Pasta e Fagioli soup is an Italian style soup loaded with meat, creamy beans, hearty vegetable, tender pasta and a ton of aromatics. This Olive Garden recipe is even better than the original, so if you like Pasta E Fagioli from Olive Garden, you’ll love ours. Kick it up a notch by using homemade beans, such as Instant Pot Kidney Beans or Instant Pot Pinto Beans.
This Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli recipe is quick and easy and made with ingredients you probably already have on hand. It’s ready to go in under 40 minutes when making the stovetop version. It’s the ultimate comfort food during the cold winter months, along with our Zuppa Toscana Soup, Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and Olive Garden Minestrone Soup recipes y’all love.
What Does Pasta e Fagioli Mean?
It’s an Italian term that translates to ‘pasta and beans’ in English. Both pasta and beans shine in this soup.
Where Did Pasta e Fagioli Originate?
Italy- where many favorite pasta and bean dishes originate from.
What’s the Difference Between Pasta Fazool and Pasta e Fagioli?
Pasta e Fagioli is a soup with beans and pasta, however the star of the dish is the beans. The name comes from the Venetian dialect, whereas in the US, it’s commonly referred to as Pasta Fazool derived from the Sicilian or Neapolitan dialect for beans. Same dish – different dialects.
Recipe Variations
Gluten-Free
Use a gluten-free noodle, such as a chickpea, corn or quinoa blend.
Dairy-Free
Omit the cheese and you have yourself an easy dairy-free soup recipe.
Vegetarian
Omit the meat and cheese and you have yourself an easy vegetarian soup recipe. The aromatics, tomatoes and beans will keep the flavor profile you love, in vegetarian form. Make sure to throw in leftover vegetables, like Sous Vide Asparagus.
With Sausage
Feel free to sub in sausage (casing removed) for the ground beef . The flavor will be consistent and the end product won’t be inferior. You could also use half and half to mix up the flavors of the two meat products.
How Long Does Pasta e Fagioli Last In The Refrigerator?
Most soups keep 3-4 days in an air tight container. Pasta does have a tendency to soak up the liquid, so you will need to add some more to the pot when re-heating to keep the soup consistency.
Can You Freeze Pasta e Fagioli?
Yep- with some adjustments. Pasta doesn’t freeze well. Instead of adding the pasta to the entire bowl, as instructed, add it to each bowl before you serve. This way when you freeze the leftovers, none of the pasta will be frozen. When you re-heat the soup just add a new batch of pasta to avoid mushy pasta.
What Goes With This Soup?
Stuffed Ziti Fritta (Another Olive Garden Recipe!)
Make sure to check out our huge soup recipe collection! Favorites include: Caldo de Queso, Sancocho Dominicano, Instant Pot Potato Soup, Jambalaya Soup, Asparagus and Bacon Soup, Instant Pot Split Pea Soup, Carrot and Ginger Soup, Clam Chowder and more!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil (Divided)
- 1 Lb Ground Beef or Sausage (*Note 1)
- 1 Small Yellow Onion (Diced)
- 3 Carrots (Diced)
- 2 Stalks Celery (Diced)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Garlic
- 3 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 Can Tomato Sauce (16 oz.)
- 1 Can Diced Tomatoes (15 oz.)
- 1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning (*Note 2)
- 1 Cup Water (Divided) (*Note 3)
- 1 Cup Ditalini Pasta (*Note 4)
- 1 Can Great Northern Beans (15 oz.), Drained & Rinsed
- 1 Can Kidney Beans (15 oz.), Drained & Rinsed
- Sea Salt (To Taste)
- Fresh Ground Black Pepper (To Taste)
OPTIONAL
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese (For Serving)
- Minced Parsley (For Serving)
Instructions
STOVETOP:
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large soup pot or dutch oven and heat over medium high heat. Once heated, add the ground beef and cook until browned (about 6-7 minutes) breaking into crumbles as it cooks. Drain the excess fat, transfer to a medium size bowl and set aside.
- Add the remaining olive oil (1 tablespoon) to the soup pot/dutch oven. Stir in the onions, carrots and celery and cook until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, cooked beef and 1/2 cup water to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Cover with lid and simmer until vegetables are tender (about 15-20 minutes).
- While the soup is simmering, add salted water to a separate large pot and bring to a boil. Cook pasta according to the package instructions for al dente. Drain well.
- Add the cooked pasta and beans to the pot and heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Top with parmesan cheese and/or parsley and serve immediately.
SLOW COOKER:
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the ground beef and cook until browned. Transfer the cooked beef to the slow cooker
- Add the garlic and onions to the same large skillet and sauté until onions are soft (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to the slow cooker.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the beans and pasta. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cook on low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- 30 minutes before serving, cook the pasta in a separate stock pot according to the package instructions (you want it al dente). Drain and add to the slow cooker along with the beans.
- Cook for a final 5 minutes until the beans are warm.
- Top with parmesan cheese and/or parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Trudee Merriman
Sunday 23rd of January 2022
I made this recipe and it was delicious! I don’t care for kidney beans but substituted cannellini beans. Will make again. Tks
Jennie Silverstein
Wednesday 20th of January 2021
Made this as written but used macaroni and garbanzo beans since it’s what I had. It was delicious! Love the broth and all the vegetables in this. Thanks for this great recipe during this cold winter!