Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty Italian-inspired soup made with ground beef, tender pasta, beans, vegetables, and a rich tomato broth. This easy copycat recipe tastes just like the classic from Olive Garden—perfect for cozy dinners, meal prep, and leftovers.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ditalini pasta or other small pasta
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4–5 minutes until vegetables soften.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
- Bring soup to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes.
- Stir in kidney beans, Great Northern beans, and uncooked pasta.
- Simmer for 8–10 minutes, until pasta is tender.
- Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Avoid overcooking the pasta—it continues to soften as the soup sits.
- For best meal prep results, cook pasta separately and add when reheating.
- Add extra broth if the soup thickens too much overnight.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is a great finishing touch.