Weight Watchers Minestrone Soup! Let's make the soup you are craving on a cold day. It's wholesome and comforting. This dish is a medley of fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs. It proves that low-calorie meals can be satisfying and flavorful. It's a perfect balance of taste and nutrition. Enjoy this hearty Italian classic from Weight Watchers.
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Olive Garden Minestrone Soup
Just because you are watching your point, doesn't mean you can't have the most amazing foods. This recipe for Weight Watchers Minestrone Soup is the best copycat Olive Garden Minestrone Soup with a few tweaks that make it lighter and perfect for weight loss. Don't worry, you will never taste the difference.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Vegetable Minestrone Recipe
- It's packed full of healthy veggies, which add fiber and nutrients to the soup.
- The recipe is lower in fat and calories, making it a guilt-free meal choice.
- It's hearty and filling, despite being a vegetable-based dish.
- The aromatic herbs add an inviting aroma and depth of flavor.
- It's versatile. You can adjust the recipe based on the vegetables you have on hand.
- Perfect for a cold day, this soup recipe is comforting and warming.
- This soup is even better the second day.
🧾 Ingredients
Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.
- Extra-virgin Olive Oil
- Fresh Veggies: Garlic cloves, Yellow onion, Carrots, Celery stalks, Tomatoes, fresh Green beans and Arugula
- Cannellini White Beans
- Vegetable broth
- Seasoning: Whole bay leaves, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Red pepper flakes, Sea salt and black pepper
- Parmesan rind
- Pasta: Use whole-wheat pasta for the lowest point count.
- Parsley and Parmesan cheese as garnish
🍳 How to Make Minestrone Soup Recipe
Get the full list of ingredients, with measurements, and step-by-step instructions at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.
- Start the Veggies: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat (or medium heat.) Saute the garlic until it starts to brown. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook until the veggies starts to soften.
- Make the Soup: Add the tomatoes and, beans and broth. Add Parmesan cheese rind, if desired. Add the seasoning and stir to combine. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to medium low heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Cook the Ditalini Pasta: Cook the pasta al dente. Save one cup of the pasta water. Rinse the pasta and move it to a medium bowl.
- Finishing the Soup: Add the pasta water and the green beans to the soup. Stir to combine and then cook for another 20 minutes. Add the arugula and any extra vegetable broth you wish. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Serve: To serve the soup, divide the pasta into serving bowls and top with the hot soup. Add the garnish. Serve with crusty bread or a green salad.
🥄 Healthy Soup Variations
- Vegan Version: Replace the Parmesan cheese rind with a vegan cheese alternative or nutritional yeast for a savory flavor. Omit the Parmesan garnish or use a vegan Parmesan cheese substitute.
- Gluten-Free: Use a gluten-free pasta of your choice to make this soup suitable for those with gluten intolerance. If you want to use Butternut Squash Noodles, it is a gluten free and 0 point food.
- Protein-Packed: Add a protein like leftover chopped cooked chicken, tofu, or even chickpeas to give this soup a protein boost. Chicken broth can be used as well.
- Spicy Kick: For those who love a little heat, add a chopped jalapeño or some extra red pepper flakes.
- Italian Seasoning: If you don't have the fresh herbs you can also use Italian seasoning.
- Red Kidney Beans can be used in place of cannellini beans.
- Fresh spinach can be used in place of arugula. Chopped spinach is similar to arugula without the peppery flavor.
🍽️ What to Serve With This Big Pot of Soup
- Crusty Bread: Pairing this soup with a rustic, crusty bread creates a fulfilling meal. The bread is perfect for soaking up the flavorful broth at the bottom of the bowl.
- Green Salad: Serving this soup with a fresh green salad adds a crisp, refreshing counterpoint to the heartiness of the soup.
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich: For a classic comfort food combination, serve this soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. The warm, melty cheese sandwich complements the robust flavors of the soup.
- Roasted Veggies: A side of roasted vegetables can add an extra serving of nutrients to your meal and enhances the overall dining experience. Try roasting your favorite vegetables with some olive oil, salt, and pepper to serve alongside the soup.
🍶 Storing
Refrigerator Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer Storage: This soup can also be frozen for later use. Allow the soup to cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Place the frozen soup into a pot and heat on medium until warmed through, stirring occasionally.
Pro Tip: If you are planning to freeze this soup, consider leaving out the pasta as it may become soggy when reheated. Simply cook fresh pasta when you reheat the soup for a better texture.
💭Top Tips
- Be Patient: Soups often taste better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together. If possible, make the soup a day in advance for optimal taste.
- Adjust Seasonings: Don't be afraid to experiment with the flavors. Feel free to adjust the seasonings to taste, adding more salt, pepper, or herbs as needed.
- Use Fresh Ingredients: For the most flavorful soup, use fresh vegetables and herbs whenever possible. However, canned or frozen vegetables can be used in a pinch.
- Adding Pasta: If you're adding pasta to the soup, cook it separately and add it to individual bowls before ladling in the soup to avoid overcooked, mushy pasta.
❔FAQs
Yes, you can easily adapt this recipe for a slow cooker. Simply add all the ingredients except the pasta into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. If you are adding pasta, cook it separately and add it to individual servings of soup just before eating to avoid overcooking.
How Many Weight Watchers Points
This hearty Italian soup comes in at only 3 points per serving. Most of these WW points come from the pasta. I am not including the optional topping or the parmesan rind in the point count.
This is a direct link to the recipe in the WW recipe builder app. You can see the recipe as well as add it to your daily food tracker. This only works for WW members in the US. If you are outside of the US, you will need to enter it manually.
Have you joined our Weight Watchers Facebook Group? Free recipes and support. Perfect for everyone!
Need to change the number of servings? You can click on the number of servings and change the number. This will adjust the ingredient measurements to what you need.
If you love this recipe, come back and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Weight Watchers Minestrone Soup
Ingredients
- 1½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2-3 cloves garlic finely minced
- ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
- 3 medium carrots finely chopped
- 3 large celery stalks finely chopped
- 28 oz. tomatoes petite-diced undrained
- 15.5 oz. cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 4 cup vegetable broth
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary finely chopped (or 1 t. dried)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 t. dried
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 t. dried
- ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes crushed
- Sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3 inch Parmesan cheese rind Optional
- 2 cup pasta
- 2 cup green beans fresh cut into ½” pieces
- 2 cup arugula
Optional Garnish:
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves chopped
- Parmesan cheese Freshly grated
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and garlic in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or just until garlic starts to turn golden brown.
- Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables are soft and tender.
- Add diced tomatoes, cannellini beans, 4 cups vegetable broth, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, oregano, and red pepper flakes to pot and stir to combine. Add Parmesan cheese rind, if desired, and season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer 20-25 minutes.
- While soup is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining pasta. Rinse pasta and transfer to a medium bowl. Cover and set aside.
- Remove cover from pot or Dutch oven and add green beans and the reserved pasta cooking liquid. Stir to combine and continue cooking, uncovered, another 20-25 minutes or until green beans are crisp tender.
- Add arugula and additional vegetable broth, if needed, and stir to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until arugula begins to wilt.
- To serve, divide cooked pasta among individual serving bowls and top with hot soup. Top with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve with crusty bread and/or a crisp, green side salad for a hearty meal. Enjoy!
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