Olive Garden Copycat Pasta E Fagioli Slow Cooker Soup Recipe
This Olive Garden Copycat Pasta E Fagioli Slow Cooker Soup is a hearty and comforting Italian-inspired dish featuring tender ground beef, cannellini and kidney beans, vegetables, and ditalini pasta simmered in a savory tomato and beef broth. Perfect for a cozy meal, this recipe uses a slow cooker for easy preparation and rich flavor development.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 pound ground beef
Beans
- 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, cubed
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
Pasta
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
Liquids & Broth
- 32 oz beef broth
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes
Seasonings
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp thyme
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain excess fat to keep the soup lighter.
- Transfer Beef to Slow Cooker: Place the browned ground beef into your slow cooker to serve as the soup’s protein base.
- Add Tomatoes and Seasonings: Pour in the crushed tomatoes and sprinkle in oregano, basil, and thyme to build the soup’s rich Italian flavor profile.
- Add Vegetables: Add the chopped onion, cubed carrots, chopped celery, and chopped garlic to the slow cooker, distributing evenly for balanced flavor.
- Add Beans: Drain and rinse the cannellini and kidney beans, then add them to the slow cooker for hearty texture and protein.
- Pour in Broth: Pour the beef broth over all the ingredients to provide the soup liquid and depth of taste.
- Add Bay Leaves: Place the bay leaves in the slow cooker to infuse subtle herbal notes during cooking.
- Cook Soup: Stir all ingredients gently to combine. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
- Add Pasta: Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the ditalini pasta, stirring it in carefully.
- Continue Cooking: Replace the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot, ideally with crusty bread or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, omit ground beef and use vegetable broth.
- Rinsing canned beans reduces sodium content.
- Do not overcook the pasta—adding it towards the end prevents it from getting too soft.
- Leftovers store well refrigerated for up to 4 days and freeze nicely.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat if desired.
Keywords: Pasta e Fagioli, Olive Garden copycat, slow cooker soup, Italian soup, beef and bean soup, hearty pasta soup
