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    Home » 30 Minute Meals

    Vegan Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

    Published: Oct 12, 2021 » Modified: Oct 25, 2022 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 9 Comments

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    This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup comes together in about 30 minutes and it cooks all in one pot! This easy soup is loaded with fresh veggies, beans, and al dente pasta in a delicious tomato broth. It's perfect for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner!

    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with vegetarian minestrone soup garnished with parsley
    Table of Contents show
    You Will Love This
    Ingredients and Substitutions
    Instructions
    Tips
    Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
    Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks
    FAQ
    Easy Soup Recipes
    Vegan Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

    You Will Love This

    • This is one of those perfect meal prep recipes to make on a Sunday night and enjoy all week! It's loaded with veggies and is super hearty while being totally vegan. The best part is you switch up the veggies based on what you've got on hand and use it to clean out the fridge!
    • If you loved this veggie loaded soup, be sure to check out my Vegetarian Beer Cheese Soup, my One Pot Vegan Chickpea Soup, or my One Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup!
    White marble counter top with bowls of ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Onion, Carrot, Celery - This aromatic trifecta is the base for this delicious one pot minestrone soup! If you're looking to save time, keep an eye out for a pre-chopped mirepoix at the grocery store.
    • Fresh Garlic - I like to use freshly minced garlic for this recipe, but if all you've got is garlic powder, add ½-3/4 of a teaspoon or more to taste.
    • Italian Seasoning - I love the versatility of Italian seasoning but if you don't have any on hand, you can use a mixture of dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried rosemary in its place.
    • Zucchini - Fresh zucchini is another way to get extra veggies in this soup. If you don't have any you can skip it all together or add more beans or spinach instead.
    • Green Beans - I like to use frozen green beans for this recipe because we've usually got a bag in the freezer. You could use fresh green beans instead. I wouldn't recommend using canned green beans for this recipe as they will end up getting too mushy in the soup.
    • White Beans - If your grocery store doesn't have small white beans, look for Great Northern beans instead.
    • Dark Red Kidney Beans - You could also use light red kidney beans, but I love the color and texture of the dark red kidney beans.
    • Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes - If you can't find fire roasted diced tomatoes no worries - regular will work just fine. You could also use diced tomatoes with basil and garlic mixed right in.
    • V8 or Tomato Based Vegetable Juice - Many recipes call for tomato paste to get that tomato flavor in the broth, but I prefer to use V8 juice as it gives the tomato flavor and a slightly heartier broth base.
    • Veggie Broth - If you aren't worried about this recipe being vegan or vegetarian, feel free to use chicken broth in place of the vegetable broth.
    • Ditalini - You can use any type of small pasta. I like to use ditalini but small shell pasta works well too!

    Instructions

    Sauté onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil.

    Large white pot filled with sautéed veggies

    Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and zucchini.

    Large white pot filled with sautéed veggies

    Cook for a couple minutes.

    Large white pot filled with sautéed veggies

    Add green beans, white beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and pasta.

    Large white pot filled with ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Add vegetable juice and vegetable broth, along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.

    Large white pot filled with ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Stir to combine and add bay leaves.

    Large white pot filled with ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until pasta is al dente. Stir in fresh spinach until it wilts. 

    Large white pot filled with ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Large white pot filled with ingredients to make minestrone soup

    Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!

    Overhead shot of a pot of minestrone soup garnished with croutons and Parmesan

    Tips

    • Don't simmer the soup for too long or it will overcook the pasta. When you're using a small cut of pasta like ditalini or small shells, they are going to cook super quick in the soup. It will take just a few minutes - 5 at the most - to get the pasta perfectly al dente.
    • Switch up the veggies based on your family's taste! Sometimes we don't have frozen green beans so I'll use frozen broccoli or corn instead. I also like to add leftover roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash if I've got some in the fridge. This recipe is super forgiving. Just keep the ratios the same and it will taste delicious!
    • If you've got leftover V8 juice, you can use it to make my One Pot Taco Soup, my Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup, or my Vegan Black Bean Chili.
    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with vegan minestrone soup

    Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing, and Reheating

    • Make Ahead: This soup is a delicious meal prep recipe because it just gets better with time so you can definitely make it ahead of time. If you know you'll be enjoying the soup at a later date, you can cook the pasta a minute or two less than al dente as the noodles will continue to soak up the liquid as it sits.
    • Storage: This minestrone soup will stay good in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. And the best part is the flavors just get better with time!
    • Freezing: You can freeze this easy minestrone soup for up to 3 months in an airtight container, however - if you're planning to freeze this soup, do not add the pasta! The frozen pasta doesn't hold up well when it's reheated in the soup. If you know you'll be freezing this soup to enjoy later, omit the pasta when cooking it. Then when you reheat and serve the soup, add cooked pasta right to each serving!
    • Reheating: If thawing from frozen, allow to thaw in the fridge overnight. Then reheat thawed leftover soup in a small saucepan over medium heat. You'll need to add a splash of broth or V8 just to loosen up the soup a bit. Heat, stirring frequently until warmed through. Then season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

    Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks

    Recreate Olive Garden's soup, salad, and breadsticks meal right at home by pairing this easy soup recipe with my:

    • Simple Garlic Bread
    • Caprese Garlic Cheese Bread
    • Cheesy Olive Garlic Bread
    • Easy Arugula Salad
    • Quick Beet Salad with Feta
    Overhead shot of a white bowl filled with vegetarian minestrone soup garnished with parsley

    FAQ

    Does Olive Garden minestrone soup have meat in it?

    No! As written, this copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup recipe does not have meat in it. However, cooked ground beef or Italian sausage would be a delicious addition if you want to add some extra protein!

    Is Olive Garden minestrone soup healthy?

    I really try not to call foods healthy or unhealthy. Food is food and everything in moderation is the key! However, this minestrone is literally LOADED with vegetables and swimming in a delicious tomaty broth so if you're looking for a way to get more vegetables in, this soup will definitely check that box!

    Is Olive Garden minestrone soup vegetarian?

    Yes! Olive Garden minestrone soup is perfect for folks who are following a vegetarian or vegan diet. It's loaded with veggies and contains no meat products. Although, I love a hearty serving of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese on top!

    Easy Soup Recipes

    • Easy Vegetarian One Pot Lasagna Soup
    • One-Pot Macaroni Cheeseburger Soup - NO VELVEETA!
    • Creamy Vegan Instant Pot Lentil Soup
    • 30 Minute One Pot Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup

    Questions?
    Leave a comment below!
    Liked the recipe?
    Leave a comment below!
    Made this dish?
    Leave a comment and star rating below!

    Print

    Vegan Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 6 reviews

    This copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup comes together in about 30 minutes and all in one pot! It's loaded with fresh veggies, beans, and al dente pasta in a delicious tomato broth. It's perfect for meal prep or an easy weeknight dinner!

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 10 minutes
    • Cook Time: 20 minutes
    • Total Time: 30 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Method: Stove Top
    • Cuisine: Italian
    • Diet: Vegan

    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 1 small yellow onion, diced
    • 1 cup sliced carrot
    • 1 cup sliced celery
    • 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
    • 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced
    • 1 cup frozen green beans
    • 1 (15 oz.) can white beans
    • 1 (15 oz.) can dark red kidney beans
    • 1 (15 oz.) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
    • 4 cups vegetable juice (like V8 juice)
    • 3 cups vegetable broth
    • 1 cup uncooked Ditalini (or small shells pasta)
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 3 cups baby spinach
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked black pepper

    Garnish:

    • fresh chopped parsley
    • Parmesan cheese
    • homemade croutons

    Instructions

    1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat.
    2. Add onion, carrot, celery, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 6-8 minutes.
    3. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, and zucchini along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
    4. Cook, stirring frequently for 2 minutes.
    5. Add green beans, white beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, pasta, vegetable juice, and vegetable broth along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
    6. Stir to combine and add bay leaves.
    7. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
    8. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Stir frequently so the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
    9. Stir in spinach until it wilts. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    10. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!

    Equipment

    measuring cup

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    Image of Dutch oven

    Dutch oven

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    Notes

    • Don't simmer the soup for too long or it will overcook the pasta. When you're using a small cut of pasta like ditalini or small shells, they are going to cook super quick in the soup. It will take just a few minutes - 5 at the most - to get the pasta perfectly al dente.
    • Switch up the veggies based on your family's taste! Sometimes we don't have frozen green beans so I'll use frozen broccoli or corn instead. I also like to add leftover roasted sweet potatoes or butternut squash if I've got some in the fridge. This recipe is super forgiving. Just keep the ratios the same and it will taste delicious!
    • If you've got leftover V8 juice, you can use it to make my One Pot Taco Soup, my Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup, or my Vegan Black Bean Chili.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size:
    • Calories: 227
    • Sugar: 8.7 g
    • Sodium: 697.3 mg
    • Fat: 4.7 g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
    • Carbohydrates: 38.2 g
    • Fiber: 8.4 g
    • Protein: 8.7 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: vegan minestrone soup, vegetarian minestrone soup, one pot minestrone soup

    « Creamy Instant Pot Chicken Soup with Rice
    One Pot Creamy Vegetable Soup »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Katalin

      January 12, 2023 at 10:28 am

      This recipe is so delicious. I forgot to get the V8 juice so I left that out. It was still really good. I added vegan Italian sausage. We ate it for 3 days. My very picky teenage son loved it so it’s a win for me. I will be making this on a regular for sure. Thank you for creating this recipe.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    2. Christina

      August 06, 2022 at 4:33 pm

      This is amazing and so perfect with your croutons! Thank you for the great vegan recipes!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Kylie

        August 07, 2022 at 6:27 pm

        I'm so glad that you enjoyed this one. It's one of our family's favorites too! Thanks for leaving a review, Christina - I really appreciate it 🙂

        Reply
    3. Nate

      July 03, 2022 at 9:25 am

      Why would you garnish with parmigiana if it is vegan?
      Use Nooch. You know, nutritional yeast

      Reply
      • Kylie

        July 03, 2022 at 2:25 pm

        Just use vegan Parm. Violife has a great one!

        Reply
    4. Lou

      March 07, 2022 at 2:54 pm

      Made it in the instant pot. Six minutes. It was delicious!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. Bea Kealy

      February 14, 2022 at 3:49 pm

      super yummy! the recipe does make a VAT of soup though, so if you’re feeding less people, definitely recommend halving it (unless this is your favorite thing to eat!)

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    6. Hannah

      November 01, 2021 at 4:16 pm

      Yum!! Made this tonight. I love that it's fairly chunky, not mostly broth! And the vegetable juice really kicks things up a notch. Also love that it uses mostly canned/frozen ingredients. I also appreciate the step by step pics 🙂 I do have more vegetable juice than I needed, so I love to see the links to other recipes that use it - I'll have to try one of them soon!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    7. Luke

      October 12, 2021 at 10:38 am

      Tastes just like Olive Garden! Super easy to make and the leftovers were even better the next day!

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

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    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

    More about me →

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