The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup Recipe
The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Minestrone Soup is a hearty, old-world classic brimming with tender vegetables, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth that tastes like it’s been simmering on Nonna’s stove all afternoon.
Make our The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your Minestrone Soup will taste just like The Old Spaghetti Factory.
Photo by Elsie Hui
The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup
An Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipe
To See ALL of Our The Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipes – Click HERE
To See ALL of Our Italian Restaurant Copycat Recipes – Click HERE
The Old Spaghetti Factory
The Old Spaghetti Factory, founded in 1969 in Portland, Oregon, is a renowned restaurant chain celebrated for its affordable and family-friendly Italian dining.
Each location is housed in a historic, charming building, creating a nostalgic and cozy atmosphere. The menu boasts a variety of classic Italian dishes with a focus on pasta, offering choices like Spaghetti and Meatballs, Fettuccine Alfredo and Baked Lasagna.
The restaurant is known for its commitment to hospitality and budget-friendly pricing, making it a beloved choice for diners of all ages and backgrounds. With numerous locations across the United States and Canada, The Old Spaghetti Factory has become an iconic part of American dining culture, offering a taste of Italy in a vintage-inspired setting.
Minestrone Soup
Minestrone Soup is a rustic Italian classic with roots as deep and varied as the vegetables it celebrates. The name “minestrone” comes from the Italian word *minestra*, meaning “soup,” with the suffix “-one” added for emphasis—this is no dainty dish; it’s a hearty, soul-warming meal in a bowl. Its origin dates back to ancient Rome, where a simple vegetable soup called *puls* was a staple among the common people. Over the centuries, as trade expanded and ingredients became more accessible, minestrone evolved, embracing regional ingredients across the Italian peninsula.
Unlike many traditional dishes, minestrone was never meant to follow a strict recipe. It’s a “clean out the pantry” soup that changes with the seasons and the cook’s imagination. In northern Italy, you might find it thickened with rice or pesto; in the south, tomatoes and legumes might take center stage. Common ingredients include beans, carrots, onions, celery, zucchini, potatoes, leafy greens, pasta or rice, and often a parmesan rind for extra depth.
Minestrone’s charm lies in its flexibility and honest flavors. It’s found in trattorias and family kitchens from Milan to Palermo, and its popularity has spread far beyond Italy’s borders. In America, it gained traction through Italian immigrants and cozy chains like The Old Spaghetti Factory, where it’s served as a starter with unmistakable home-cooked warmth.
Today, the best minestrone soups are made with seasonal produce and plenty of love, often simmered for hours and finished with a swirl of good olive oil or a sprinkle of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Whether served in a Tuscan farmhouse or a neighborhood Italian restaurant, minestrone continues to nourish both body and spirit—one bowl at a time.
Get All New Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes as Soon as We Publish Them
Just Follow Us on on Your Favorite Social Media Sites and Never Miss a New Recipe.
Stay in Touch, Get More Recipes from All of Our Sites and Help Us Spread the Word about Secret Copycat Restaurant Recipes to All Your Friends.
Thank You.
RELATED RECIPES
The Old Spaghetti Factory Linguine with Clam Sauce
The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Linguine with Clam Sauce is a savory, classic dish featuring tender linguine tossed in a flavorful white wine and garlic clam sauce, offering a deliciously rich seafood experience.
Make our The Old Spaghetti Factory Linguine with Clam Sauce Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your Linguine with Clam Sauce will taste just like The Old Spaghetti Factory.
Click HERE Now to Make The Old Spaghetti Factory Linguine with Clam Sauce at Home
Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup
Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup is a creamy, savory soup featuring roasted garlic and tender potatoes, delivering rich, comforting flavors with a touch of Italian-inspired seasoning.
Make our Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your Roasted Garlic Potato Soup will taste just like Johnny Carino’s.
Click HERE Now to Make Johnny Carino’s Roasted Garlic Potato Soup at Home
The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup Recipe
The Old Spaghetti Factory’s Minestrone Soup is a hearty, old-world classic brimming with tender vegetables, beans and pasta in a rich tomato broth that tastes like it’s been simmering on Nonna’s stove all afternoon. Make our The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your Minestrone Soup will taste just like The Old Spaghetti Factory.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound Italian Sausage casing removed (or substitute Ground Beef, Meatballs or go Meatless)
- 1 clove Garlic minced
- 1 Onion peeled and chopped
- 1/2 cup Celery chopped
- 4 cups Beef Broth
- One 28-ounce can Diced Tomatoes
- 1 Carrot finely chopped
- One 19-ounce can White Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/8 teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1/2 cup Tiny Shell Pasta
- Grated Parmesan Cheese to serve
Instructions
- Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add sausage, garlic, onion and celery. Fry, breaking the meat into crumbles, until sausage is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
- Add beef broth, diced tomatoes, carrot, white kidney beans, basil, oregano, pepper and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Bring soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add shell pasta. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 20 minutes or until the pasta is tender but still firm.
- Ladle into bowls. Top individual servings with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve warm.
The Old Spaghetti Factory Minestrone Soup
An Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipe
To See ALL of Our The Old Spaghetti Factory Copycat Recipes - Click HERE To See ALL of Our Italian Restaurant Copycat Recipes - Click HERE To See ALL of Our Soup Copycat Recipes - Click HERESPOTLIGHT RECIPES
Applebee’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
Applebee’s Chicken Tortilla Soup is a comforting and hearty soup made with tender chicken, vegetables, and spices, topped with crunchy tortilla strips and melted cheese, offering a satisfying Tex-Mex flavor experience in every spoonful.
Make our Applebee’s Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe at home. With our Secret Restaurant Recipe your Chicken Tortilla Soup will taste just like Applebee’s.
Click HERE Now to Make Applebee’s Chicken Tortilla Soup at Home
Bravo! Italian Kitchen Steak Pizzaiola
Bravo! Italian Kitchen’s Steak Pizzaiola is a bold and savory dish featuring seared steak simmered in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, peppers, mushrooms, olives and capers, delivering classic Italian flavors with a hearty, rustic touch.
Make this Straight-From-the-Restaurant Bravo! Italian Kitchen Steak Pizzaiola Recipe at home and your Steak Pizzaiola will taste just like Bravo! Italian Kitchen.
Click HERE Now to Make Bravo! Italian Kitchen Steak Pizzaiola at Home
Pin this Recipe
Be Sure to Try These Other Delicious Italian Recipes from Your Favorite Restaurants and Our Readers and Friends
Click on any Name below for the Recipe
- Romano’s Macaroni Grill Fonduta Gamberi Recipe
- Olive Garden Marsala Chicken Recipe
- Old Spaghetti Factory Spaghetti with Burnt Butter Recipe
- Texas Roadhouse Buttery Dinner Rolls and Cinnamon Butter Recipes Recipe
- California Pizza Kitchen Chicken Tequila Fettuccine Recipe
- Golden Corral Seafood Salad Recipe
- Olive Garden Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe
- Carrabba’s Italian Grill Bread Dip Recipe
- Red Lobster Shrimp Alfredo Recipe
- Olive Garden Chianti Braised Short Ribs Recipe
- Phillips Crab Fettuccini Alfredo Recipe
- O’Charley’s Prime Rib Pasta Recipe
- Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad Recipe
- Carrabba’s Lobster Ravioli Recipe
- Olive Garden’s Spaghetti Carbonara Recipe
To See ALL of Our Italian Restaurant Copycat Recipes – Click HERE
Photo of “Old Spaghetti Factory – Minestrone Soup” is by Elsie Hui and is used by permission under the Attribution 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License. Read the Full License Here – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.enlegalcode.en. Photo of “The Old Spaghetti Factory, Toronto” is by Ian Muttoo and is used by permission under the Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons License. Read the Full License Here – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode.en. Thank you, Elsie and Ian. Great Pictures. Photos may be “representative” of the recipe and not the actual finished dish. All photo licenses listed were correct at the time of the posting of the page. Recipe is our adaption of several recipes formally widely-circulated on the internet – courtesy of the Wayback Machine. Additional Information is from original research done by SCRR and/or courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission.
Please use the Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Email Buttons below to SHARE this Recipe with your Friends!
It only takes a minute and they will love you for it!