Description
A recipe to recreate the famous Olive Garden Minestrone Soup at home, featuring a hearty mix of vegetables, beans, and pasta in a rich tomato broth.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup small shell pasta or ditalini
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh zucchini (optional)
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, cannellini beans, kidney beans, basil, oregano, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 20 minutes (or longer for deeper flavor).
- Add the pasta and cook according to package directions, about 8-10 minutes, or until al dente.
- Stir in the fresh spinach and zucchini (if using) and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until spinach is wilted and zucchini is tender-crisp.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
- For a deeper flavor, simmer the soup base for longer than 20 minutes before adding the pasta.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can lightly mash some of the beans against the side of the pot.
- Use any small pasta shape you prefer if shell pasta or ditalini is unavailable.