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Our fresh Minestrone Soup is full of healthy legumes, green leafy vegetables, plenty of Italian herbs, a handful of pasta, and wonderfully rich tomatoey broth.
Soup must be one of the most brilliant recipe ideas ever created. In a bowl of this wonderful, healthy soup you get a complete and satisfying meal! I love a great pot of soup that’s good enough for company or simple enough for lunch or dinner any day of the week. Our Minestrone Soup is best served with a loaf of crusty bread and a sprinkle of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Does this Minestrone Soup taste like the soup at Olive Garden?
We believe our copycat Minestrone Soup recipe tastes much better than Olive Garden’s Minestrone soup! It has a lot less sodium so that’s a big plus. Now that restaurants post nutritional information, I’ve noticed that high amounts of salt seems to be a real problem with many restaurant menus. Sodium is the one thing I can’t have a lot of. It’s very important to me that my recipes taste fantastic even without tons of salt. Some salt is good in almost every sweet and savory recipe, and please feel free to taste this Minestrone soup as you go and make adjustments as needed for your family.
What kind of greens can you use in this Minestrone Soup?
I make, eat and create a lot of recipes for soups and stews. Some have many of the same ingredients, i.e. carrots, celery, onion, zucchini and fresh leafy greens like kale and spinach. You may be wondering if they all taste the same. Not a chance! This particular Minestrone Soup has an incredibly rich tomato flavor that is synonymous with authentic Italian cuisine. And just wait until you smell it cooking! For this recipe I’ve stirred in baby spinach leaves at the end but feel free to substitute kale or Swiss chard if you prefer. For me, leafy greens are all pretty interchangeable.
We like to serve this soup with a nice crusty bread and plenty of fresh grated Parmesan cheese.
Sopping up the broth with a hunk of crusty bread is one of my favorite things about a bowl of soup. Add a nice bottle of wine and you have a complete meal fit for company. This soup is healthy and filling and really hits the spot all year long.
Can you freeze Minestrone Soup?
This Minestrone soup freezes very well, especially if you undercook the pasta. You’ll need to reheat the soup so you don’t want the pasta shells to turn to mush. Another option is to leave the pasta out, freeze the soup and then add the shells when you reheat the base. This soup doesn’t need to cook all day, it’s pretty quick to throw together. If you freeze the Minestrone complete with pasta, just be sure to rewarm gently.
You can smell the amazing flavor before tasting the very first spoonful.
The aroma of our Minestrone is homey and fresh and may transport you to a small Italian bistro with white table cloths and bottles of red wine. A mini-vacation! Leftovers may be even better than the first bowl. I think I’ll need to try another and let you know.
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A rich tomato broth loaded with healthy legumes, vegetables and Italian herbs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 whole firm onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced and quartered
- 3 whole small carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon basil, juilenned
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 6 cups vegetable broth (low salt)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (low salt) do not drain
- 1 (24-ounce) bottle Cento Rustica Passata *
- 1 cups hot water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian cut green beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups fresh baby spinach, lightly packed
- 1 cup small shell pasta
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottom soup pot on medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and soft. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately add the zucchini, carrots, celery, and all spices except bay leaf. Cook, stirring gently for about 2-3 minutes or until the oil has coated all the vegetables. Add the Vegetable broth, tomatoes with juice, Passata, hot water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the green beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans, baby spinach and pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente - about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Check the seasoning and add fresh ground pepper and salt if needed.
- Garnish individual bowls with fresh grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
* Cento Rustica Passata - found near the spaghetti sauce in your local grocery store
I could eat soup almost everyday and never seem to tire of trying new recipes. If you have an instant pot, you may want to check out this easy Vegetable Soup from The Recipe Rebel. How about this Comforting Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup from Ambitious Kitchen. It sounds and looks so good!
Here are a few more recipes you might also enjoy:
Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Soup is an easy load-and-go favorite for busy weeknights or anytime we want a healthy, hearty meal. This soup is packed with flavor and plenty of tender chicken, healthy kale and creamy soft beans. Click HERE to get the recipe.
Pasta e Fagioli is a deliciously hearty, stew-like soup loaded with pasta, beans and Italian sausage. Every bite is rich with flavor and plenty of vegetables. Click HERE to get the recipe.
With a silky, creamy broth, tender chunks of chicken, loads of fresh spinach and pillowy soft gnocchi, our Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup is comforting, easy to make and super satisfying! Click HERE to get the recipe.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Tricia
Sue says
Thanks for addressing the sodium content in most foods, but especially soups. Soups are my favorite but can NEVER order in a restaurant or god forbid from a can.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Sue – hope you’ll give it a try! It’s great even without all the salt 🙂
Mike says
You hit this out of the park with this recipe! This is the best minestrone I’ve had! I didn’t have the Passata so I substituted 1 small can of tomato paste. The recipe was simple, yet very tasty. Good mix of spices, veggies, and legumes. I will definitely make this again!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much Mike! I adore this soup and could eat it once a week. Thanks for giving it a try and for taking the time to comment!
Sharon Mead says
This soup looks so beautiful and colorful! It’tastes simply wonderful! I have never used Pasada before . I think it really adds to the freshness of the soup. My adult daughter loves Minestroni soup so will have her try this!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Sharon! I’m always looking for ways to incorporate Passata because it has such great tomato flavor. Thanks for giving this recipe a trying, and for letting us know how it turned out for you.
Karen S. in Michigan says
I made this a couple weeks ago but had to use tomato sauce instead of passata; otherwise, everything was the same as your recipe. It was the best minestrone soup I’ve ever had…delicious! Even my son, who isn’t a big fan of soup, loved it. Yesterday I found passata at our local grocery store, so I’m going to make it again this weekend. We got almost a foot of snow yesterday and it’s pretty cold here, so it’s a great time for a nice warm soup. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Tricia Buice says
I love this soup Karen and so glad you did too. Passata is one of those ingredients I was thrilled to find and use it often in soups and sauces. A foot of snow – I am so sorry. We’re in Virginia and are supposed to get a dusting or so tomorrow night. I am over winter this year – here’s to an early spring!
Valerie says
Another winner…your blog is rapidly becoming my favourite food blog!
I love the yield on this. My friend is due within the next couple of weeks, and she and her husband are vegetarians, so I’m thinking I might put together a batch to keep them healthy during their adjustment to life with baby…
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much Valerie – we aim to please! I really love this soup and may just make it for my daughter-in-law who is expecting a daughter soon. Great idea 🙂 Have a wonderful week and thanks for stopping by.
Kate says
Beautiful! I love a hardy minestrone and the weather is perfect for it.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Kate! I really love this soup and it kept very well.
Wendy says
You say that you can smell the flavor before you taste it, but I swear I can see the flavor in these photos! The photos are delicious! Usually, I make “whatever is in the freezer/cabinet” soup, cooking an invented soup out of whatever we have on hand. Minestrone soup is one of my husband’s favorites. He will be delighted to hear I plan to use a recipe this time!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much Wendy 🙂 I ate this soup for at least 5 days and it still tasted great. I love a big pot of soup that is good for a week of lunches! So filling and a true feel good soup!
Beth says
Wonderful. I haven’t made minestrone soup in ages and it’s a favourite of mine. A perfect midweek supper dish!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Beth – I don’t know why we don’t have this soup more often. I ate leftovers all week and they were great each day. Have a super week!
Gerlinde @ Sunnycovechef says
What a healthy and good looking minestrone . I love soup any time of the year.
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Gerlinde!
John/Kitchen Riffs says
We’ve been making a ton of soups this year, too. And have a ton to go — it’s still pretty darn cold! Anyway, one of the things I love about herbs and spices is you can take the same set of ingredients, but totally change the flavor of things depending on how you season it. Oh, it’s a big more complicated than that, of course, but not much. Anyway, this is such a good soup! Love minestrone. Which reminds me, it’s been ages since I’ve made it. Thanks!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you John – we’re still eating the leftovers and it’s still delicious … at least we love it. Thanks for stopping by and for commenting!
Summer says
This looks so delicious ♥
summerdaisy.net
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Summer – we really love it.
Abbe @ This is How I Cook says
I could use a whole pot of this today! We received a ton of snow last night and this looks so good!
Tricia Buice says
So sorry about the snow Abbe – but spring is right around the corner!
Susan says
Your photos make this look so tempting, Tricia! I love minestrone soup but haven’t made it in quite some time. This looks like a fabulous recipe!
Tricia Buice says
We have eaten it for several days and I still love it. It’s a keeper 🙂
All That I'm Eating says
So colourful and full of flavour and a great way to use up veg too!
Tricia Buice says
You are right – love those veggies!
2 sisters recipes says
wow ! Your soups looks amazing! And your photos are too. Have a great week Tricia!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you so much! Hope you are both doing great.
Monica says
I love minestrone soup but I can’t remember the last time I had it! Thanks for bringing it back to us with such a beautiful recipe. It looks amazing!
Tricia Buice says
It had been years for us too – I was really craving it 🙂 Thank you Monica!
Betty says
I love to make a big pot of soup on the weekend so I can have it for lunch- it’s so much nicer than a cold sandwich! This one is absolutely gorgeous, with all of the colorful vegetables. My lunch buddies would be so jealous if I brought it. 🙂
Tricia Buice says
You should make a pot to temp them all! I took it for lunch today – so good and filling. Have a wonderful week (back at work!)
Chris Scheuer says
These pictures are magnificent Tricia. Just looking at them makes so clearly imagine the amazing aroma from your soup. I could enjoy this for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Soup, to me, is the best part of winter!
Tricia Buice says
I agree Chris and thank you so much for the kind words. It was a pretty subject to shoot 🙂
cheri says
Hi Tricia, what a beautiful soup, I could enjoy this anytime of year any type of weather. Love all the veggies you added. take care, getting ready to rain here. Cheri
Tricia Buice says
Rain in the desert – that should give you some spring flowers! Enjoy 🙂
[email protected]'s Recipes says
Haven’t had minestrone soup in ages!! You make it so inviting and beautiful. Love the last photo.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Angie – that shot was my husband’s suggestion so I’ll tell him you like it! The soup is delicious – hope you give it a try!
Dom says
this is my go-to soup… who doesn’t have tinned toms and veg in the fridge? I made a curry over the weekend with some left-over tomato dip of all things and it was glorious! Yours looks so beautiful. That aroma when the cheese melts into the soup! Yes! Yes! Yes!
Tricia Buice says
I know Dom – simple ingredients make a wonderful soup 🙂 Have a lovely week!
Larry says
I don’t beleive we’ve ever made minestrone but your version looks so good it makes me want to. I like your last shot of it.
Tricia Buice says
Hope you give it a try Larry – it is a good one!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
What a beautiful bowl! Minestrone is one of my favourite soups. I love the pasta and kidney beans 🙂 Pinning!
Tricia Buice says
It is so filling and absolutely delicious – I love it too 🙂
sue|theviewfromgreatisland says
Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous! sharing and pinning!
Tricia Buice says
Thank you Sue!
Muna Kenny says
I only have soups in winter, and I love to have a big bowl, cuz I feel cold all the time in winter no matter how many layers of clothes I wear. This is a good looking soup, it’s in my to make list 🙂
Tricia Buice says
It is filling and tasty Muna – hope you enjoy as much as we do!