Pasta E Fagioli Soup
My version of pasta e fagioli soup features ground beef, two kinds of bean, and a secret trick to make sure the pasta is never overcooked. This easy recipe is even better than what you get at Olive Garden.
I love a soups because they don't take much time and leftovers can feed your family for days. Some of my favorites are taco soup, potato soup, and wedding soup. Lately we've been loving this pasta e fagioli soup. It's hearty enough to serve on its own with a big slice of crusty bread. Or serve it as a side with soup or pasta. Leftovers taste even better the next day for lunch!
Why Our Recipe Is the Best: A Sprinkle of Food Science
- We Use Bacon: Sautéing the veggies with bacon infuses the whole dish with a meaty backbone.
- We Cook And Keep Our Pasta Separate: This prevents it from overcooking and getting mushy. We also add our beans just before serving so they don't overcook as well.
- We Add a Parmesan Rind: This adds a rich nutty flavor to the broth.
Ingredient Notes and Shopping Tips
- Ground Beef: I like using 90% lean as it has good flavor without being greasy. If using fattier beef be sure to drain it after browning.
- Sugar: Sugar won't make this sweet, it helps balance the acidity from the tomatoes.
- Tomato Sauce: Use plain unseasoned tomato sauce not pasta sauce.
- Diced Tomatoes: I like the smoky flavor of fire roasted tomatoes but you can use regular or petite diced tomatoes in a pinch.
- Tomato Paste: Buy in a tube instead of a can so you can easily throw in the fridge for later.
- Chicken Broth: Use low sodium to avoid an overly salty dish.
- Beans: Don't skip rinsing them. It removes excess salt and starch which can make the broth cloudy.
- Parmesan: Buy a wedge and grate it fresh for the best flavor.
- Pasta: If you can't find ditalini you could use small shells or macaroni instead.
Yes! After browning beef and sautéing veggies add all ingredients except pasta and beans to slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low. Add beans about 30 minutes before serving and pasta to individual servings.
More Soups To Try
Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice Soup
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📖 Recipe
Better Than Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup
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Ingredients
- 4 Slices Bacon
- 1-1½ Pounds Ground Beef I used 90% lean
- 1 Onion Diced
- 2 Large Carrots Diced
- 3 Stalks Celery Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 24 Ounces Tomato Sauce
- 4 ½ Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 Can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes 15 Ounces or Petite Diced Tomatoes
- 2 Teaspoons Granulated Sugar
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Dried Basil
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ¾ Teaspoons Dried Thyme
- ½ Teaspoon Dried Marjoram
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper To Taste
- 1 ½ Cups Ditalini Pasta Measure Before Cooking
- 2 Cans Dark Red Kidney Beans 15 Ounces, Drained and Rinsed
- 2 Cans Great Northern Beans 15 Ounces, Drained and Rinsed
- Parmesan Rind Optional But Encouraged
- Shredded Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Parsley For Garnish
Instructions
- Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve 1 tablespoon of grease.
- Heat grease in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until tender about 6-8 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook for one more more minute. Remove and set aside.
- Reheat over medium heat. Add beef and cook until no longer pink.
- Add the chicken broth scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, fire roasted tomatoes, cooked veggies, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, parmesan rind, and salt and pepper.
- Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to medium low.
- Simmer stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the pasta according to the directions on box.
- Just before serving add beans and cook for one more minute. Remove parmesan rind.
- Add pasta to each bowl and ladle in soup. Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley if desired.
