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The recipe was originally published in Oct 2018. It has been refreshed with simpler instructions and Pro-tips. Jump to:What is Olive Garden minestrone soup?Ingredients for Minestrone SoupHow To Make Olive Garden Minestrone Soup in the Instant PotOlive Garden Minestrone Soup Recipe on the Stove TopPro tips and tricksIs this Minestrone soup vegan?Can I make this gluten-free?Is this soup healthy?What else can I add to the minestrone soup?How to store?Making Minestrone Soup Olive Garden AheadLove soup? Try out these awesome Instant Pot Vegetable Soup optionsMade it, tag itInstant Pot Minestrone Soup
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.
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
Sopa de fideo Split pea soup Wild rice soup Broccoli cheese soup Tomato basil soup
Made it, tag it
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Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer Barilla Gluten Free Pasta, Penne, 12 Ounce (Pack of 12)
