Hearty Italian Bean Pasta Soup Better Than Olive Garden (50 Minutes Stovetop)
Pasta e Fagioli simmers ground beef, beans, ditalini, and vegetables in tomato-herb broth for rustic Italian comfort. Copycat classic upgraded with fresh herbs and perfect pasta timing. Freezes like a dream.
Why This Pasta e Fagioli Excels
Beef base richer than veggie-only. Dual beans texture variety. Ditalini perfect bite. Aromatics softened right. Herbs balanced (basil oregano thyme marjoram). Pasta separate = never mushy.
Ingredients (Serves 6)
Beef & Oil:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
Vegetables:
- 1½ cups yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
Sauce Base:
- 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup water (more if needed)
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¾ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp dried marjoram
- Salt/pepper
Finish:
- 1 cup ditalini pasta, cooked al dente
- 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained
- Parmesan/Romano + parsley
Instructions
1. Brown Beef (5 Min)
1 tbsp oil pot MED-HIGH. Beef crumble brown. Drain fat. Plate.
2. Soften Vegetables (8 Min)
Remaining oil. Onion + carrot + celery 6-8 min tender edge-brown. Garlic 1 min.
3. Build Broth (3 Min)
Tomato sauce + broth + water + tomatoes + sugar + ALL herbs. Beef back. Salt/pepper. Boil.
4. Simmer Deep (20 Min)
LOW cover. 15-20 min veggies soft broth rich.
5. Pasta Perfect (2 Min)
Separate pot ditalini al dente. Drain.
6. Beans & Pasta (3 Min)
Pasta + kidney + northern beans soup. 1-2 min warm. Thin broth if needed.
7. Serve Hot
Parsley + cheese bowl.
Serving
Classic:
- Crusty bread
- Parmesan crusts simmered in
Light:
- Arugula salad lemon
Storage
Fridge: 5 days (pasta separate)
Freeze: No pasta 3 months
Pro Tips
Ditalini OR elbows/small shells
Cook pasta al dente separate
Low-sodium broth ranch control
Edge-brown veggies flavor
Fresh parsley bright finish
Nutrition (Per Serving): Calories: ~350 | Protein: 22g | Carbs: 45g | Fat: 10g
Troubleshooting
Mushy pasta? Add cooked separate
Thin? Simmer uncovered
Bland? Herbs/sugar/salt adjust
Italy bowl.
Print
Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe (Better Than Olive Garden)
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Authentic Pasta e Fagioli Soup beats Olive Garden copycat! Hearty beef, beans, ditalini pasta, and Italian herbs simmered to perfection. Ready in 50 minutes. Family favorite you’ll make weekly.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water, plus more if needed
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 tsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup dry ditalini pasta
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese for serving
3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
Instructions
1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add ground beef and cook until browned.
3. Drain the fat and transfer beef to a plate.
4. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pot.
5. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté until tender.
6. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
7. Add broth, tomato sauce, water, tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and beef.
8. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cover.
10. Simmer until vegetables are soft, about 15–20 minutes.
11. Cook ditalini pasta separately to al dente.
12. Add pasta, kidney beans, and great northern beans to the soup.
13. Thin with water or broth if needed.
14. Cook 1 minute longer. Stir in parsley.
15. Serve warm with grated cheese.
Notes
Add pasta only to individual servings if you plan to store leftovers.
Pasta softens quickly when left in the soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
