Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe

Why This Pasta e Fagioli Works

Olive Garden's version is closer to a light chili than a brothy Italian soup: ground beef, red and white beans and a tomato base seasoned with oregano and basil. Cooking the pasta separately keeps it from swelling and soaking up all the broth.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 4 cups (950 ml) beef broth
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 cup (110 g) ditalini pasta
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Brown the beef. Cook the beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned. Drain the fat.
2. Add vegetables. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic.
3. Simmer. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, beans, herbs and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30 minutes.
4. Cook the pasta. Meanwhile, boil the ditalini in salted water until al dente and drain.
5. Serve. Season the soup, then spoon pasta into each bowl and ladle the soup over it.

Tips for Restaurant-Style Results

• The splash of vinegar brightens the tomatoes the same way the restaurant soup tastes slightly tangy.
• Store pasta and soup separately so leftovers don't turn into a casserole.
• Swap the beef for Italian sausage for a spicier bowl.

Crockpot Pasta e Fagioli

1. Brown and drain the beef, then add everything except the pasta to the slow cooker.
2. Cook on Low 7–8 hours or High 4 hours.
3. Cook the pasta separately and add to bowls when serving.

Homemade vs. the Restaurant Version

At Olive Garden, Pasta e Fagioli Soup costs about $11.29 and has 150 calories per serving by the restaurant's published nutrition. It's one of the lightest soups on the menu, and the homemade version is just as filling with more beans per bowl.

Storing and Reheating

• Refrigerate soup up to 5 days and pasta separately up to 3 days.
• Freeze the soup without pasta for up to 3 months.

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli: Questions People Ask