Craving the comforting, hearty flavors of that famous restaurant soup? This Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup copycat recipe brings the beloved Italian-American classic right to your kitchen. It’s a rich, savory soup packed with ground beef, tender beans, and ditalini pasta in a luscious tomato-herb broth. Forget takeout—this homemade version is easier than you think and tastes even better than the original.
We’ve perfected this recipe to ensure it’s not just a copy, but an upgrade. It’s the perfect one-pot meal for a chilly evening, guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup
- Better Than the Restaurant: Making this soup at home means you control the ingredients. You get a richer flavor and heartier texture without leaving your house.
- Simple & Accessible Ingredients: This recipe uses pantry staples like canned beans, tomatoes, and common spices. No need for a special grocery trip.
- One-Pot Wonder: Everything comes together in a single Dutch oven or large pot, making cleanup an absolute breeze. Perfect for busy weeknights!
- Meal-Prep Friendly: This soup is fantastic for leftovers. The flavors meld and deepen overnight, making it even more delicious the next day. We have special tips to keep the pasta perfect.
What is Pasta e Fagioli?
Pasta e Fagioli, which translates to “pasta and beans,” is a traditional Italian soup. While recipes vary by region, the core components are always pasta and beans. The Olive Garden version has become famous for its rich tomato broth, savory ground beef, and a signature blend of kidney and cannellini beans. It’s less of a brothy soup and more of a thick, hearty stew that eats like a complete meal.
Key Ingredients for The Perfect Soup
The magic of this soup lies in its simple, yet flavorful ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to achieve that authentic Olive Garden taste.
For the Soup Base:
- Ground Beef: Use lean ground beef (85/15 or 90/10) for rich flavor without excess grease.
- Mirepoix: A classic combination of finely diced onion, carrots, and celery creates an essential aromatic foundation.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic is a must for the best flavor.
- Broth: A mix of beef and chicken broth provides a complex, savory depth that chicken broth alone can’t achieve.
- Tomatoes: We use canned crushed tomatoes for a smooth, rich broth and diced tomatoes for texture.
The Stars of the Show:
- Beans: A combination of canned dark red kidney beans and cannellini beans (or great northern beans) delivers that classic texture and taste.
- Pasta: Ditalini pasta is the traditional choice for its small, tube-like shape that captures the broth perfectly.
- Herbs: A simple blend of dried oregano, basil, and a bay leaf infuses the soup with Italian flavor.
How to Make Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Step-by-Step
Follow these simple steps to create a show-stopping soup. The key is to build layers of flavor from the very beginning.
- Brown the Beef: In a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon. Drain off any excess grease.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook until they begin to soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Build the Broth: Stir in the beef broth, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. Add the dried oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
- Simmer to Perfection: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and deepen beautifully.
- Cook the Pasta: While the soup simmers, cook the ditalini pasta in a separate pot of salted water according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside. (See Pro Tips for why we cook it separately!)
- Combine and Serve: Stir the drained kidney beans and cannellini beans into the soup. Add the cooked pasta. Let it heat through for a few minutes. Remove the bay leaf before serving.
Pro Tips for the Best Results
- Cook Pasta Separately: To avoid mushy pasta (especially in leftovers), always cook it separately and add it to individual bowls before ladling the soup over it. This keeps the pasta perfectly al dente.
- Don’t Skip the Simmer: The 30-minute simmer is crucial. It’s where the simple ingredients transform into a deeply flavorful and cohesive soup.
- Garnish Generously: Serve your Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. For a complete meal, pair it with some crusty homemade French bread or our popular garlic herb and cheese bread for dipping.
- Add a Little Heat: A pinch of red pepper flakes during the sauté step can add a wonderful, subtle warmth to the soup.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
This soup is perfect for making ahead of time. Here’s how to store it properly:
- Refrigeration: Store the soup base (without pasta) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store the cooked pasta separately. To serve, simply reheat the soup and add the pasta.
- Freezing: This soup freezes beautifully! Let the soup base cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Do not freeze the pasta.
- Reheating: Thaw the frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warmed through. Cook a fresh batch of pasta to add just before serving.
What to Serve with Pasta e Fagioli
While this soup is a meal in itself, serving it with a side makes it a true feast. A simple green salad with Italian dressing is a classic pairing. For something heartier, this Feta Cranberry Chickpea Salad offers a refreshing contrast. And of course, no Olive Garden experience is complete without breadsticks or a slice of crusty bread for dipping.
FAQs for Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Yes! To adapt this for a slow cooker, brown the ground beef and sauté the vegetables on the stovetop first. Then, transfer everything except the beans and pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Stir in the beans during the last 30 minutes. Cook the pasta separately and add it just before serving.
Absolutely! To make a vegetarian version, simply omit the ground beef and use vegetable broth instead of beef and chicken broth. To add a savory depth, you can add a tablespoon of soy sauce or some sautéed mushrooms.
The best way to prevent mushy pasta is to cook it separately and store it apart from the soup base. Only combine the pasta and soup in the bowl just before serving. This ensures the pasta stays perfectly al dente.
The main difference is that Pasta e Fagioli always features pasta and beans as its primary ingredients, resulting in a thicker, heartier soup. Minestrone is typically a more vegetable-forward soup with a thinner broth and can contain a wider variety of vegetables, with pasta and beans being optional additions.
Ready for the Recipe?
Get ready to impress your family and friends with this incredible homemade version of a restaurant favorite. This copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup is the ultimate comfort food in a bowl.
Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Easy Copycat Recipe)
Equipment
- 1 Large Dutch oven or pot
- 1 Medium Saucepan For cooking pasta separately
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef 85/15 or 90/10 recommended
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 15 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
- 15 oz can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 15 oz can cannellini beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup ditalini pasta uncooked
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper or to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned. Drain off excess grease.
- Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef broth, chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. Stir in the oregano, basil, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- While the soup simmers, cook the ditalini pasta in a separate pot of salted water according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
- Once the soup has simmered, stir in the rinsed and drained kidney beans and cannellini beans. Remove the bay leaf.
- To serve, place a portion of the cooked pasta in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Notes
Storage: Store leftover soup (without pasta) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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