Pasta e Fagioli Soup is the BEST! And indeed, it surpasses Olive Gardens in quality! This substantial Italian-style soup is made with soft pasta, fresh veggies, creamy beans, and flavorful herbs in a thick broth.
Recipe for Homemade Pasta Fagioli Soup
You must make this spaghetti Pasta e Fagioli Soup; don’t skip it. One of the best soups you’ll ever prepare, it is the epitome of comfort food.
Since I first shared the recipe for this soup six years ago, readers have come to love it. Of course, this soup is a family favorite as well; my entire family adores it!
You’ll appreciate that it uses ingredients that you probably already have on hand (do you freeze your ground beef as I do? ), that it has a rich, satisfying flavor, that it’s hearty, and that it’s a meal that everyone will enjoy.
Furthermore, everything comes together in one pot and the recipe couldn’t be simpler!
Pasta e Fagioli: What Does That Mean?
Pasta and beans are the English translation of the Italian phrase “pasta e Fagioli.” There are lots of both in this hearty soup.
What Components Makeup Pasta Fagioli?
- Ground beef. Use at least 80% lean ground beef. You can also try it with half Italian sausage.
- Olive oil. This is used for sauteing the veggies so you won’t need much.
- Yellow onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and parsley. These fresh vegetables add layers of flavor.
- Canned tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, great northern beans, and low-sodium chicken broth. These canned ingredients make this a weeknight-friendly recipe cutting way down on prep.
- Sugar. This very small amount just balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes. If preferred you can omit it.
- Dried oregano, basil, thyme, and marjoram. If you don’t have all the different dried herbs then you can just use an Italian seasoning blend. Use 1 Tbsp.
- Ditalini pasta. In a pinch, another small pasta will work fine here like macaroni or even orzo.
- Parmesan cheese. Shredded Romano will work great too.
Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe:
- Beef is cooked in a pot, drained, and transferred.
- Cook vegetables in the same pot.
- Beef, tomato sauce, tinned tomatoes, sugar, dry herbs, and broth should all be added.
Simmer vegetables until they are ready. - Prepare ditalini.
- Warm up the broth with the pasta and beans before stirring in the parsley.
- Image demonstrating the stages involved in making pasta Fagioli in a pot.
How to Prepare Pasta Fagioli in a Crock Pot?
- Beef is cooked, then added to a slow cooker. Add to the crock pot after sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Past salt and pepper, and add the other ingredients.
- 4 hours of low-heat cooking. Towards the conclusion of cooking, cook the pasta separately on the stovetop.
- Warm soup with beans and parsley is served.
- The picture shows a pot of pasta Fagioli soup from above.
Tips for Storing:
Pasta e Fagioli soup can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container (apart from the pasta) for up to 3 days.
I prefer to store food in separate microwave-safe containers so I can reheat servings directly from the refrigerator.
Can Pasta Fagioli Soup Be Freezed?
Yes. It freezes exceptionally nicely for about three months in an airtight container (be sure to allow for liquid expansion at the container’s top by about 3/4 inch).
In the freezer, I typically keep the soup and cooked pasta separate after tossing them with little olive oil. Before reheating, let the food thaw overnight in the fridge.
How to Warm Up?
In a pot on the burner, reheat the soup while occasionally stirring.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup is served in two portions and is served with white dishes. French bread is provided on the side.
Is it Possible to Cook Pasta in Soup?
You can simply cook the pasta in the soup if you intend to serve the entire pot immediately (otherwise with leftovers the pasta gets soggy). Add 1 cup of water to make up for what it will absorb during the 10 to 15 minutes that it will simmer.
Which Side did Dishes Complement Pasta Fagioli Soup?
- A side salad with creamy pesto dressing or Italian salad dressing
- Olive Garden Breadsticks knockoff
- Avoid Kneading Crusty Bread
- Bacon-Cheese Bread
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 of tomato sauce
- 2 14.5 oz cans of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup water, then more as desired
- 1 (15 oz) can of 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 of dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can of great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
- Ground beef should be crumbled into a big pot that has been heated to medium-high heat. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally, until it is fully cooked.
- Beef is transferred to a plate after the fat has been drained off of it. In the same pot, heat the final teaspoon of olive oil.
- Over medium-high heat, add the onions, carrots, and celery and saute until they are soft, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the cooked beef, tomato sauce, water, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, and marjoram after which you should add salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Ditalini pasta should be prepared in the meantime per the instructions on the package, cooked until al dente.
- Add kidney beans and great northern beans to the soup* along with the cooked and drained pasta. If needed, thin it with a little extra broth or water.
- Give it one more minute to cook. Serve heated with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese after adding the parsley.
Notes
*I advise putting the spaghetti in separate servings if you won’t be eating the entire pot of soup at once. Otherwise, the pasta absorbs too much broth and becomes mushy.