Olive Garden copycat minestrone soup tastes just like the restaurant version right at home. Warm, filling, and full of veggies, this soup is still incredibly easy to make and only requires the Instant Pot or one large stock pot to make! This recipe can be ready in less than 10 minutes so you can serve it to your hungry family any day of the week! Perfect for meal prep or dinner on even the busiest weeknight. Pair it up with Olive Garden Breadsticks for an unbeatable combination.
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The recipe was originally published in Oct 2018. It has been refreshed with simpler instructions and Pro-tips.
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What is Olive Garden minestrone soup?
Minestrone soup is a traditional Italian soup made with lots of vegetables, beans, and rice or pasta. It is a filling vegetarian or vegan soup that can feed even the hungriest eater. Now you can enjoy this soup with our favorite Olive Garden breadsticks right in your own kitchen!
The Olive Garden has one of the best versions of minestrone soups you can get at a restaurant. It’s certainly a personal favorite! This homemade soup is the perfect copy-cat of their minestrone because it tastes just as good or better than the original… and you don’t have to leave the home to enjoy it!
Ingredients for Minestrone Soup
You’ll need the following ingredients on hand to make this copycat Olive Garden minestrone soup:
- Olive oil
- Chopped veggies- onion, celery, carrots and zucchini
- Garlic cloves - minced
- Petite diced tomatoes - do not drain
- Kidney beans - you could use your favorite beans
- Tomato sauce
- Low sodium vegetable broth
- Italian seasoning
- Salt - add as much or little as you prefer or skip altogether
- Black pepper
- Spinach leaves
- Shell pasta - you can omit, use gluten free, or substitute with quinoa, rice, or your favorite small pasta
You can also add additional vegetables and beans if you like. Adding more can make the soup heartier.
How To Make Olive Garden Minestrone Soup in the Instant Pot
- We use the Instant Pot to make this filling soup at home. If you are new to the Instant Pot, check out our post on how to avoid getting the “Burn” notice. It’s packed with helpful tips on using your Instant Pot.
- Here’s how to make the soup in the Instant Pot quickly and easily.
- First, heat the oil on 'sauté’ and then add the onion and garlic when hot. Next, sauté the vegetables until they are lightly caramelized, which will take about 3 minutes.
- When the onions and garlic are ready, add the zucchini, carrots, and celery to the inner pot and sauté for an additional minute.
- Next stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Once the sauce and tomatoes are added, press cancel.
- Finally, add in the beans, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, baby spinach, and pasta shells. When they are all added, give the ingredients a good stir.
- Once the ingredients are well-combined, securely lock the pressure cooker's lid in place and set for 6 minutes on high pressure. After the timer goes off, perform a 'quick release' of pressure and carefully open the lid.
Serve the soup hot with your choice of garlic bread or regular bread.
Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe on the Stove Top
- If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can still make this great tasting soup. Here’s how.
- Start by heating the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery, and zucchini.
- Allow the first set of veggies to cook for about 5 to 6 minutes or until tender. As they cook, you’ll need to stir them occasionally.
- Next, stir in the diced tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Once they are all added, allow the soup to come to a slow boil.
- Once the soup is boiling, turn down the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- After it has simmered for about 10 to 15 minutes, add the spinach and dried pasta shells. Finally, allow the pasta to cook fully before serving hot with your favorite bread or other sides.
Pro tips and tricks
Here are some great tips and tricks to help you make this soup perfect every time!
- If you plan to freeze the soup, leave the pasta out of the soup. When you reheat it, you can add some cooked pasta to the soup.
- Chop the veggies the day before and store in an airtight container or sealable bags in the fridge.
- If using dried beans instead of canned, cook and drain ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge
- Only add the pasta if you plan on serving it the same day. If you serve it over the course of a week, you can store cooked pasta in a separate container and add a small amount to each serving. This helps prevent the noodles from absorbing too much of the soup’s liquid.
Is this Minestrone soup vegan?
We add cheese to our soup, but if you want to make it vegan, you can. To make it vegan, either skip adding cheese or use a vegan alternative.
Can I make this gluten-free?
Yes! You can make the recipe gluten free by using gluten free pasta instead of wheat pasta. You may find it better to cook the gluten-free pasta separately and add it to individual servings of the soup. This can help prevent it from falling apart or getting too mushy.
You could also use either rice or quinoa instead of pasta if you prefer or need to make the soup gluten free.
Is this soup healthy?
Yes! This is a hearty and healthy soup that is a great way to get your family and kids extract veggies. You can make the soup very healthy by using quinoa instead of pasta, using whole wheat pasta, or skipping the pasta altogether.
As is, the soup is a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Its a healthy way to enjoy a warm, comforting meal on a cold day.
What else can I add to the minestrone soup?
There are lots of variations you can make to this soup. It is a hearty and forgiving soup that compliments a wide variety of beans and veggies. Here are some of our favorite combinations and additions.
- Vegetables: butternut squash, peas, asparagus, yellow squash, or green beans
- Beans: chickpeas, cannellini beans, black eye peas, barley, or millet
- Add-ons based on preference: pasta, tortellini, quinoa, or brown lentil
For a hearty dinner with a Mexican twist, try out ranchero beans instant pot or borracho beans recipe in your Instant Pot
How to store?
- Minestrone soup stores well for about 5 to 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. If you plan to send this as a meal for lunches, we recommend storing it in individual containers. This helps make your life a bit easier.
- If you plan to store or freeze the soup, we recommend not adding the pasta when you make it. Instead, you can cook and store pasta when you are ready to serve and store leftovers separately. This helps keep the pasta from getting mushy or absorbing all the liquid.
- You can store in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months. When you are ready to serve the soup, allow it thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat, you can pour the soup into a large pot or reheat individual bowls in the microwave. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup is warmed through. Stir in pasta once the soup is warm and serve hot with your favorite bread.
Making Minestrone Soup Olive Garden Ahead
You can make this soup ahead if you want or need to. You can easily chop and then store the veggies for the soup in individual containers or bags one to two days ahead of making the soup. When you are ready to make it, you can just dump the ingredients in and cook the soup!
Love soup? Try out these awesome Instant Pot Vegetable Soup options
Made it, tag it
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Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup is a perfect family-friendly meal hearty enough for even the biggest appetites. Its the easiest, and best Instant Pot Minestrone Soup recipe ever and full of protein-packed beans and loaded with veggies. This soup is filling comfort food in a bowl.Your family will love this soup for dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- Half (1/2) cup carrots chopped
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- One zucchini chopped
- 2 garlic cloves / minced
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes do not drain (14 Oz)
- A can of kidney beans drained & rinsed (14 Oz)
- A can of tomato sauce (14 Oz)
- 7 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
- salt more or less to preference
- Half (1/2) teaspoons pepper
- 1-1/2 cup spinach leaves
- Half (1/2) cups shell pasta
Instructions
Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
- Heat oil on 'sauté' high.
- Add the onion and garlic in the instant pot and sauté until lightly caramelized about 3 minutes.
- Add zucchini ,carrots ,celery, sauté 1 minute.
- Next add in the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button.
- Add in the beans, vegetable broth , Italian seasoning , salt, Black pepper powder, Baby spinach and Pasta shells. Give it a nice stir .
- Securely lock the pressure cooker's lid and set for 6 minutes on 'High'.
- Perform a 'quick release' to release the cooker's pressure.
- Serve it hot with your choice of fixing( garlic Bread )
How to make minestrone on a Stove Top
- Add olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini.
- Let it cook for 5-6 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add the diced tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, Italian seasoning salt and pepper.
- Stir together and let come to a low boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to medium and let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add spinach and dried pasta shells. Let cook until pasta is done.
- Taste and add more salt or other spices if wanted.
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slb says
this is delicious. and other than the prep work which Im getting used to, it was fast fast fast. very well received by those who ate it.
Liz S says
Here in Canada there are not the selection of 14 oz tomatoes or sauce or canned beans so i hope i split them correctly,,,,,most are 28 oz. Also it seems a lot of broth (7 cups) ..
It looks good but i will let my Italian husband be the judge !!!!
Janet says
How would you adjust the ingredients for the 3qt IP.
Monica says
This was.perfect taste better then Olive Garden Soup because the broth was a little thicker which I prefer. I stuck to the receipe but added chopped spinach at the end so it didn’t wilt too much. I added bay leaf .
Gayatri says
Hi , how much time need to pressure cook if I used soaked beans and not the canned one??
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Gayatri, if you are using soaked beans it would need 20 minutes of pressure cook time. Make sure you don't add the pasta with the beans add them after 15 minutes of cook time. Coz pasta just takes 5 minutes. Or you can cook the pasta on stovetop and add it in the end after the beans are cooked.Hope this helps!
Jennifer says
Making this soup now in the insta pot the whole house smells amazing can’t wait to taste it.
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Jennifer! You have to try our olive garden breadsticks :) they are amazing ?
iDon says
Came out great! I added two bay leaves, doubled the carrots, celery & pasta to 1 cup, spinach to 2 cups and vegetable broth to 8 cups or (2) 32oz containers) Thank You! ?
iDon says
@iDon, (1) 15 oz can of Hunts no salt added tomato sauce and (1) can of Hunts fire roasted tomatoes too. Topped off with some grated Parmesan & a side of garlic bread, Yummo!!
Kerrie says
Hi there, I live in Australia & our version of tomato sauce comes in a plastic bottle like mustard, you squeeze on a pie. ?
Can you suggest a replacement? Is it like a passata (just puréed tomatoes, no meat) or is it like an Italian Bolognese pasta sauce (with meat )
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kerri, you can use tomato puree or tomato paste. If using tomato paste dilute it in the broth or water.hope this helps
Kathleen Corden says
How many people does this recipe serve?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kathleen, it serves 4-6 people
jason says
Hello ... Made this last night and it was good. Though I'm confused on the broth amount. I ended up using 4 cups and with the tomato sauce it hit the max fill line. Is it really 7 cups of broth?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jason, glad to hear you enjoyed it. What size IP did you use .. sounds like a 3qt. This recipecus fir 6 at or 8 at. Hipes this answers your question.
Deborah says
This soup is totally delicious. It is one of the best soups going. It makes a big pot and we are lucky if we have some leftovers. I sometimes add sausage for a meat meal too. Easy delicious and healthy.
Kristin says
I really enjoyed the flavor of this soup and the ease of preparing it. I added a total of one cup of pasta as the 1/2 cup didn't seem sufficient for the volume of soup being made and now that it's done I'm glad I did as 1/2 cup of pasta would not have been enough for my taste. One suggestion is to specify baby spinach in the ingredient list (it's referred to as just spinach leaves in the ingredient list but as baby spinach in the directions). Also it took 6 minutes for the quick release to complete and I would say prep time is more on the order of 10 minutes so the total time for me was more around 22 minutes. All in all a nice hearty meal for a winter night.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Kristen, thanks for sharing your feedback with us. Xoxo
sonia says
The soup is looking amazing. It is one of our favorite comfort foos/soup as well. Thanks for sharing.
Amrita says
Hi Sonia, i made the soup last night it tastes good. I just wanted to know about the consistency of the soup mine was very watery. Is it like that or mine was wrong.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Amrita, glad you liked the minestrone soup... the thickness depends on the water/broth and pasta in the soup.. if you like a thicker soup add 1 cup less water and few extra tbsp of the Tomato sauce.Hope this helps :)
CruznV says
“Italian Spices”, can vary so much In flavors by Brand and varied spices used in a
store bought Blend. Do you make your own Italian Spice Blend or can you suggest a preferred Store Bought Italian Spice Blend for the recipe.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Cruz, we use Mccormick Italian seasoning blend.. hope this helps!
Jen M says
This was super delicious! My husband really loved it too and he rarely eats my vegan food. He said it tasted like Olive Garden. I used only cannellini beans and then kale as the green. I made elbow pasta separately and just add what I want to my bowl. I used the instant pot which maybe next time I would do maybe 4 minutes because the beans were almost mush (canned beans). And I used 1 cup or so less of water. I WILL be making this all winter long. Thanks!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Jen, Thanks for sharing your experience with all of us :) xoxo
Carissa says
Hi! If I want to leave the pasta out should the broth amount be reduced to account for what would usually be absorbed by the pasta?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Carissa, add 1 cup less of water or broth and you should be good. Perfect veggies soup. Hope this helps
MeganS says
Delicious soup! Easy to follow recipe. I would definitely make again. And it definitely helped clean out the vegetable drawer.
Nancy says
I made this last night! It was fantastic.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Nancy, we are so glad to hear your feedback!
Marie B says
Quick, easy and delicious! Made tonight for dinner, and the family loved it! ❤️
Scarlet says
I made it exactly as directed and it turned out great! Delicious and healthy, my husband and I both enjoyed it. We used Zoup brand vegetable broth.
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Scarlet for sharing your feedback with us...hope you try other re recipes from our blog.
Saadia says
Thanks for a great recipe.i tried a low carb version ( but with beans) and turned out well. One question , do you use air fryer ? I have been looking for air fryer Pakistani recipes and don’t see many. If you are interested feel free to share them on a FB group with same name - air fryer Pakistani recipes.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Saadia, so glad to hear that.. hope you try other low carb recipes from our blog too.
Soniya Saluja says
Awesome!Yes we have air fryer recipes Nd would love to share it with you all Thanks will join the group.
Samantha says
Can this recipe for the instant pot be doubled and frozen?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Samantha, You can easily double the recipe. We prefer not to add the pasta when we make a batch to freeze. Leftovers can be frozen.
Leena Bendale says
making this today...Thanks dear for the recipe
Soniya Saluja says
Hey lena, do share your feedback with us :) xoxo
Sylwia says
Thank you Sonia for this beautiful soup. It was a new soup in our family but everyone loves it and now I make it regularly <3
Stuti says
Soup was delicious.followed your recipe and was super happy with the result. it was much better than Olive garden.Would definitely recommend to others to try this.
Thank you for posting.
Soniya Saluja says
Hey Stuti, we are so glad to hear that! The best part about this Homemade minestrone soup is you want what you are adding and controlling the sodium in it too.
Hope you try more recipes from our blog and share your feedback with us❤️
XOXO
Colleen E McCune says
Making the soup today in my instapot to freeze for the colder nights when I don't wanna make anything. I added some smoked beef sausage and chopped bell pepper. It's on high pressure right now getting ready to cook and I can't wait to taste the end result. Looks totally yummy! ??
the belly rules the mind says
Hi Colleen < that sounds super delicious !! Thanks for trying it and taking your time out to share your feedback with us :)
BLevinston says
I tried this last month and it was absolutely fantastic! Because I use it as a main entree, I increased the amount of the specified veggies. I also used a whole wheat large penne pasta. This soup was far better than the one Olive Garden serves. Because it was a large batch in the Hot Pot, I froze it in containers. Took one out last week for dinner and it was just as good.....including the pasta I had originally added.
Swati says
Hi,
What are the substitutes for canned timatoto and tomato sauce. I don't use canned stuff.
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Swati , you can use 3 tbsp tomato paste and dilute it in water. You can even make tomato sauce at home by boiling 4 large tomatoes in hot water remove the skin and seeds and make a puree.
Susan Wygmans says
Wow - just made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! I made it according to the recipe and we loved it. Next time I would add a 1/4 cup more pasta just cuz I like pasta!
Sumy says
Soup looks delicious. Could you please help me with a substitute for vegetable broth in instant pot ?
The belly rules the mind says
Hi Sumy, Thanks it's indeed super delicious! We have shared it in the post too.. you can add water instead of veggie broth :)
Deanna says
Made this last night. Followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing!
the belly rules the mind says
Hey Deanna , we are so glad to hear that :) XOXO
Stephanie says
five stars! better than olive garden!!!! this is going to be a staple recipe for me, for sure
Whitney Kutch says
This looks delicious! Instant Pots are such a great timesaver.
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
How wonderfully rich this looks! I love all the veggies, and love the homemade version!
Tabitha Blue says
This looks so comforting and delicious!!! And definitely makes me want to get an instant pot... sooner than later!
Kasey Ma says
Yum! I love soup, and now that’s its chilly outside I’m gonna have to try this out. :))
Kasey Ma
TheStyleWright.com
Brittany Poulson says
I wouldn't have thought to add tomato sauce to this. I always add the diced tomatoes but not the sauce. I bet it adds a level a "creaminess" to the soup more than just having the broth does!
Megan says
This looks so delicious! And thank you for including directions for those of us without an instant pot! I know so many people love them, but I have such limited kitchen storage space right now, I'm trying to hold out on the purchase! This soup looks so good, I'm definitely going to have to try it!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks megan! This recipe is original was made on a stove top but during to high demand or should I say obsession about this gadget ;) we decided to make it in it too :) do give it a try you won't be disappointed ? ?
Janet says
Looking for stovetop recipe of minestrone soup!
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Janet, here you go this is the recipe for stove top minestrone soup
https://thebellyrulesthemind.net/one-pot-minestrone-soup/
Enjoy and stay warm xoxo
lacyngo says
I love Minestrone Soup and this one looks so good!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks lacyngo.. hope you give this version a try :)
Julie Green Davis says
Perfect for this time a year. Cannot wait to try it.
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Julie! Do share your experience with us ?
No Compass Necessary says
Love instant pot recipes - this soup looks great, perfect timing for fall!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks ?
Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says
This looks so good! This is perfect for this fall weather!
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Marlynn! It's a evergreen soup recipe but loved more in fall and winters :) ;)
Luci Cook says
Perfect for the cooler weather. Easy to make and delicious.
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Luci, hope you give it a try :)
confettiandbliss says
I love a hearty warm minestrone soup! This looks like a fabulous recipe. So perfect for the cold-weather months.
Soniya Saluja says
Thanks Confettiandbliss.. hope you give it a try soon :)
elishaenoksen says
I love my Instant Pot and Minestrone! This post is a match made in heaven! :)
Monica says
Oh, I just love how quick and easy this is - and a healthy comfort food, to boot! Perfect as our weather (finally!) turns cooler this fall!
Caroline says
Minestrone is such a classic, I can see the IP being great to help speed it up a little. Looks good!
Jenna says
I was looking for hearty Fall soup to make in the instant pot. Happy to be adding this to my recipe collection. Going to try it this weekend.
Alrm says
1 can..... what size 14 oz? 28 oz?
Soniya Saluja says
Hi Alem we have used 14 Oz can.
Jessica Formicola says
I love Instant Pot soups like this! So quick and easy!
Katie says
I love minestrone soup! It's delicious and perfect for the season- and you made it in an instant pot! This makes you a hero in my book!
Real Food Real Deals says
This looks perfect for fall! I love the short cook time in the Instant Pot.
Beth Neels says
I am totally crazy about this minestrone! I wish I had an instant pot! I totally have to get one! I mean, making this delicious, healthy soup in 6 minutes is crazy!
heidymccllum says
I just bought and Insta pot and have been loving it to death, we have made about 4 or 5 recipes in it and I can't wait to try your recipe for soup.
Sue | the view from great island says
I'm in love with my IP but I haven't tried making soup in it yet, this is a must make today, love all those chunky veggies :)
Annissa says
A filling and hearty soup that's perfect for chilly evenings. Looks so delish!