Olive Garden Minestrone

A while back Betsy posted a recipe for faux Zuppa Tuscana and in keeping with the Olive Garden Soup idea, here's the recipe for faux Olive Garden Minestrone. This is one of my favorite items on the Olive Garden menu, and when I found this recipe online I just had to try it out and it has taken the place of my favorite soup recipe ever.

3 tablespoons live oil
1 cup minced white onion (about one small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup froze cut Italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery
4 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups vegetable broth (I recommended Swansons ... and don't substitute chicken broth!)
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained
2 (15 ounce) cans whie beans or great northern beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups hot water
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup small shell pasta

1. Heat three tablespoons of live oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.
2. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions being to turn translucent.
3. Add vegetable broth to pot plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water and spices.
4. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Add spinach leaves and pasta and cook for an additional 20 minutes or untile desired consistency.

Optional:
In step #3, add a splash of red wine. If you're grocery shopping in Utah, you won't be able to find red wine in the grocery store, but Harmons does carry cooking wines.

Also, this makes A LOT of soup, so feel free to half the recipe.