This pasta fagioli crock pot recipe is the best copycat recipe for olive garden's famous soup! It is super flavorful, extra hearty, and loaded with tasty ingredients. This is my go-to soup recipe when I am craving a bowl of comfort any time of year. Pair with your favorite garlic breadsticks for the ultimate combination!
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You'll Love This CopyCat Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup
Copycat Recipe. This is one of my favorite soups that I get at Olive Garden! I knew that I had to recreate it at home and make it easy by making it a slow cooker version. Definitely a must-try recipe for all my soup lovers!
Loaded with Flavor! This soup is packed full of fresh veggies, beans, ground beef, noodles, spices, and herbs. The perfect all-in-one meal that everyone in the family will love and go for seconds.
Easy Meal Any Night of the Week. This recipe is great to throw together after work during the week and slow-cooked on high or slow cook on the weekend on low. Cook until your pasta is cooked through, and it's ready to eat!
Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli Soup Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this Crockpot Pasta Fagioli:
- Olive Oil
- Ditalini Pasta: this is a traditional pasta used in minestrone or pasta fagioli. Ditalini means "small thimbles," which is the shape of the pasta.
- Lean Ground Beef: use any percentage of ground beef. Lean ground beef is typically 90/10.
- Onion: choose your preferred type between yellow, white, or sweet.
- Carrots
- Celery
- Minced Garlic: use fresh or store-bought pre-minced to save time.
- Tomato Sauce
- Chicken Broth: substitute with vegetable or beef broth if preferred.
- Diced Tomatoes
- Dried Basil
- Dried Oregano
- Dried Thyme
- Dried Marjoram
- Dark Red Kidney Beans: light red may also be used
- Great Northern Beans: any favorite white bean can be substituted in this recipe
- Salt and Pepper
- Serving: shredded parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
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Substitutions and Variations
Here are some suggestions for customizing your slow cooker pasta fagioli:
- Use ground turkey instead of ground beef to reduce calories and fat content.
- Use fresh herbs in place of dried herbs if preferred.
- Substitute the ditalini pasta with your preferred kind of pasta.
- Omit any ingredients if desired.
- Add some fresh diced peppers such as jalapeno, serrano, or others for some heat in your soup.
How To Make Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli
Here's how to make this easy pasta fagioli crockpot recipe:
- Toss dry ditalini pasta with olive oil. Microwave at 30% power, stirring frequently for 3-5 mins until pasta blisters.
2. In a crockpot with a browning function or skillet, cook the ground beef, onions, carrots, and celery.
3. Add all ingredients to the crockpot, including dry toasted pasta, and stir.
4. Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or until the pasta is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: Blistering the pasta before adding it to a slow cooker helps prevent it from getting too soggy in the slow cooker. Make sure to stir frequently while blistering in the microwave to prevent it from burning.
How to Serve It
There are several ways you can serve your delicious pasta fagioli soup!
Top your soup with shredded parmesan cheese. Use mozzarella if you'd like it extra cheesy!
Garnish with freshly chopped herbs such as parsley, basil, or your other favorites.
Serve it "chili style" by topping it with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and sliced green onions.
Meal Idea! Make your favorite garlic breadsticks and serve with a salad with fresh veggies, parmesan cheese, croutons, and Italian dressing. The perfect at-home olive garden-inspired meal!
Tips For The Best Pasta Fagioli Soup (Crock Pot)
Tip #1: Cook on high for 1.5 hours instead of low to cook it faster if needed.
Tip #2: Make it vegetarian by removing the beef and using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
Tip #3: Premake your pasta and add it to the crockpot 10-20 minutes before serving if you want to skip blistering the pasta before slow cooking.
FAQ's
Let the soup cool, transfer it to an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb quite a bit of liquid, so adjust by adding broth such as vegetable, chicken, or beef.
Reheat in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl. Portioning out your leftovers will help them reheat more evenly.
You can make this soup with meat or vegetarian. You can add ground beef, ground Italian sausage, pancetta, or bacon.
Both of these soups are Italian and do have similar taste and flavor profiles. You can find some recipes for pasta fagioli that blend the beans and then add them to the soup to make it have a creamier texture. Minestrone is more broth-based and doesn't normally have meat.
Pasta e Fagioli means pasta and beans. Traditionally you will find beans, meat, tomato-based broth, pasta, and Italian herbs. You can adjust any ingredients you like to make it how you would enjoy it also.
📖 Recipe
Pasta Fagioli Crock Pot Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 large onion (about 1½ cups)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and diced)
- 3 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce can) diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 (15-ounce can) dark red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 (15-ounce can) great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
- salt and pepper to taste
- for serving: shredded parmesan cheese and fresh parsley
Instructions
- In a crockpot with a browning function, or a skillet, cook the ground beef, onions, carrots, and celery until beef is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender.
- Toss dry ditalini, with olive oil and microwave on 30% power, uncovered, stirring frequently for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until at least half the pasta is blistered.
- Add all ingredients to the crock pot, including dry toasted pasta. Stir.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 3 hours or until the pasta is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Pasta can be pre-cooked and added about 5 to 10 minutes before serving. By doing this there is no need to pre-blister the pasta, and the soup can also be cooked on low for a longer period of time.
- TIP: Blistering the pasta is a quick and easy step that prevents the pasta from becoming to soggy.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Serve with shredded parmesan cheese, fresh basil or parsley and breadsticks.
- STORAGE: Let the soup cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb quite a bit of liquid so adjust by adding chicken or beef broth.
Nutrition
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