Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion (peeled and chopped)
• 3/4 cup sliced carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 3-4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 32 ounces vegetable broth
• 14 ounces diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 15 ounces canned kidney beans (drained)
• 15 ounces canned great northern beans (drained)
• 3/4 cup frozen cut green beans
• 1/2 cup small dried pasta (shells, ditalini, macaroni)
• 1 small zucchini (halved and sliced)
• 2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

1. 1

   Chop and prepare all necessary ingredients. Set a large 6-8 quart saucepot over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the olive oil to the pot. Once hot, add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Generously salt and pepper. Sauté for 4-6 minutes to soften.

3. 3

   Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. 4

   Once boiling, stir in the kidney beans, great northern beans, green beans, and pasta. Stir well and simmer for 8-10 minutes, partially covered. Make sure to stir every 2 minutes, so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom.

5. 5

   Finally, add in the sliced zucchini, spinach leaves, and parsley. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Taste, then salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm.