Pasta Fagioli Recipe

The Best Pasta Fagioli Soup recipe that is better than Olive Garden! Healthy, vegetarian & easy to make on the stove, crockpot or instant pot.

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If you love cozy, delicious meals like our Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup, Minestrone Soup, or 15 Bean Soup – you’ll definitely enjoy this Pasta Fagioli. It’s the ultimate comfort food!

Loaded with beans, pasta, and a thick tomato base – it’s delicious + nutritious (the perfect combo!)

Growing up, we would always have pasta fagioli. It was (and still is!) one of my favorite meals. It’s super hearty while being so good for you, and tasting amazing!

I might be biased, but I think this is the best pasta fagioli recipe! And.. let’s just set the record straight. It’s WAY better than Olive Garden, for those who are asking.

Pasta fagioli is a traditional Italian soup/stew made with beans and pasta. It originated as a ‘peasant dish’ because it’s made with inexpensive ingredients.

Depending on the region of Italy you’re from, it can be thick like stew, or thinner. Some people add meat to it, while others keep it vegetarian.

No matter how you make it it’s delicious. And if you were wondering: how do you pronounce pasta fagioli soup – there are a few ways you can say it

Pasta fagioli is made with simple ingredients you probably already have in your pantry and fridge. This recipe calls for:

We used the ‘macaroni’ shape pasta from Trader Joe’s in this recipe. There are many substitutions for this recipe included below under substitutions, please make sure to check them out!

Pasta e Fagioli Soup {Olive Garden Copycat Recipe}

This Pasta e Fagioli is one of my all time favorite soups and one of my most popular recipes! It’s loaded with vegetables and brimming with Italian flavor. It’s perfectly comforting, hearty and absolutely delicious!

Prep: 15min

Total: 50min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 540 kcal, Carbohydrate 70 g, Protein 35 g, Fat 14 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 49 mg, Sodium 718 mg, Fiber 13 g, Sugar 12 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, (divided)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrots ((about 2 medium))
• 1 cup diced celery ((about 3 stalks))
• 3 cloves garlic, (minced (1 Tbsp))
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water, (then more as desired)
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese (, for serving)
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

Instruction:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through.
2. Drain fat from beef then transfer beef to a plate, set aside. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in same pot.
3. Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium-high heat until tender about 6 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer.
4. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram and cooked beef then season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 15 – 20 minutes.
6. Meanwhile prepare ditalani pasta according to directions on package, cooking to al dente.
7. Add cooked and drained pasta to soup* along with kidney beans and great northern beans. Thin with a little more broth or water if desired.
8. Allow to cook 1 minute longer. Stir in parsley, serve warm with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Pasta Fagioli

The Best Pasta Fagioli Soup recipe that is better than Olive Garden! Healthy, vegetarian & easy to make on the stove, crockpot or instant pot

Prep: 10min

Total: 35min

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 1.5 cups (approx)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1.5 cups (approx), calories 295 kcal, Carbohydrate 54 g, Protein 13 g, Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Sodium 406 mg, Fiber 10 g, Sugar 7 g, unSaturated Fat 4 g

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion (minced)
• 2 tablespoons garlic (minced (approx 3 garlic cloves))
• 1 cup carrots (minced)
• 30 oz cooked cannellini beans (low or no sodium (rinsed/drained if using canned))
• 15 oz canned tomato sauce (low or no sodium)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional- omit if you don’t like spice or add to taste at end)
• 4 cups vegetable stock (low or no sodium)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup ditalini pasta (gluten free if necessary (about 5 oz))

Instruction:

1. Once cooked, discard bay leaf. Serve + enjoy!
2. Optional but recommended: You can cook your pasta on the side to avoid it being over cooked. Depending on the pasta size, this can easily over cook in the instant pot.
3. Once cooked, discard bay leaf. Serve + enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli

Teeming with vegetables, legumes, and pasta, this hearty pasta e fagioli soup is perfect for a chilly night.

Prep: 15min

Total: 45min

Yield: 4

Serving Size: About 2 cups

Nutrition Facts: servingSize About 2 cups, calories 691, Fat 25g, Carbohydrate 81g, Protein 36g, Saturated Fat 8g, unSaturated Fat , Sugar 7g, Fiber 17g, Sodium 1214mg, Cholesterol 26mg

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 2 medium ribs celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup white wine
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans or chickpeas (or a combination), drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup dried lentils, rinsed (preferably French green lentils, but any green or brown lentils are fine)
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• ¾ cup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
• ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving

Instruction:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
2. Add the wine and cook until it has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, beans, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you used.
3. Use a ladle to transfer about 1 cup of the beans and veggies and a little liquid to a blender. Remove the center knob so steam can escape. Hold a paper towel or kitchen towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Purée until smooth and set aside.
4. Add the pasta to the pot and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat up to a gentle boil and cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you used (follow timing on the package). The soup will thicken a bit by the time the pasta is cooked. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
5. Stir the reserved puréed mixture into the soup. (If you’re having a hard time getting the mixture out of the blender, remove as much as you can with a rubber spatula, then add some of the hot soup broth to the blender and swirl around to loosen it up; it should come right out.) Cook briefly, until the soup is heated through.
6. Remove the soup from heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the soup seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth and thin to the desired consistency (the longer the soup sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired.
7. Note: This soup is best served immediately; as it sits, the pasta and beans soak up the broth. If the soup gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water.
8. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be frozen, without the pasta, for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. (The beans may have soaked up some of the broth while frozen, so add more broth to thin out the soup, if desired.)

Pasta e Fagioli | Gennaro Contaldo |AD