Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe

This Olive Garden pasta e fagioli soup recipe brings one of the most ordered bowls on their menu straight to your kitchen. It’s a thick, hearty Italian-style soup with ground beef, two kinds of beans, tender ditalini pasta, and a tomato broth that tastes like it simmered all afternoon.

The whole thing comes together in about 45 minutes on a single pot, which makes it a genuinely useful weeknight dinner.

Why I Love This Recipe

The broth has real body to it because the beans break down slightly as they cook, thickening everything without any cream or extra flour. You get a little heat from the red pepper flakes and a deep savory note from the Italian sausage seasoning that keeps it interesting past the first bite.

This is the version I keep coming back to when the weather turns cold and I want something filling without a lot of fuss.

Recipe Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (85/15) – The fat content keeps the meat juicy and adds flavor to the broth; lean beef will work but the broth will taste thinner
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced – Builds the aromatic base
• 3 medium carrots, diced – Adds a little sweetness and texture
• 3 stalks celery, diced – Classic soup base; don’t skip it
• 4 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh garlic makes a real difference here
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes – Use fire-roasted for a slightly smokier broth
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce – Gives the broth its body and color
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed – One of the two beans Olive Garden uses
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed – Creamier than kidney beans; together they match the original texture
• 4 cups beef broth – Low-sodium preferred so you control the salt
• 1 cup water – Thins the soup just enough for the pasta to cook without absorbing all the liquid
• 1 cup ditalini pasta, dry – The short tube shape is traditional; small elbows work as a substitute
• 1 tsp dried oregano – Earthy backbone for the broth
• 1 tsp dried basil – Brightens the tomato flavor
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme – Subtle, but it rounds out the herby notes
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes – Mild heat; use 1/4 tsp if you’re cooking for kids
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste – Season as you go
• 1/2 tsp black pepper – Freshly cracked is best
• 2 tbsp olive oil – For browning the beef and softening the vegetables
• Freshly grated Parmesan, to serve – Not optional; it finishes the bowl

Variations / Substitutions

• Ground turkey or Italian sausage – Turkey keeps it lighter; Italian sausage adds more savory punch and brings its own seasoning, so pull back on the salt by about 1/4 tsp
• Great Northern beans instead of cannellini – Very similar texture and flavor, the swap is seamless
• Gluten-free pasta – Use a small gluten-free tube pasta and reduce the cook time by 1 to 2 minutes, since GF pasta softens faster
• Vegetable broth instead of beef broth – The soup loses a little depth but stays satisfying; add an extra tablespoon of tomato paste to compensate
• Extra red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne – Bumps the heat noticeably without changing the overall flavor profile
• Chickpeas instead of one of the beans – An easy swap if that’s what you have; the texture is slightly firmer and nuttier

If you like this kind of thick, bean-forward soup, Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Copycat Recipe is worth trying next.

How To Make Pasta e Fagioli Soup

Step 1: Brown the Beef with Aromatics

Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the 1 lb ground beef and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5 minutes, until no pink remains, then drain off excess fat if there is more than a thin coating in the pot.

Push the beef to one side and add the diced onion, 3 carrots, and 3 stalks celery to the empty half of the pot. Cook everything together for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add the 4 cloves minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. The garlic should smell fragrant but not brown.

Keep your eye on the garlic — it goes from golden to bitter fast at this heat. A minute is usually all it needs.

Step 2: Season and Build the Broth

Stir in the 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Let the spices coat the meat and vegetables for about 30 seconds so they bloom slightly in the residual oil.

Pour in the 1 can diced tomatoes and the 1 can tomato sauce, followed by the 4 cups beef broth and 1 cup water. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Those bits add flavor and you want them in the broth, not stuck to the pot.

Step 3: Simmer the Beans into the Broth

Add the drained and rinsed kidney beans and cannellini beans. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Stir it a few times while it cooks.

By the end of the simmer, the broth will have thickened slightly and deepened in color. A few of the softer cannellini beans will have started to break down along the edges, which is exactly what you want. If your soup looks thin at this stage, turn the heat up briefly before adding the pasta.

Step 4: Cook the Pasta Directly in the Soup

Stir in the 1 cup dry ditalini pasta and raise the heat back to medium. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is just tender with a slight chew.

Don’t walk away during this part. Ditalini sticks to the bottom if the soup sits without stirring. Pull it off the heat as soon as the pasta is done — it will keep cooking in the residual heat and the last thing you want is mushy pasta in an otherwise great soup.

Taste and adjust with a pinch more salt if needed before serving.

Step 5: Ladle and Garnish

Ladle the soup into bowls and finish each one with a generous shower of freshly grated Parmesan. The cheese will soften into the hot broth within about 30 seconds and add a salty, savory note that ties the whole bowl together.

Recipe Tips

• Use freshly grated Parmesan. The pre-shredded kind in a bag has anti-caking agents that make it clump and don’t melt the same way. A fine grater makes a real difference here.
• Dice the vegetables small. Aim for roughly 1/4 inch pieces so the carrots and celery are actually cooked through by the time the broth is ready. Big chunks will still be crunchy.
• If you’re making this ahead, cook the pasta separately. Ditalini left in the soup overnight will absorb most of the liquid and turn soft. Cook the pasta on the side and stir it in just before serving.
• Rinse your canned beans well. The starchy liquid in the can will cloud the broth and make it slightly gummy rather than naturally thickened.

Cook times will vary a little depending on your pot:

How To Store

• Refrigerate – Store the soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If the pasta has already been stirred in, it will absorb liquid as it sits; add a splash of broth when reheating to loosen it back up.
• Reheating – Warm on the stove over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or microwave in 90-second intervals, stirring between each, until hot all the way through.

What To Serve With Pasta e Fagioli Soup

A thick, crusty loaf of Italian bread or a good sourdough is the most natural pairing here because the bread is sturdy enough to hold up to dipping without falling apart in the broth. A simple green salad with a sharp red wine vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the tomato base and keeps the meal from feeling heavy. If you want to round it out for a bigger dinner, a plate of roasted garlic bruschetta alongside works well because the roasted garlic echoes the garlic notes already in the soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the beef and soften the vegetables in a skillet first, then transfer everything except the pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, then stir in the dry pasta and cook on high for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Can I freeze pasta e fagioli soup?

Freeze it without the pasta for best results. The soup base freezes well for up to 3 months. Cook fresh pasta when you reheat it.

My soup is too thick. How do I fix it?

Stir in extra beef broth, about 1/2 cup at a time over medium heat, until you reach the consistency you want. This happens most often when the soup sits for a while after cooking.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, straightforwardly. Use a pot that holds at least 8 quarts so you have room to stir. The cook times stay the same because you’re not changing the depth of liquid, just the volume.

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Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb ground beef (85/15)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup ditalini pasta, dry
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Method

 

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 lb ground beef, break it up, and cook for 5 minutes until no pink remains. Drain excess fat. Add the diced onion, 3 carrots, and 3 stalks celery and cook for 4 minutes until the onion softens. Add 4 cloves minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.
2. Stir in 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook 30 seconds, then pour in 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 can tomato sauce, 4 cups beef broth, and 1 cup water. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
3. Add the drained kidney beans and cannellini beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir in 1 cup dry ditalini pasta, raise heat to medium, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is just tender. Taste and adjust salt.
5. Ladle into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Notes

If you plan to store leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to individual bowls rather than stirring it into the pot. Soup keeps well for 4 days in the fridge, but pasta left in the broth overnight will absorb most of the liquid and go soft. The soup base without pasta also freezes cleanly for up to 3 months.