This minestrone soup recipe is loaded with fresh vegetables!
Vegetable Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe
An Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat Recipe Using Fresh Vegetables.
I make this minestrone soup recipe a lot during the summer. I make it primarily because my family loves this Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat recipe, but I also make it because it is “a bit of this and a bit of that” soup recipe which makes it perfect for using up the odd vegetables and herbs from my garden.
My recipe is my attempt to mimic the flavors of Olive Garden’s Minestrone Soup. I believe the flavor is very close, but I have used fresh vegetables and fresh herbs where I can. I do provide measurements for dried herbs in case you don’t have access to fresh herbs. Here are tips for substituting fresh herbs for dried herbs in recipes.
Kitchen Tips:
If a recipe calls for you to boil the vegetables in liquid for more than ten minutes, replacing frozen or canned vegetables with fresh vegetables will not increase the cooking time (but does increase the prep time). Most fresh vegetables will cook in boiling liquid in less than ten minutes. Some vegetables, like potatoes, will need to be cut into bite size pieces to cook in that amount of time. If a recipe does not require 10 minutes of boiling, you can steam your raw vegetables in a double boiler for 7 – 10 minutes before adding them in place of canned or frozen vegetables in your recipe. Since this recipe calls for a total of 30 minutes of boiling, I do not have to make any adjustments for the fresh vegetables.
Vegetable Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion, minced
- ½ cup zucchini, chopped
- ½ cup fresh green beans, cut
- 1 stalk celery, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 7 – 8 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained
- 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (or 2 cans with juice)
- ½ cup carrots, julienned or shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 3 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil, minced (or ¾ teaspoon dried
- ¾ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 3 – 4 cups fresh baby spinach (or frozen spinach thawed)
- ¾ cup small shell pasta* or spaghetti *broken up in small pieces
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a very large soup pot. Add onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini and sauté in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
- Add vegetable broth tomatoes, beans, carrots, and spices to the pot. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
Printable Recipe for Minestrone Soup
Garden Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion minced
- ½ cup zucchini chopped
- ½ cup fresh green beans cut
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 15 ounce cans black beans, drained
- 2 15 ounce cans great northern beans, drained
- 4 cups fresh tomatoes diced (or 2 cans with juice)
- ½ cup carrots julienned or shredded
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley minced (or 2 teaspoons dried)
- 3 teaspoons fresh oregano minced (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons fresh basil minced (or ¾ teaspoon dried
- ¾ teaspoon fresh thyme
- 4 cup fresh baby spinach or frozen spinach thawed
- ¾ cup small shell pasta* or spaghetti* broken up in small pieces
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a very large soup pot. Add onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini and sauté in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.
- Add vegetable broth tomatoes, beans, carrots, and spices to the pot. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
Notes
Nutrition
More Soup Recipes:
I usually fall back on soups and chili to use up the odds and ends; my mother-in-law uses up the remnants in hash. Do you have a favorite “a bit of this and a bit of that” recipe?
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Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
Alea, I love soups but don’t make them nearly often enough. I need to put this one on my list!
Lisa@BlessedwithGrace says
Looks wonderful. Thanks for the recipe and linking to TMTT.
Cole says
I love making soup as the weather cools off! Yum. 🙂
Southerncook says
Your recipe sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.
Carolyn/A Southerners Notebook
Brenda says
I love a recipe that has a lot of beans in it.
Bellen says
Great recipe.
In an effort to reduce heat in the house and electric use, I've found if I bring the contents to a boil, put on a lid, and turn off the heat leaving the pot on the burner whatever I'm cooking cooks in just about the same time.
For example, Potatoes quartered will be done in 20 min, spaghetti will be done 12 min. If something contains meat,chix I half cook that before adding and then turning off the heat.
heartnsoulcooking says
I love Minestrone sop, I think it's because It has so many veggies in it. THANKS!!! for the recipe. Geri
Jane (Frugal Fine Living) says
This one is a keeper! I have copied it to my computer for future use. Thanks for sharing it.
Jane
Amy says
This goes along with what I have up for the day. YUMMY>>>
The Thrifty Countrywoman says
Your recipe came right in time. We had a light frost last night! Gotta harvest whatever's left in the garden today. I like to make a vegetable pot pie with a cheese sauce substituted for the gravy.
Jane
SnoWhite says
awesome — I'm so excited for fall soup season!!
Ave says
I haven't made soup for a while, I think i should try your recipe!
Thanks for sharing!
mub says
I think good this and that recipes are fried rice and any sort of omelet or quiche dish. You can put anything in them *L*