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Hearty Pasta Fagioli Soup: Better Than Olive Garden Copycat Recipe

A close-up of a white bowl filled with amazing pasta fagioli, featuring ditalini pasta, beans, ground meat, and topped generously with grated Parmesan cheese.
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Make this hearty Pasta Fagioli soup at home. This recipe delivers the rich, comforting flavor of the classic Italian dish, similar to the popular Olive Garden version, using ground beef and tender pasta.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (or Italian sausage for richer flavor)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 6 cups beef broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian option)
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup ditalini pasta (or small elbow macaroni)
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain off excess fat.
  2. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Stir in the diced tomatoes (with their juice) and the tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  5. Pour in the beef broth. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
  6. Add the rinsed and drained cannellini beans and kidney beans to the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
  7. Increase the heat to medium and add the ditalini pasta. Cook according to package directions, usually 8 to 10 minutes, until the pasta is tender but still holds its shape. Do not overcook the pasta.
  8. Taste the soup and season generously with salt and black pepper.
  9. Serve the hot Pasta Fagioli immediately, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • For a thicker soup consistency, mash about 1/4 cup of the cannellini beans against the side of the pot before adding the pasta. This releases starch and thickens the broth naturally.
  • If you are making this ahead of time, cook the pasta separately and add it just before reheating and serving. Pasta absorbs liquid quickly and can become mushy if stored in the soup overnight.
  • Use high-quality broth; it makes a big difference in the final flavor of this comfort food soup.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://completelyyummy.com/pasta-fagioli-recipe-hearty-italian-soup/