Copycat Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli
This hearty Italian soup combines pasta, beans, and ground beef in a savory broth, making it a perfect comfort food. This copycat recipe mimics the famous Olive Garden version, bringing the taste of the restaurant to your home.
Equipment
- 1 Large pot or Dutch oven
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Measuring cups
- 1 Measuring spoons
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup small pasta (such as ditalini or macaroni)
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt Adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- as needed tablespoon olive oil For sautéing
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Add the kidney beans, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the pasta is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
This soup can be easily made ahead of time and reheated. It may thicken slightly after sitting; you can add more broth or water when reheating.
Feel free to customize the beans or add other vegetables according to your preference.
For a vegetarian option, you can omit the ground beef and increase the amount of beans or add lentils instead.