Olive Garden is one of my favorite restaurants for date night with my Tom, but unfortunately, it’s usually pretty far out of my restaurant budget. It isn’t that we can’t afford it, but more so that I just can’t justify the cost. I especially have trouble justifying that cost when I can make meals at home that taste identical! Take this Slow Cooker Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat recipe for instance.
This soup recipe is one of my favorites to make for one reason. It is dump and go for the most part. I know you other momma’s, especially us working moms (even if you work from home (Six Dollar Family) like I do) feel me. Dump and go recipes are the absolute greatest. Put them on in the morning and they’re done when the time clock gets punched. The other reason I adore this recipe is because its so pantry friendly! Most of the time I have the items I need to make it on hand which makes it a great go to meal when I need an idea.
Slow Cooker Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat Recipe
One thing about this recipe. Don’t let the amount of ingredients scare you. Most of them are seasonings and I promise, it’s much easier than this long list of ingredients makes it seem. I could sit here all day and tell you how absolutely AH-MAZING this recipe is, but I won’t. I’m sure we all have things to do. Instead, try it! Add it to your menu and I’m absolutely certain that you’ll love it just as much as we do! It’s perfect for a chilly fall night or a cold winter night and will help tame that Olive Garden craving you might just be having!
You Will Need:
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 2 cups water
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 cup diced celery (3 stalks)
- 1 cup diced carrots (2 carrots)
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (1 small)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini (1 small)
- 1 1/3 cups shell pasta
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can white navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups packed chopped fresh spinach
- Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Ready for the only part that isn’t dump and go? Chop the celery, carrot, zucchini and onion into large chunks.
Next, add the vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to your slow cooker. Give a good stir and season to your taste with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
About 30 minutes before your soup is done, add the zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and white beans and cook on high until the pasta is tender. When the soup has about 10 minutes left, stir in spinach and Italian green beans and cook several minutes until the whole shebang is hot.
Serve with bread sticks or crusty bread on the side and enjoy!
Looking for more soup recipes? You may like these!
Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipes
White Chicken Chili Recipe
Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Slow Cooker Olive Garden Minestrone Soup Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- • 4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- • 2 cups water
- • 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes
- • 1 cup diced celery 3 stalks
- • 1 cup diced carrots 2 carrots
- • 1 cup diced yellow onion 1 small
- • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
- • 2 tsp dried basil
- • 1 tsp dried oregano
- • 3/4 tsp dried rosemary crushed
- • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- • 2 bay leaves
- • 1/2 tsp sugar
- • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- • 1 1/3 cups diced zucchini 1 small
- • 1 1/3 cups shell pasta
- • 4 cloves garlic minced
- • 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- • 1 15 oz can white navy beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- • 2 cups packed chopped fresh spinach
- • Finely shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- • Add vegetable stock, water, tomatoes, celery, carrots, onion, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and sugar to your slow cooker.
- • Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook on low heat 6 - 8 hours or high 3 - 4 hours.
- • About 30 -40 minutes before serving add in zucchini, pasta, garlic, kidney beans and white beans and cook on high until pasta is tender. Stir in spinach and Italian green beans and cook several minutes until heated through.