardest with soup and they very often DO NOT turn out and I’m left so disappointed as I absolutely LOVE soup! Definitely recommend this recipe.
Great for Meal Prep – I love to make a big batch of this delicious soup and keep it on hand for lunch or dinner throughout the week — especially during those cold winter months. It stores well, and warms up quickly on the stovetop or in the microwave.
A Bowl of Hearty Goodness – Every spoonful is packed with nutritious and hearty veggies and beans that will keep you full…for a while! When I’m struggling to meet my daily vegetable intake, this recipe comes to the rescue. If you want a bowl with more protein, try my chicken minestrone soup.
Quick and Easy – From prep to serving, you only need about 40 minutes, and everything is cooked together in one pot. So it’s terrific to make it as a quick yet comforting dinner, even on a busy weeknight.
Key Ingredients and Tips
Dried pasta – I like to use tiny pasta like ditalini, macaroni, or small shell pasta. It fits into every spoonful and gives this dish its signature coziness.
Beans – For texture, heartiness, and protein, I use a combination of canned kidney beans, great northern beans, and frozen green beans. For the canned varieties, I always rinse and drain the beans to remove excess sodium.
Vegetable broth – A good broth is the secret ingredient to every great soup, and for this recipe, I use my favorite prepared vegetable broth. You can also use bouillon and water, or a homemade veggie broth.
Tomato paste – A little bit of tomato paste goes a long, long way. I stir in just a bit to boost the savory flavors.
Carrots – For a pop of color, crunch, and some extra sweetness, I use fresh carrots that I’ve sliced into thin discs.
Onion – I think this veggie is the backbone of this savory broth, giving it sweetness and depth. Use sweet, yellow, or red onions.
Canned Tomatoes – Diced tomatoes in their juices bring that rich tomato flavor to the broth. They also provide a bold red color.
Spinach – I love to mix in fresh baby spinach because it adds nutrients and a gorgeous green pop of color.
Zucchini – For some extra texture, I also add fresh sliced zucchini.
Italian seasoning – Now for those classic Italian flavors, I always use store-bought or my homemade Italian seasoning mixture.
Crushed red pepper – This is totally optional, but if you like heat, like me, add a pinch of crushed red pepper.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep everything – The first thing I do is to chop all of my vegetables. Then I set a big pot over medium heat and I let that warm up.
Saute the veggies – I drizzle some olive oil into the pot and I add in the chopped onion, garlic, carrots and celery. I saute those for a few minutes until they’re soft, and I season them with salt and pepper. Now this is when the kitchen starts to smell incredible!
Bring to a boil – I pour in the vegetable broth, tomato paste, tomato chunks, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. I let all those delicious flavors come to a boil before moving on to the next step.
Stir in the hearty ones – Once that’s all bubbling, I mix in the hearty beans and pasta. I always make sure to mix periodically so that the pasta doesn’t stick to the pot.
Add fresh vegetables – Right before serving, I toss in the fresh spinach and zucchini because those need just a minute or two to cook. And voila, I’m ready to serve!
Recipe Variations
Pasta substitutes – Swap the pasta for rice, quinoa, orzo, farro or lentils instead. If not using pasta, I think it would be best to cook these separately and add them in the end.
Protein – Add cooked shredded chicken, ground turkey, Italian sausage, or even plant-based protein like tofu or tempeh for extra heartiness. Shredded chicken in my personal preference.
Vegetables – Feel free to swap the spinach for kale, chard, or cabbage. You can also add bell peppers, mushrooms, butternut squash or sweet potatoes for extra flavor and texture.
Extra heat – The crushed red pepper is optional, but if you love heat, add more or even stir in a chopped chipotle pepper or a dash of hot sauce.
Parmesan cheese – I like to sprinkle some parmesan cheese for some extra Italian flavors and richness.
Serving Suggestions
Minestrone soup can be served on its own or with various savory side dishes to make it a complete meal! Here’s what I like to pair with it:
This soup recipe is great to make ahead and keep in the fridge or freezer! Once the soup has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Is the pasta cooked and then added in?
Add the dried pasta to the soup base, which will cook as the soup simmers. There’s no need to boil it separately.
Storing
This one-pot recipe is great to make ahead and keep in the fridge or freezer! Once it cools, transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
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When I want to cozy up with a hearty bowl of soup, I go for this Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe. It's a classic vegeterian dish that's loaded with flavor, seasonal veggies and tender beans in every spoonful.
Chop and prepare all necessary ingredients. Set a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat.
Add the olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Generously salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-6 minutes to soften.
Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil.
Once boiling, stir in the kidney beans, great northern beans, green beans, and pasta. Stir well and simmer for 8-10 minutes, partially covered. Make sure to stir every 2 minutes, so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.
Finally, add in the sliced zucchini, spinach leaves, and parsley. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.
Notes
This soup recipe is great to make ahead and keep in the fridge or freezer! Once the soup has cooled, transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To freeze, wrap the container in a layer of aluminum foil and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop or microwave.
I have all the ingredients needed except for the zucchini & spinach. Can I just leave these out? Here in Minnesota, it’s 11 degrees below zero & kits of fresh snow, so I really don’t feel like going out to the store! Thanks.
Made this today for lunch. I enjoyed it but my kidney and northern beans seem to need longer to cook. I would have liked them a little more tender. Next time I will let my soup simmer longer. But it was good and will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jan 17, 2026 
I have all the ingredients needed except for the zucchini & spinach. Can I just leave these out? Here in Minnesota, it’s 11 degrees below zero & kits of fresh snow, so I really don’t feel like going out to the store! Thanks.
Made this today for lunch. I enjoyed it but my kidney and northern beans seem to need longer to cook. I would have liked them a little more tender. Next time I will let my soup simmer longer. But it was good and will definitely make it again. Thank you for sharing the recipe.