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Copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup: Hearty Homemade Italian Comfort

Close-up of a dark bowl filled with rich minestrone soup, featuring rotini pasta, chunks of zucchini and carrots, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
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Make the best homemade Minestrone Soup that tastes just like the Olive Garden version. This hearty, flavorful Italian vegetable soup is packed with vegetables, beans, and pasta, making it a satisfying one-pot meal perfect for weeknights.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage
  • 1 cup chopped zucchini
  • 1/2 cup small pasta, such as ditalini or small shells
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Add the minced garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, pepper, and salt to the pot. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Stir in the kidney beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes (with juice), and tomato paste. Mix well to combine everything with the vegetables.
  4. Pour in the vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Add the shredded cabbage and chopped zucchini to the soup. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes.
  6. Increase the heat to medium and add the small pasta. Cook according to the pasta package directions until tender, usually about 8 to 10 minutes.
  7. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  8. Serve the hearty minestrone soup hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • For a vegetarian minestrone, confirm your vegetable broth is meat-free.
  • You can prepare this soup ahead of time; the flavors deepen overnight.
  • If you want a thicker soup, add 1/2 cup of cooked white beans and mash them into the broth before adding the pasta.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://gourmetgaze.com/minestrone-soup-copycat-olive-garden-recipe/