Do you go to Olive Garden just for the soup? This Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli recipe can now be made at home! Thick, hearty and amazing just on its own, this Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli soup is also great with salad and breadsticks, too!
If you’re like me, you love dining at Olive Garden just for their unlimited soup, salad and breadsticks! Why not make a big pot of that delicious pasta e fagioli soup at home?
Made with both beef and Italian sausage, along with veggies, beans, tomatoes and ditalini pasta, this soup recipe is similar to minestrone, but thicker and heartier. This soup recipe is amazing to make for dinner on a cold night.
What do I need to make Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli soup?
Here’s a quick-reference check list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this soup recipe:
- Ground beef – choose a leaner ratio, like 5-10% fat.
- Italian sausage – Either links or bulk sausage can be used. If you purchase links you’ll need to remove the outer casing from the sausage before browning.
- Carrots – fresh are ideal, but you can also substitute frozen.
- Yellow onion
- Minced garlic
- Beef broth – use a reduced sodium to keep the soup from tasting overly salty.
- Canned diced tomatoes
- Marinara sauce – choose a sauce that has no added sugar.
- Cannellini beans
- Kidney beans
- Spices: Ground pepper and Italian seasoning
- Ditalini pasta – this is very small tube-like pasta, a little larger than the size of a pea. You could also use mini shells as well.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
Easy Swaps: Lighter, Meatless and Gluten-Free
- Make it lighter: substitute the beef and sausage for ground turkey or chicken. You could also substitute the pasta for barley. This will cut some added fat and reduce the carbs slightly.
- Meatless/Vegetarian option: eliminate the meat entirely and double up on the beans. Feel free to include beans like butter beans, chickpeas and black eyed peas. This would be a good option for meatless Monday or a Lenten Friday meal.
- Gluten-Free: there are several great gluten-free pasta options on the market now that would be a good substitution for the ditalini pasta.
How do I make Pasta Fagioli soup like Olive Garden?
First, start by browning the ground beef and Italian sausage. Drain off any excess fat that the meats render. To the browned meat add the carrots, onion, kidney beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, garlic, broth, marinara sauce, Italian seasoning and pepper.
Stir the ingredients well, and heat over medium heat to bring to a simmer.
Love cooking with ground beef? Check out my Cheeseburger Macaroni, Mongolian Beef Noodles, Beef Quesadilla Tacos and my Cheesy Italian Goulash – both great as simple, delicious dinner ideas using ground beef.
Keep the soup ingredients at a simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften and cook.
After simmering, add in the uncooked ditalini pasta. Stir to incorporate into the soup. Cook over medium heat, simmering for another 10 -12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.
Top with shredded or grated Parmesan cheese. Great served with salad and fresh baked bread.
A few other soup recipes that are great with salad and fresh bread are my Slow Cooker Ham and Bean Soup, Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup, Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup, Chipotle Steak Chili Recipe and my Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
How to Keep the Pasta from Getting Mushy
The ditalini is a wonderful addition to the soup, but even when the soup is done cooking, and it is cooling the pasta will continue to absorb the broth. There are a couple ways you can remedy this; first, make sure you’re cooking the pasta only to al dente, which means 1-2 minutes short of the cook time listed on the box. The other option, if you know you’ll want this as leftovers for days to come, cook the pasta separately and store it separately from the soup. This will keep the pasta firm, and prevent it from absorbing the broth from the soup and becoming soft.
Can you make pasta fagioli in a crock pot?
Yes, you can definitely make this in the crock pot. Start by browning your meat, and drain off any grease that has rendered. Place the browned meat into your crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the pasta. Stir together well and cook on LOW 6–7 hrs or HIGH 3–4. The last 20–30 min of cooking, add in the pasta and let cook to al dente.
What can I serve with pasta fagioli soup?
Even though this soup recipe is hearty enough to be served on its own, it is wonderful served with salads and breads. Here are some of our favorite options to pair with this soup:
- Easy Cheesy Breadsticks
- Italian Chopped Salad
- Roasted Carrot Salad with Apples and Pistachios
- Italian Tortellini Salad
- Kale Apple Salad
- Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Love cooking with Italian sausage? Check out my recipes for Italian Sausage Gnocchi in Creamy Red Sauce and my Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Stuffing.
Make-Ahead, Meal Prep and Freezing
Make ahead options: chop your vegetables, drain the bean and brown the meat, draining of any excess fat. Store these in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, add in the remaining ingredients as directed in the recipe.
Meal prep options: Make the soup according to the recipe. Let cool to room temperature, and ladle the soup into meal prep containers and store in the refrigerator until ready to reheat. Be sure to check out my post for Healthy Meal Prep Ideas for the Week for more ways to get the most out of meal prepping.
Freezing options: make the soup according to recipe directions. Place into freezer-safe meal prep containers. To thaw, place in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Reheat in a saucepan over medim-low heat, or microwave in 60 second increments until steaming and fully heated through.
Frequently asked questions about making Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli recipe:
Yes, you can definitely make this pasta fagioli soup without meat. Simply omit the ground beef and sausage from the recipe. To add a bit more protein, consider doubling the kidney and cannellini beans.
Both soups are very similar in flavor. Minestrone is typically more brothy, whereas pasta fagioli is much more thick and stew-like in consistency. Pasta fagioli often has beans mashed or pureed to create a thicker soup consistency.
According to Natasha’s Kitchen, the most popular soup at Olive Garden in Zuppa Toscana. Zuppa Toscana is a soup that consists of sausage, kale, bacon and potatoes.
Yes, using a bag of peas and carrots is a great option (and a useful time saver!) to chopping your own carrots. Substitute 1 (16 oz.) bag of peas and carrots for the fresh chopped carrots.
If you loved this soup recipe, check out some of these other easy and delicious homemade soup ideas:
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Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven I use and LOVE this Le Creuset 9 qt. Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 lb. Italian sausage removed from casing
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 1 large yellow onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (32 oz. carton) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 (14.5 oz. cans) diced tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (24 oz. jar) marinara sauce (look for no sugar added)
- 1 (15.5 oz. can) cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 oz. can) kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tsp. ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Ditalini pasta uncooked
Instructions
- In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess fat that the meat renders.
- To the browned meats, add in the diced carrots, onion, garlic, beef broth, diced tomatoes, marinara sauce, cannellini beans, kidney beans, Italian seasoning and pepper. Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Heat over medium-high heat, uncovered, and to bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat slightly to medium and keep at a simmer for 15 minutes.
- Once done simmering, add in the uncooked pasta. Stir well. Cook the soup over medium heat, uncovered, for another 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.
- Remove from heat and allow the soup to cool slightly for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Love your recipe and how it is organized. New to your site. However, as I scanned recipe, few suggestions I’d make, and I’m not a professional cook — just an amateur that helps wife get better. Why do you cook the meats together? I’d do them separate, and drain separately. That way, they won’t taste blurred together; good if you are doing meatballs, not so in a recipe like this.
And, in later step, you throw pasta in and it’s not cooked. If it were me, I’d have pasta all ready cooked but just slightly undercooked — then stick it in.
Of course, you don’t have to change your recipe, but I’d suggest those changes, because it’s more foolproof and less regular cooks can make mistakes. Just ideas. We’re all learning, and I hope you appreciate feedback. We like your site and plan to try some of your recipes over time.
Hi David – thanks so much for your feedback and ideas. Something that my audience has expressed many, many times over the years; they want minimal steps, minimal pots and pans, and minimal prep and cook time. If meats can be cooked together without sacrificing flavor, then I will offer that in the instructions. Also, if pasta can be cooked in the soup without having to haul out an extra pot and boiling extra water, then I will offer that as an option as well. These steps are all tested, often many times. If I can save time for the people cooking these recipes without having to sacrifice flavor, then I will do so. The majority of the cooks making this recipe are simply unwilling to take this extra time (especially on a busy weeknight) when it may mean having to sacrifice time with their family. I do appreciate your suggestions – thank you for the input. Best – Erin
David l agree with you