Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup

I love this easy Pasta e Fagioli soup!  It is full of tons of veggies and beans (think fiber) and has enough meat in it to make it the kind of soup you can have as a meal. This is a pretty close copycat recipe to the Pasta e Fagioli at the Olive Garden.

If you love hearty soups, you will also enjoy this Taco Soup as well as this Italian Wedding soup. I also like making this Hamburger Soup when I want a simple soup to use up veggies in the fridge.

Be aware that this recipe makes a nice big batch. I have found an easy and very effective way to freeze individual portions of this soup.  I'll share those with you below. 

Why I love this soup

Pasta fagioli is a classic Italian soup, variations of which I grew up on. The hearty combination of pasta and beans creates a warm and satisfying meal, evoking memories of family dinners.

This soup is versatile and can be customized to your liking. You can adjust the broth thickness, add different types of vegetables or protein, or even experiment with different bean varieties.

This meal in a pot feels like it is a lot of work or expensive but it isn't. The ingredients are typically pantry staples, making it a budget-friendly meal option. Plus, the preparation is often straightforward, allowing you to easily make a satisfying meal.

This is a recipe I love to make on a lazy Sunday or a rainy day. I freeze the leftovers and am always glad I do!

Ingredients

It looks like a lot of ingredients but many of the seasonings you probably have at home!

2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1 ½ lbs lean ground beef (ground turkey also works)
3 large carrots - diced
5 celery stalks - diced
½ large sweet onion (diced) or one small onion
1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (the large can)
1 30 oz beef broth (or chicken broth)
2 leaves Bay (optional, but I love the flavor)
1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried garlic
1 15 oz can cannelloni beans (drain then rinse)(aka chickpeas)
1 15voz can red kidney beans (rained then rinse)
1 cup ditalini pasta - uncooked (macaroni noodles also work!)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce (optional) - I often add to beef-based recipes
Optional veggies to add - green beans, bell peppers, russet potatoes or red potatoes, fresh or canned diced tomatoes, frozen corn, zucchini
Adding salt and ground black pepper is optional. I find when using canned beans, no extra salt is needed.

Instructions

Step 1
Add oil to a large Dutch oven or pot and brown ground beef.

Step 2
In the same pot, add all ingredients except beans and pasta.
Bring to an easy boil, then turn down to simmer (usually medium to medium low heat) and cook for approx. ½ hour stir occasionally.

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Step 3
Add beans and pasta. Cook until pasta is al dente. Approx. 10 minutes but check the pasta container directions, since cooking times may vary.
Remove bay leaves before serving or freezing.

Step 4
If desired, serve in a bowl and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and ground pepper. If handy, add some fresh parsley as a garnish for color.
Serve with fresh crusty rolls or a salad to round out the meal.

How to Store and Freeze Leftovers

As mentioned earlier, this recipe makes a large amount.  I LOVE freezing soup in individual portions and have tried many different ways.  Freezing soup in flat plastic bags is a great way to freeze individual portions.  

I prefer filling these 12 oz jars; it makes a perfect individual portion. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, and you have a delicious homemade lunch!

Serving from Frozen - I've made and stored this many times. I have found that when stored, the pasta and the beans absorb the broth. Sometimes you need to add more so your soup has the right amount of liquid.  If you don't have broth, it's flavorful enough that you probably won't notice if you add a bit of water.

FAQ

Other Delicious Soups

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5 from 10 votes

Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup.

A delicious and hearty soup that eats like a meal!  Flavorful, similar to Olive Garden's Pasta-e-Fagioli.   This is a scratch recipe, and the hardest most time-consuming part is chopping some of the vegetables!  This recipe was also known as Hamburger soup by my kids!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12 or more!

Calories: 251Kcal

Author: Susan Moncrieff

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
• 3 large carrots - diced
• 5 celery stalks - diced
• ½ large sweet onion diced
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes the large can
• 1 30 oz beef broth or chicken broth
• 2 leaves Bay optional but I love the flavor
• 1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoon basil
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic
• 1 15 oz can cannelloni beans drain then rinse
• 1 15 oz can red kidney beans rained then rinse
• 1 cup ditalini pasta - uncooked
• optional veggies to add - green beans, bell peppers, russet potatoes or red potatoes, fresh or canned diced tomatoes, frozen corn, zucchini
• Adding salt and ground pepper is optional. I find when using canned beans no extra salt is needed.

Instructions

• Add oil to heavy pot or dutch oven and brown ground beef.
• Add all ingredients except beans and pasta.
• Bring to an easy boil then turn down to simmer (usually medium heat)  and cook for approx. ½ hour stir occasionally.
• Add beans and pasta. Cook until pasta is al dante. Approx. 10 minutes.
• Remove bay leaves before serving or freezing.
• Serve in a bowl and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and ground pepper if desired.  If handy, add some fresh parsley as a garnish for color.
• Serve with fresh crusty rolls.

Notes

If you don't have crushed tomatoes handy, I have used tomato sauce.  Elbow macaroni also works if you don't have ditalina pasta.
(Adding salt and ground pepper is optional. I find when using canned beans no extra salt is needed.)

Other delicious and hearty soups on my website.

Homemade Italian Wedding Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Taco Soup

Nutrition (I am not a nutritionist. These are estimates only)

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 251Kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 770mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2787IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 4mg

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**Originally published Jan. 30, 2018 and updated regularly.