First off, don’t be scared by the long list of ingredients in this recipe. Much of it is dried herbs that you likely have on hand and basic pantry items like canned beans and tomatoes. Second, the easy prep (see the directions) make up for the lengthy list of ingredients. Plus much of it is vegetables so you’ve got to feel great about making this one (not to mention how low in fat it is). This is one of those throw it in the slow cooker and go recipes, which I love. What Mom or anyone in the world who works doesn’t love a good slow cooker recipe?
I know I’ve probably posted far too many Olive Garden copycat recipes but I love their soups (minus that (what I’m guessing is) canned chicken in their Chicken Gnocchi Soup). We were there last week and of course I ordered the Minestrone, which is probably my favorite out of the 5 soups or whatever it is they have. It reminded me I wanted to make a copycat recipe. So, here it is and I’m excited to say it tastes just like theirs, and even better, it’s made in the slow cooker. Whether or not you like Olive Garden, you’ll want to try this soup. My husband was so hesitant, he thought anything with this many vegetables could never be good, but he loved it. And me, yeah I had like 3 bowls of it, but how could I feel that bad about it? The more veggies the better right :)? Enjoy!
Oh and if you’d like to try out the other Olive Garden copycat recipes I’ve posted here they are (just click on the name and it will take you to the link):
(Better Than OG) Fettucine Alfredo
Olive Garden Copycat Minestrone Soup {Slow Cooker}
Did you make this recipe? Leave a review.
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
- 1 cup diced carrots (2 carrots)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (1 small)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary , crushed
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini (1 small)
- 1 1/3 cups shell pasta
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can white navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can Italian green beans, drained
- 2 cups packed chopped fresh spinach
- Finely shredded Romano cheese , for serving (Parmesan works too)
Instructions
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Add vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 6 - 8 hours or high 3 - 4 hours.
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Add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and white beans and cook on high heat and additional 30 - 40 minutes until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and Italian green beans and cook several minutes until heated through. Stir in more vegetable broth or water to thin if desired. Serve warm topped with Romano cheese.
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Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Recipe Notes
This can also be made on the stove top - heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add carrots, celery and onions and saute 4 minutes adding in garlic during last minute of sauting. Pour in broth, water and canned tomatoes. Add herbs, sugar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover and and reduce heat slightly, allow to gently boil 10 minutes, then add zucchini and pasta, cover and gently boil 15 minutes longer, or until pasta is tender. Then add canned beans (green and legumes) and spinach and cook 2 - 3 more minutes.
Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes): That looks so comforting. I could definitely use a bowl. November 5, 2013 at 9:54am
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent: This looks amazing! Love olive garden soups ;) November 5, 2013 at 10:25am
Averie @ Averie Cooks: Such gorgeous colors and textures! I would have loved a bowl of this last night – I was freezing and wish I had had some soup! November 5, 2013 at 10:50am
Jaclyn: Thanks Averie! I don’t know why but I hate how the two beans align in the close up pic, OCD I guess :). November 10, 2013 at 8:10am
pat simon: I don’t know if it’s my browser (IE 10) or what, but when I click the print link I just get a blank page. Even waiting, the printable version doesn’t appear. Any ideas about what’s up or how I can print more easily than by copying & pasting into another doc?
Thanks November 5, 2013 at 3:25pm
Jaclyn: Sorry your having trouble I’ll have to see if I can figure out if there’s a problem on my end. November 16, 2013 at 9:15pm
angela @ another bite please: i have not had their soup in so long…you reminded me how much i love it…but i love the fact even more that i can make it fresh at home…along with the breadsticks!!!!
and isn’t it true that sometimes a long list of ingredients can be daunting so thanks for the heads up & slow cooker perfect! November 5, 2013 at 3:59pm
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious: You know I love your copycat recipes! And it’s a double win that you could make this in the crockpot! November 5, 2013 at 9:42pm
Geanie Beanie: I am going to make white chicken chili today using your recipe, but I am saving this minestrone to try next week. November 6, 2013 at 6:19am
Jaclyn: I hope you love them both! November 7, 2013 at 7:15pm
Carrian: This looks delicious! Just in time for the snow! November 6, 2013 at 7:05am
Rachel: Now you’ve got me thinking of the Chicken Gnocchi soup they have! Ever tried to make it without the canned chicken? Maybe a roast chicken cut up…..hmmm. November 6, 2013 at 7:22am
Jaclyn: Not yet but I want to! November 6, 2013 at 7:34am
Elizabeth: So delicious! We had it with your breadstick recipe…oh man were they a hit! I just love your blog everything I’ve made has been a hit! Thank you sharing your recipes :) November 7, 2013 at 9:55pm
Jaclyn: That’s awesome to hear you’ve enjoyed my recipes Elizabeth! I’m so glad they’ve turned out to be a hit for you! Thanks for leaving a comment! November 10, 2013 at 7:59am
Paulette: Perfect timing. Will be cooking this at my daughter’s house on Wednesday to feed myself for several days while I babysit my ‘grandcat’. This will be ideal and I know I will love it. November 17, 2013 at 1:56am
Denise: This soup is so good and I’m not a fan of minestrone soup or maybe I’ve never had it homemade before! November 17, 2013 at 8:47am
Nancee Yonally: I had just eaten at Olive Garden this week and had Minestrone soup and asked the waitress if they would give the recipe out. She said go online which I did and they didn’t have anything listed for their Minestrone soup so was thrilled to see your copycat version today. Will make it tomorrow. Thanks so much. November 23, 2013 at 9:43am
Jaclyn: I hope you love this Nancee! November 24, 2013 at 6:00pm
Tia: Just tried this one!~ Though I used chicken stock, and fresh tomatoes and string beans, also added pork belly…. this came out amazing. Make more soup recipes!~ November 28, 2013 at 4:57pm
Jaclyn: I’ve definitely got more soup recipes I’d like to post this winter :). Just posted a slow cooker chicken noodle soup and slow cooker broccoli cheese soup you might like to try too. I’m so glad you liked this one! Thanks for leaving a comment Tia! November 28, 2013 at 7:52pm
Kayla: Made this soup as per the recipe. Very good soup, and does have the flavour of the Olive Garden Minestrone. Only comments: I have the biggest variety of slow cooker and by the time I had put the 4 cups broth and tomatoes in my slow cooker was very nearly full. I had to switch to cooking it on the stove in a dutch oven. Added the first half of veggies and brought to a boil. Then simmered with the lid 3/4 on for 3 hours, stirring every so often. Cooked the pasta in a separate bowl with broth, then added the broth and pasta and rest of ingredients, cooked to an additional 25 mins. Next time, I would decrease the quantity of vegetables by half because the soup turned out more like a stew, needed way more broth. I will definitely make again :) December 1, 2013 at 5:32pm
Jaclyn: I’m glad you enjoyed this Kayla, thanks for the suggestions. December 7, 2013 at 10:00pm
Ana Roat: Dumb question here…once the slow cooking is done do you transfer to a stock pot before adding the remaining ingredients? I don’t think my slow cooker heat settings will increase quickly enough to finish the cooking process. Also, can the sugar be omitted? Hubby is diabetic and although some sugar is allowed we’re trying to be really good with our choices. Is it soup yet???
Thanks–looks delish! December 3, 2013 at 10:21am
Jaclyn: Leave everything in the slow cooker and remaining indgredients into the slow cooker as well (you could also just cook the noodles in a pot if you don’t think it would get hot enough). Not a dumb question :). And yes you could definitely just omit the sugar. I hope you and your husband love it! December 3, 2013 at 2:51pm
Kendra: Sugar helps cut the acid of the tomatoes, BTW. That’s why it’s in Italian soup recipes February 22, 2014 at 1:43pm
cassie: The carrots will also help cut the acidity of the tomatoes. If it isn’t too much of a hassle, cook an entire bag of baby carrots in the microwave until just done. 6ish minutes? But don’t add them till nearer the last hour. Instead, put a whole peeled carrot or two in the slow cooker and let them absorb the acid, then remove them with the hour to go. I’m diabetic as well, so I understand the need to be extra careful. :) September 19, 2014 at 10:48pm
Barbara: just a note about printing. Highlight with your mouse just the title on down through the directions. control-p, select on the print screen “selection”, and then click on print. This will print the recipe.
P.S. love your recipes.
Barb B. December 11, 2013 at 7:11pm
Jaclyn: I’m so happy to hear you like my recipes Barbara! Thanks for your comment and for the tip! December 11, 2013 at 8:43pm
Melissa: Does this soup freeze well? I’d love to make a big batch for easy lunches throughout the winter. December 27, 2013 at 10:11am
Jaclyn: It should if you keep the pasta separate – adding to soup after thawing. January 12, 2014 at 8:34pm
FOOD STYLING IDEAS | Best Friends For Frosting: […] to add contrast beyond the plate? Try pairing a fun tablecloth with an ingredient in your dish to bring the subtle colors out. (via Cooking […] December 29, 2013 at 2:00pm
Lisa: Just curious if this soup would freeze well. Thanks! January 3, 2014 at 8:48am
Jaclyn: I would freeze the soup and noodles separately just so they don’t become soggy but other than that it should freeze fine. January 12, 2014 at 9:27pm
Theresa: Can you freeze this? If so, how long will it keep? I am excited to try this recipe, but unfortunately no one else in the family is a fan of soups. I will have a lot of leftovers and would love it if I could freeze it and save it for lunch at work. January 5, 2014 at 7:00pm
Jaclyn: I would freeze the soup and noodles separately just so they don’t become soggy but other than that it should freeze fine. January 5, 2014 at 10:17pm
Mercedes: I know what I’m having for dinner! Thanks! January 6, 2014 at 12:10pm
JG: I made this yesterday and it was wonderful!!! Very hearty and perfect for my vegetarian husband. We even have leftovers for tonight! Thanks for this recipe! January 7, 2014 at 8:20am
Jaclyn: I’m happy to hear you and your husband liked this soup! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! January 15, 2014 at 11:34pm
Melanie: This was AMAZING! My church is currently doing a Daniel Fast, and this recipe, using whole wheat pasta, and minus the sugar and cheese was PERFECT! My husband says I need to make this even when we’re not fasting! January 21, 2014 at 9:13pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed Melanie! Thanks so much for leaving a comment! January 22, 2014 at 9:25pm
nancy: I don’t know what a Daniel Fast is but what you said is what my nutritionist has recommended for my health!
I’m on my way to the grocery store! October 26, 2014 at 1:59pm
Crystal: I’m so confused with this recipe and your picture.. I see summer squash but your recipe calls for zucchini, I see pea pods which isn’t on the list at all and I think I see potatoes chunks. It looks awesome but when I look for a recipe with a picture, I want mine to come out exactly as I see it or else why try it! Help me out here? January 22, 2014 at 8:19am
Jaclyn: The recipe is exactly that pictured :). The pasta may look like the squash your thinking of? And the pea pods probably are the Italian beans (they’re wider than regular beans) and no potatoes here. January 22, 2014 at 9:06pm
Felicia: I don’t have any parsley on hand. Do you think it will still come out? Also added all ingredients except pasta & spinach. Guess I should of read instructions all the way through. January 26, 2014 at 1:12pm
Jaclyn: Yes I think it would be just fine without it, if you happen to have dried parsley I’d add in 1 tsp of that. I hope you love it Felicia! January 26, 2014 at 2:11pm
Avrohom: if you are using a slow cooker why would you need canned beans.?? I have a large assortment of dry beans that I usually soak overnight before cooking, is that enough time to use in a slow cooker?
..I am allergic to Green and Yellow string beans .but frequently add a handful of dried veggie mix that I get from bulk food department of Superstore February 15, 2014 at 3:02pm
Jaclyn: You could use dry beans if you’d like. I just keep the canned ones on hand. February 25, 2014 at 11:12pm
Kelli: This was great! I was in such a slump…even my tried and trues were turning out bad; this was a saver, for sure! Thank you..will check out more of your recipes ! February 15, 2014 at 6:45pm
Jaclyn: Glad you liked this recipe Kelli! February 25, 2014 at 11:12pm
Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup-Daily Dish Magazine: […] (adapted from Cooking Classy) […] February 22, 2014 at 9:00am
Maria: Looked up “great crock-pot” recipes – so I thought I would give this a try :) However I am on step one (cooking all herb and veg ingredients and accidently added the garlic – is this going to be ok?? March 14, 2014 at 5:34am
Jaclyn: It should be fine. Next time I’d just recommend adding it later :). March 23, 2014 at 5:11pm
Vicki: The first time I made this, I did so in a dutch oven (time factor). I sautéed the onions and garlic first and added the other ingredients (pasta, zucchini, and spinach last). I also added more vegetable stock. My family really liked it.
Today, I made the recipe in the crock pot. I haven’t eaten any yet, so I don’t know how it turned out. I followed your recipe, except I used cabbage instead of spinach.
I have a question about the onions and garlic. Why not sautée first? Why put the garlic in near the end? Just curious. I worry that boiling the onion and garlic will release more of whatever makes it difficult to digest onion and garlic into the soup. Thanks. March 31, 2014 at 1:57pm
Jaclyn: I add the garlic later because I was worried about it burning but it would probably be just fine to add it in at the beginning. You can definitely saute first, I just didn’t with this recipe to cut back on time and less clean up :). April 10, 2014 at 8:45pm
Diane: I am making this tomorrow as going to be 30 degrees colder here than it is today ….from 80 to 50.
I go to weight watchers and am wondering if you have the nutritional info ? May 12, 2014 at 12:12pm
Jaclyn: Sorry I don’t but you can find it on myfitnesspal.com. I hope you love it Diane! May 12, 2014 at 9:55pm
cheryl: I did not like this soup. I had hoped it would be good but I am not a fan of throwing canned goods together and hoping for the best. I like to cook and generally don’t take shortcuts. I have looked in vain for good slow cooker recipes but have not been pleased with any. Soups require a long time preparing stock in order to be good. May 12, 2014 at 7:19pm
lea: if you don’t like canned goods you shouldn’t have wasted your time making this soup also you should make your own blog and post your own recipes so people can talk about how disgusting your food is May 21, 2014 at 2:36pm
suzanne: I made this today and followed the recipe to a T; however, it’s quite thick. For future reference, what would you suggest to add to it to make it more “soupy” (another can of tomatoes, more vegetable broth, more water)? May 30, 2014 at 1:12pm
Jaclyn: Yes I would just use more vegetable broth if you want to thin it out, I have to sometimes too after it has sat for a little bit because the noodles start to soak up the liquid pretty fast. May 30, 2014 at 5:49pm
Majd: My kids want me to make this soup at home ..but I’m not going to buy a slow cooker since I’m not a fan …can u tell me how to make it on a stove top and if I need to change any of the ingredients cause I’m not using the slow cooker thanks May 31, 2014 at 7:37pm
Jaclyn: I wouldn’t change any ingredients. I would first saute the carrots onion and celery in a tbsp of oil, then add the herbs, broth, etc and gently boil until nearly cooked through then add remainder (except beans and spinach and that just at the and) and heat until noodles are cooked through. Hope you love it! June 26, 2014 at 12:05am
tammy: I just made this and it’s delicious! Best minestrone soup recipe ever! Thank you so much! June 17, 2014 at 5:02pm
Jaclyn: Thanks for leaving a review Tammy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! June 17, 2014 at 7:20pm
patti: I will not make this in the slow cooker again. After 4 hours the celery and carrots were raw although at the 5th hour the zucchini and pasta were well cooked. At the 8th hour the carrotts and celery were slightly crunchy, Very little flavor. I may never make this at all, Very disappointed in this recipe. June 23, 2014 at 11:28am
dani: Amazing! My little girl turns 6 tomorrow abducted her favorite place to eat at is olive garden, just for this soup. Since were under the weather, i tried your recipe today abducted both my 8 year Old son, me, and since and my birthday princess ate bowls and bowls of it! She was exctied that i made her special soup. Thank you so much. Helped me make my baby girl feel like the princess she is. :) July 14, 2014 at 6:11pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad your family enjoyed Dani, it at especially the birthday girl :)! July 14, 2014 at 8:52pm
Crystal: This turned out awesome! Everything about it rocks! Not too salty and just the perfect taste. I cooked mine for three hours in the crockpot and then put the noodles and spinach and Bean mixture in for about 30 minutes at the end. Wonderful! July 22, 2014 at 1:11pm
Jaclyn: Thanks for your review Crystal! I’m so glad you liked it! July 22, 2014 at 11:01pm
Jennie: She straight up copied your recipe… http://thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/recipes/slow-cooker-italian-minestrone-soup/ August 27, 2014 at 8:46am
Jaclyn: Thanks for the heads up Jennie! I hate when that happens! August 27, 2014 at 11:42am
Amanda: Made this for dinner tonight. It was delicious! Thanks so much for posting. September 8, 2014 at 6:10pm
Jaclyn: I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it Amanda! Thanks for leaving a comment! September 22, 2014 at 10:03pm
Dropdad: Reading the ingredient list, I was disappointed to note their was no beef in it. (I gather, minestrone soup is vegitarian?) I have some thin sliced (unseasoned) steak I bought for Carne Asada I intend to cube, braise, then add to the crock when I add the beginning ingredients and may add beef stock or chicken stock instead of the veg. Stock. What will I end up with, avegetable beef soup variation. Sorry, I am a carnivor! :-) September 11, 2014 at 9:16am
Jaclyn: Yes minestrone is usually vegetarian but you could definitely add beef if you’d like! September 11, 2014 at 11:30am
Jenny Jordan: If you’re concerned about the thickness of the soup, add the pasta shells already cooked at the same time you add the spinach. That’s how it’s prepared at Olive Garden. September 17, 2014 at 3:08pm
Kim: Do you have the nutritional values or the WWPP for this soup? It looks great. September 18, 2014 at 9:11am
Jaclyn: Sorry I don’t have that for my recipes posted here, but there are sites that you can get it from like myfitnesspal.com September 18, 2014 at 9:49am
Kim: Already checked with them. They don’t have it. Olive Garden’s version has 2 WWPP per “serving”. This looks good enough to have it for a meal so will eat more that their 1 serving amount, but that’s OK. It’s healthy and still less points than something else that is not as good. Thanks. September 18, 2014 at 9:56am
Kim: See above comment…. September 18, 2014 at 9:12am
Amanda: Made this last night but not in the slow cooker, on the stove instead. Turned out aw3some! It’s a heart soup and very filling. Let out the pasta as I’m trying to lose weight. Will be eating this for a week! Thanks for the recupe. September 27, 2014 at 12:23pm
Christa: This soup is amazing! REALLY tastes like Olive Garden’s!! I didn’t have time for the slow cooker so I did it on the stovetop. October 3, 2014 at 8:34pm
Dan: Do you have any nutritional information on this recipe? October 14, 2014 at 6:46am
Jaclyn: Sorry I don’t for this recipe but you should be able to find it on sites like myfitnesspal.com or caloriecount.about.com November 6, 2014 at 10:17pm
Dan M.: According to myfitnesspal.com
Nutrition Facts
Copycat (Homemade) – Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
Per cup
Calories 127 Sodium 383 mg
Total Fat 3 g Potassium 827 mg
Saturated 1 g Total Carbs 20 g
Polyunsaturated 1 g Dietary Fiber 10 g
Monounsaturated 3 g Sugars 3 g
Trans 0 g Protein 6 g
Cholesterol 0 mg
Vitamin A 37% Calcium 10%
Vitamin C 21% Iron 28%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. November 7, 2014 at 11:44am
Denise Meck: This was a very good recipe. I added a splash or 2 of red wine……heavenly! :) October 28, 2014 at 2:53pm
Jennifer Walk: This looks amazing!! My husband hates vegetables but he will eat them in Olive Garden’s minestrone soup because he loves it so much. I’ve been looking for a copycat recipe to try and get him to eat more veggies. It looks even more delicious than Olive Garden’s! I had a question though…I know you say to use a 6 or 7 quart crock pot, but we only have a 5 quart. Should we get a bigger size one or do you think a 5 quart would work? Thank you so much. November 15, 2014 at 1:51pm
Jaclyn: It makes quite a bit so you could probably just half the recipe and only choose from one of those cans of beans to add, or you could also make it in a large pot over the stove. I hope you both love it! November 15, 2014 at 11:28pm
Dan M.: I made this in my Crock Pot 7 quart slow cooker. It had what seamed to be at least 2 quarts of room left over. You could always try putting all the ingredients in your smaller unit. If it is too much you can just transfer into a larger pot on the stove. It is an amazing recipe. A hint if you’re watching your sodium intake: use dried beans. Follow the instructions for overnight soaking or cooking. I use a pressure cooker. It’s extra work preparing the beans but well worth it. Much lower sodium than canned, better taste than canned and much less expensive than canned. I cook them ahead of time and freeze them in zip lock bags. 1 pound of dried beans prepared is the equivalent of 2 – 15oz canned beans, so I bag them: 2 sandwich zip lock bags prepared beans per 1 pound bag of dried beans. This way it’s easy when a recipe calls for a 14 or 15 oz can. Just grab a bag out of the freezer and set it in some hot water for about 10 minutes, just enough to soften them up so it’s not just one big clump, then put them in the pot. I do red bean, black beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, navy beans, hominy, etc. November 16, 2014 at 10:16am
Gina: Thank you for the recipe , I just made this today and it came out great. I used dried beans , but added them in the beginning so they cooked well in 3 hours. Adding the cheese is a must. Thanks again! November 16, 2014 at 3:23pm
stacey: made this yesterday and it is great. my new favorite recipe! December 9, 2014 at 4:13pm
bptr: “We were THEIR last week”???
I guess your spell checker isn’t enough. January 7, 2015 at 10:46am
Jaclyn: Sorry for being human. Spelling ain’t my thang. January 7, 2015 at 5:22pm
Moxie: I made your soup recipe during a snowstorm; just made a few modifications with the veggies. I posted a photo on instagram and tagged you; and I also tweeted it. Not sure I have quite as gorgeous a photo as you do, but the whole family thought the soup was delicious. Thank you, Jaclyn! February 4, 2015 at 4:23pm
Jaclyn: I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks so much for sharing! February 4, 2015 at 9:31pm
Barbara Stuart: Unfortunately I don’t own a slow cooker.
Q: how best to cook this (very slowly) in a kettle on top of the stove?
Thanks for all advice– Barbara March 1, 2015 at 12:31pm
Jaclyn: You could definitely do it on the stove top. I’d just simmer it over medium low heat until all the veggies are tender. Hope you love it! March 19, 2015 at 9:58pm
Kelly@Cateringsandiego: This is a really good recipe..i followed the recipe the first time I made it and it turned out really good… March 3, 2015 at 2:37am
dee staser: Jaclyn, Thanks for the recipe. That is the only thing I like at Olive Garden. Now, you wouldn’t happen to have a recipe for Applebee’s Marsala Mushroom Sirloin and the Creamy Parmesan Rice recipes? Would love those. They were served together, and not very long. Thank you. July 5, 2015 at 10:55am
Jaclyn: Hi Dee. So glad you love the recipe! I’ll have to try the sirloin at Applebee’s, it sounds delicious! July 7, 2015 at 11:01am
Brittany: I made this for a lunch potluck and it was huge hit! Thanks! Would this freeze well? Would you need to add the spinach and beans after you thaw and reheat for it to work? July 7, 2015 at 3:21pm
Jaclyn: I think you could add everything but the pasta for freezing just so it doesn’t soak up all the broth. July 8, 2015 at 11:56pm
Sally: Just had this at Olive Garden tonite and our server was very knowledgeable and said the secret ingredient is a splash of red wine. . Will make this recipe and add the vino. August 24, 2015 at 6:25pm
Diana: I want to like this, but I did something wrong I suppose. I followed the directions with 2 exceptions: I used extra spinach (because spinach shrinks) and a very large zucchini. I added more water when it was too thick (because I only had 1 box of vegetable broth). Don’t want to add chicken broth because One of my family members is vegetarian.
I hesitated to put the pasta in there, but decided to follow verbatim,… and low and behold… the pasta is mushy and the soup tastes more like stewed veggies instead of soup. The beans are STILL not soft after all the cooking… and the more I cooked the soup, the more mushy the rest of the fresh veggies and pasta lost flavor. I just cant get it right and I want to share this with my family but it is just off pudding. September 12, 2015 at 10:10am
Liz: Mine turned out the exact same as yours Diana, I am so disappointed. Its strange that nobody else seemed to run into problems. My pasta was so mushy within 10 mins. Also the broth tasted like beans, I rinsed out both the Red and White beans but it did not taste like I did. Again I am super disappointed, I guess the garbage disposal will be getting this meal. June 19, 2016 at 7:52pm
Dianne: I made this over the weekend and it was so delicious! Thanks for posting! October 5, 2015 at 7:39pm
Donna: How many cups does this make?? October 17, 2015 at 2:15pm
Lynn: I threw everything into the crockpot and let it cook overnight. 8 hours. I thought maybe the veggies would be a little mushy but I’ll live with it. It turned out to be one of the best soups I’ve ever made! The only ingredient I didn’t have was spinach but I can always add to the pot. It does make quite a bit of soup. This one’s a keeper. October 27, 2015 at 3:08pm
Allie: Do you cook the pasta before adding it? January 3, 2016 at 7:54am
Susan: This looks so good. I can’t wait to try it. When at OG I like to order half Minestrone and half Pasta e fagiole (sp?). Now with both your recipes I can do it at home, along with breadsticks. Thank you so much. January 4, 2016 at 3:43pm
Lara: I made this tonight in my Instant Pot multifunction cooker. Earlier, I pressure cooked the red kidney beans & canellini beans. Then I pressure cooked for 20 minutes the first batch of ingredients. Added in the second batch and used the high temp slow cooker function for 30. Added in the spinach and frozen green beans & switched to sautee high temp and let it finish. I used the large can of whole tomatoes and chopped them up. I think it the future, I’ll be lazy and use the pre diced.
Verdict: everyone loved it. My daughter is a huge Olive Garden minestrone fan and she went back for seconds.
I like how you say to season to taste. I left the salt out for the most part until the very end and then went lightly. And I did use the small amount of sugar. January 4, 2016 at 8:35pm
Elaine: This was so good, but was so packed with ingredients that I ended up using two slow cookers. But I’m not complaining at all! January 24, 2016 at 6:32pm
Lulu: Never had Olive Garden’s soup. But I tried this recipe because my Italian husband asked me to make Minestrone. I saw this recipe and decided to cook on the stove because I doubled the ingredients. I added veggies to my taste because I’ve never made Minestrone before but I didn’t stray far. Delicious!! I do cook pasta on the side always because it gets too mushy and add when serving. Thank you for a great recipe! Making a huge batch tomorrow for neighbors!! 😊 February 13, 2016 at 3:26pm
Gejorcla: Dear Jaclyn,
My family simply love this soup! My husband dared to say that he likes this version of the Olive Garden soup more than the restaurant one because this one has a lot more substance than the Olive Garden one, lol!
Have done this recipe several times and tonight I made it for some family guests from California, my uncle couldn’t stop eating it! I am trying to memorize the ingredients so I don’t have to be looking at the iPad every time I need to add an ingredient, lol! By the way, I make mine on the stove. I tried it on the crock pot but I thought the vegetables turn out way too mushy and overcooked in the crock pot.
Thanks for putting this recipe together. February 24, 2016 at 8:46pm
Jaclyn: Thanks for the great review Gejorcla! March 1, 2016 at 11:18am
Elisha: Thank you for this recipe, it was delicious! Next time I make it though, I will omit the pasta because it was horrible the next day. The pasta absorbed all of the broth and got super soggy in the fridge. March 16, 2016 at 3:51am
Joyce Schroeder: could you add baby kale instead of spinach to this soup May 10, 2016 at 1:30pm
ric pasley: I would add more spinach and green beans
As far as printing the recipe I would go on notepad then copy and paste then print the recipe that way December 21, 2016 at 7:26pm
Patricia: Incredibly good! Have been looking for a minestrone recipe for a while. This will be in our regular winter dinner rotation. Excellent! January 5, 2017 at 5:05am
Kathleen Hallford: This soup is delicious! I’ve made it several times and never disappointed. Only thing I do different is to add a can of tomato sauce.
With only two of us, this makes a lot. I have frozen portions of it and that works great. I would like to have it on the shelf for just anytime! I would like to know if this can be canned? January 16, 2017 at 2:24pm
Sue: I doubled the recipe but it taste blah. No flavor missing something what do I add to give it more flavor? July 19, 2017 at 4:45pm