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.
Table of contents
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.
Pro Prep Tip - Try to chop all your vegetables into a similar size. It's easier to eat and that's how the professionals do it. For example, don't have minced onions and big thick carrot slices.
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
Pasta fagioli soup is a thicker soup. It also has pasta, which is not found in traditional minestrone recipes. The same applies to hamburger meat - Minestrone soup is more a vegetable-based soup.
It means pasta and beans. It means a delicious hearty soup that fills you up when you are hungry!
Other Delicious Soups
Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup.
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
(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)
Please pin to your Pinterest account!
**Originally published Jan. 30, 2018 and updated regularly.
Cathy Brown
I made this soup tonight and it is delicious and filling. Can’t wait to pack it for lunches this week. Thanks for sharing!
momcrieff
Hi Cathy! Thanks for trying this soup and for commenting. I love making this soup because it is filling and I have lots of leftovers that I can freeze for other meals!
Gail
I used half tomato juice and half beef broth and it turned out sooo good. Next time I will try V-8 juice instead of tomato juice.
momcrieff
I like the idea of trying V-8 juice. That would add some different seasonings/flavors. Please let me know how that works!
Christine | Vermilion Roots
I like having a hearty bowl of soup as a meal. Sometimes I make a big batch to freeze so we'll have convenient dinners on busy days.
sprinklesandsprouts
I love a good heart soup like this. We are just coming into Autumn so this will be perfect very soon 🙂
peter @feedyoursoultoo
Such a hearty soup. Totally warming from the inside out.
Claudia | Gourmet Project
cozy sunday night? pasta e fagioli of course! love your recipe.
ginger and scotch
Love soups - especially the kind that's easy to make in big batches and freeze for later!
Patti
Looks so delicious. My husband is half Italian but I have never had this from anyone is his family. I'll have to try it because I know he will like it. Pinning.