Olive Garden Minestrone Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil                       
1 cup minced white onion (about 1 small onion)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini                        
1/2 cup frozen cut italian green beans
1/4 cup minced celery (about 1/2 stalk)                           
4 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
4 cups vegetable broth                        
2 (15 oz  cans) kidney beans, drained (I use 4 C cooked beans, any kind)

2 (15 ounce) cans small white beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans, drained (or more cooked beans)

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes                                     

1/2 cup carrot, julienned or shredded

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (I don't use this)
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons salt                   

 1/2 teaspoon  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

Heat three tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot.  Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and zucchini in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent.  Add vegetable broth to pot, plus drained tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water, and spices.  Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.  Add spinach leaves and pasta and

cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

 

This recipe is very flexible:  it's fine to skip a few ingredients and also to add a few ingredients (i.e. I add broccoli and don't always put pasta in this).  Just be careful not to overcook any of the veggies.  It's a delicious soup unless it's "mushy."