Easy 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (Better-Than-Olive-Garden-Copycat)
User Reviews
4.5
Easy 30-Minute Minestrone Soup (Better-Than-Olive-Garden-Copycat)
Description
The recipe begins with olive oil sautéing of multiple diced vegetables, including onions, zucchini, carrots, and celery, until tender. Garlic is added last to avoid burning, releasing its aroma. The broth introduces a rich base which carries seasoning with dried herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary, alongside bay leaves.
Beans of various types provide protein and substance while the addition of small shell pasta cooks gently until tender. The final step includes stirring in fresh spinach and parsley, which wilt quickly after only a brief simmer, preserving color and texture. A squeeze of lemon juice brightens the flavor, and seasoning is adjusted at the end.
This soup is a filling and nourishing dish that fits well as lunch or a light dinner. It keeps well refrigerated for up to a week and freezes for months, allowing easy reheating.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups sweet onion peeled and diced small (about 1 large onion, Vidalia or yellow onion
- 1 ½ cups zucchini diced small (about 1 small/medium zucchini)
- 1 ½ cups carrot peeled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 large carrots
- 1 cup celery sliced thin (about 2 stalks)
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 64 ounces vegetable broth low-sodium, 8 cups
- 1 ½ cups small shell pasta or small macaroni shells
- petite diced tomatoes I use no-salt added, two 14.5-ounce cans
- red kidney beans drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added, one 15-ounce can
- Great Northern white beans drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added, or cannellini beans, canned 15-ounce
- green beans drained and rinsed (I use no-salt added, canned 15-ounce, cut
- 2 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons basil dried
- 1 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 teaspoon rosemary dried
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 2 ½ to 3 cups spinach tightly packed, fresh
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped, fresh; flat-leaf leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice optional
- salt to taste
- Parmesan Cheese optional and for garnishing, freshly grated
Instructions
- To a very large Dutch oven or stockpot, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
- Add the onion, zucchini, carrots, celery, and sauté for about 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
- Add the garlic and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, macaroni, tomatoes and juice, kidney beans, white beans, green beans, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, pepper, and bring to a boil.
- Allow mixture to boil gently for about 15 minutes or until macaroni is cooked through. At any time while making the soup, if the overall liquid level is lower than you like and you prefer more broth, adding a cup or two of water or additional vegetable broth is okay. At the end you will adjust the salt level.
- Add the spinach, parsley, optional lemon juice (brightens up the flavor), and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until spinach and parsley are wilted and vibrant.
- Taste soup and add salt to taste. I added about 1 tablespoon but this will vary based on how salty the brand of vegetable broth, tomatoes, and the various beans are, and upon personal preference.
- Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, herbs, etc.), remove the bay leaves, optionally garnish with parmesan, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 5 to 7 days refrigerated or freeze up to 4 months.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop to preserve texture and flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 123 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 123kcal | 6% |
| Carbohydrates | 18g | 6% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 117mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 309mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 3443IU | 69% |
| Vitamin C | 11mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 48mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.5
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