Name: Copycat Pasta e Fagioli Soup Dutch Oven Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (454 g); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 medium carrots, diced; 1 large onion, diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 15 oz can diced tomatoes (422 g); 15 oz can tomato sauce (422 g); 4 cups chicken broth (946 ml); 15 oz can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained (425 g); 15 oz can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained (425 g); 1 tablespoon Italian seaosning; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 cup ditalini pasta (100 g); 2 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Jump to Recipe

Every day is soup season in my house! This Dutch oven version of my favorite copycat Olive Garden pasta e fagioli is a huge hit every time I make it. It is packed with flavor, tons of protein, and is ideal for making any weeknight or even letting slow cook on the weekend. I love that this is truly an easy soup starter or a perfect meal all by itself.

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe

If you've ever been to the Olive Garden chain of restaurants, you have probably tasted this soup. It's a delightful choice that is rich, hardy, and flavorful. While it is similar to minestrone it is a bit different and more satisfying. Rather than pay the price to go to the restaurant, make your own and serve up any night of the week at home!

If you like this, you will also love the copycat Zuppa Toscana soup recipe. Both of these are made popular by the Italian chain restaurant but are also classic Italian dishes. While this is a more "Americanized" version, you'll find a similar choice common in many true Italian households.

Can I Substitute the Ground Beef?

While ground beef is the traditional option, you can choose another ground meat for your soup if you prefer. Whether it is for added flavor or for health reasons, you'll find this soup is easy to adjust with a different protein.

You can easily substitute the ground beef with ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground pork. Some even do part beef and part pork for a different blend of flavor and texture. Using Italian sausage is another great option that really amps up the flavor while keeping the same overall texture in the soup.

What Beans are Best in Olive Garden Soup?

Traditionally kidney beans and Great Nothern beans are used in this soup recipe. In a pinch, you can use any cannellini bean or even a pinto bean in place of the kidney beans.

For ease in the kitchen and to reduce the overall cooking time, you will most likely use the canned beans versus cooking them from scratch as dry beans. Both options work for the soup and it is totally up to you whether you want to prepare the beans from dry or simply grab a can from the pantry.

What Can I Use in Place of an Italian Seasoning Blend?

If you don't have a pre-made Italian seasoning blend, you can substitute it for your own blend. Below is what I like to use in place of the 1 tablespoon ready-made blend in this recipe.

1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried thyme

Can I Freeze pasta e Fagioli Soup?

Yes! One of the best parts of this soup is how easy it is to prepare in advance. You can easily make large batches and freeze them for future meal plans.

When you prepare the soup, allow it to cool completely. Then portion into 2 cup portions. You can place it into a gallon-sized freezer bag, but I prefer doing it in smaller portions so I can heat it up one serving at a time. Regardless of what you store the soup in, make sure you leave 1" at the top of the container for expansion as it freezes.

Always date and label any foods you put into the freezer and use this soup in particular within 6 months of the original date. It is best thawed overnight in the refrigerator and reheated on the stove top or in the microwave until piping hot.

What Goes Into Pasta e Fagioli Soup?

Olive oil
Ground beef
Carrots
Onion
Celery
Garlic
Diced tomatoes
Tomato sauce
Chicken broth
Great Northern beans
Kidney beans
Ditalini pasta
Italian seasoning
Salt
Black pepper
Fresh basil

Handy Kitchen Tools

How do I Make Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup?

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or similar stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the beef regularly and break up any large clumps. Once it is cooked through, remove it from the Dutch oven and drain off any excess fat remaining, then set it aside.

To the Dutch oven, add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Saute, stirring regularly, for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion and celery are softened.

Add in the diced tomatoes,and tomato sauce.

Then add theground beef back into the Dutch oven and stir to combine.

Next, add in kidney beans and Great Northern beans along with the chicken broth. Stir to combine everything together then simmer over medium heat for 10-minutes. Stir occasionally as it cooks.

After 10-minutes, add in the pasta, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Bring back to a simmer, and cook for an additional 10-minutes.

Stir in fresh chopped basil, and serve hot.

How to Make Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli

Turn the Instant Pot to saute mode and add in the oil and ground beef. Cook the ground beef for 3 to 4 minutes until browned, then remove and drain off excess grease.

To the Instant Pot, add in the celery, onion, garlic, and carrots. Saute for 2 minutes stirring it regularly.

Pour in the chicken broth, and scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck-on bits.

Add in the ground beef, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, Great Northern beans, pasta, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper.

Set to soup setting for 3 minutes.

Once the cooking cycle is done allow the pressure to naturally release for 5-minutes.

Release remaining pressure and stir in basil before serving.

How do You Make Pasta e Fagioli Soup in the Slow Cooker

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat and cook the ground beef for 3 to 4 minutes until browned. Drain off excess oils.

Place the ground beef, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, kidney beans, Great Northern beans, chicken broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper into the slow cooker.

Place the lid on and cook on low heat setting for 4 hours or high heat for 2 hours. Stir in the pasta and fresh basil then continue cooking for an additional 30-minutes

Stir well before serving.

More Tasty Soup Recipes

Adding soup to your menu is always a good idea. Below are some of our favorite soups that are ideal for adding to your menu for lunch, a meal starter, or a hard main dish.

📖 Recipe

Yield: 8