This easy Crock Pot Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli soup recipe is packed with flavor. You’ll love it better than the Olive Garden version! I will be the first to admit that the first time I ever heard of or tasted this soup was at Olive Garden. I know it existed in Italy long before Olive Garden was ever around but it was Olive Garden that introduced me to this seriously yummy and hearty soup.
You can make this without a slow cooker. Follow the instructions below, but instead of adding to a slow cooker, just put all ingredients in a large pot (except for the pasta). Cook over low heat for about an hour. During the last 15-20 minutes, add in the pasta.
If you know you are going to want to have leftovers, I would not add the pasta in with the whole slow cooker of soup towards the end of cooking. I would cook the pasta separately and add it to individual servings. The reason being is pasta will continue to absorb any liquid it is in long after it has stopped cooking. Store your soup and pasta separately in covered containers in the refrigerator and mix the two only when reheating. The soup will stay good in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Ingredients :
1 pound extra lean ground beef, browned and drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juice
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 to 15 ounces) white beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups beef broth
1 jar (24 to 26 ounces) tomato-basil marinara or pasta sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons oregano
¾ teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1-1/4 cups dry pasta (I used fusilli, but shells or ditalini would work well), cooked separately according to the package directions.
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, optional for serving
Grated Parmesan, optional for serving
Instructions :
Stir together the cooked and drained ground beef, onion, carrots, celery, tomatoes, beans, broth, pasta sauce, oregano, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper in a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until the vegetables are as tender as you like them.
When ready to serve, stir the cooked pasta into the soup. Taste the soup and adjust the salt and herbs to suit your tastes.
Serve with grated parmesan and a sprinkling of fresh parsley if desired.
Cook’s Notes
Nutritional Estimates Per Serving (1-1/4 cups): 238 calories, 3 g fat, 32 g carbs, 9 g fiber, 19 g protein