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This Pasta e Fagioli inspired by Olive Garden is so easy to create at home and takes only 20 minutes to cook. I love the soups at Olive Garden and have been making this copycat recipe at home for years along with their Zuppa Tuscana. You won’t believe how incredibly simple it is to make this soup at home for your family with only a few ingredients.
I prefer to make this soup over the stove instead of the instant pot because of how quickly it cooks. This recipe is hearty, low calorie, and can be made gluten-free. One serving is just under 400 calories!
Pasta e Fagioli Ingredients
Pasta e Fagioli uses only a few ingredients and to make things even easier, you can use all canned ingredients so there is very little prep time. If you prefer you can use fresh peeled and seeded tomatoes instead of canned tomatoes, but it will still be just as delicious if you don’t. If you use canned tomatoes, I always recommend going with a better brand like San Marzano. I still 100% believe San Marzano tomatoes are the best for cooking and the closest to using fresh tomatoes in your recipes.
- Ditalini pasta
- Ground Beef
- Carrots
- Can of Diced Tomatoes or peeled and seeded fresh tomatoes
- Chicken broth
- Canned kidney beans and canned cannellini beans (navy beans)
- Tuscan kale or fresh spinach ( I prefer Tuscan kale)
- Onions & Garlic
- tomato paste
- fresh oregano, salt, pepper
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli Inspired by Olive Garden
To begin making this recipe you’ll brown the meat with a small amount of olive or avocado oil in a large pot with salt, pepper, and a little chopped fresh oregano. I always season the meat separately when cooking any recipe. Once the meat is cooked you’ll remove it from the pot and put it to the side in a bowl. Be sure to also reserve any of the juice.
Next, you’ll saute the onions, garlic, diced carrots, kale, and fresh oregano in a small amount of olive oil for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. While this is sauteing, in a separate bowl mix 3 tablespoons of tomato paste with a 1/2 cup of your chicken broth. Once finished sauteing add your ground meat and diced tomatoes, combining all ingredients. Then add your beans, chicken broth, the chicken broth with tomatoes paste, more fresh oregano, salt, & pepper. Let come to a slow boil, add your pasta and reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is cooked and the carrots are soft.
Pasta e Fagioli Recipe Inspired by Olive Garden
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Meat lean
- 1 cup Ditalini Pasta
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 cup tuscan kale chopped
- ½ cup yellow onions diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 can kidney beans
- 1 can navy beans
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 32 ounces chicken broth 1 container
- 1 tbsp olive oil I really like Avocado Oil as well
- 1 tbsp oregano fresh
- 1½ tsp salt pink himalayan
- 1 tsp pepper
- ½ cup parmesan cheese (optional) for garnish
Instructions
- First, season your ground meat with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano and saute in a large pot with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil. Once cooked remove the ground meat to a separate bowl and put it to the side. Be sure to also save any juice.
- Next, add 1/2 tbsp of olive oil to your pot and saute your onions, garlic, carrots, kale, and 1/2 tbsp oregano for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. While sauteing take out a separate small bowl or measuring cup and whisk together your tomato paste and about 1/2 cup of your chicken broth.
- Once finished sauteing, add your ground meat and diced tomatoes. Combine all ingredients.
- Then add your beans with juice (no need to drain), chicken broth, chicken broth mixed with tomato paste, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano. Bring to a slow boil, add your pasta, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until your pasta is cooked and carrots are soft.
- As a garnish, you can top with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh oregano.
Notes
Benefits of Pink Himalayan Salt
I always use Pink Himalayan Salt in all of my recipes. It adds a better flavor, contains 84 beneficial minerals, and has less sodium than regular table salt. Since I started using Pink Himalayan salt several years ago, I could never go back to using regular table salt. You'll taste the difference.Benefits of using avocado oil instead of olive oil
When I cook, I often use avocado oil instead of olive oil for sauteing because it has a much higher heat tolerance than olive oil. I primarily use olive oil when it is added for flavor such as a dressing, rather than for sauteing or searing.Nutrition
Other Soup Recipes You May Enjoy
What are easy Pasta e Fagioli Soup Substitutions?
– You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by just substituting gluten-free pasta.
– If you are keto, low carb, or paleo just omit the pasta completely and this Olive Garden copycat soup is still delicious.
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Sondra Barker
