Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup Copycat Recipe tastes just like the original. This hearty, Italian-seasoned soup is easily made in a slow cooker.
Pasta E Fagioli Soup
This Pasta E Favioli Soup is one of our family’s most favorite cold weather meals. It reminds me of fall leaves, football season, sweaters and cozy fires. It’s my top choice at Olive Garden every time we go there to eat, so I decided to find a way to make it at home. This copycat recipe tastes exactly like the popular restaurant dish, but makes enough to serve a crowd and can be made right at home.
What is Pasta E Fagioli Soup?
This Italian soup literally means “pasta and beans” so that’s what you’ll find in this dish, along with ground beef, Italian seasonings in a rich tomato based broth. Pasta E Fagioli is very similar to another hearty favorite, minestrone. The difference between these two soups is minestrone uses several different veggies and Pasta E Fagioli features onion, celery and carrots for flavor, but no other vegetables.
Tips for Pasta E Fagioli Soup
- This recipe makes a LOT of soup (approximately 12-15 servings) so it’s a terrific recipe for feeding a crowd or if you like leftovers for lunches. It’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for about three days.
- This soup also freezes well, so store in freezer safe containers or Ziploc bags in the freezer for up to two months.
- Make sure to use a large crock pot, or feel free to cut the recipe in half.
- Pasta E Fagioli is delicious served with some crusty bread, our delicious Hot Cheese Bread recipe, or one of my favorites, cornbread. Our Cake Mix Cornbread is goes perfectly with this soup.
More Slow Cooker Soups to Try
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup: Chicken and Rice Soup warms you up on cold fall and winter days. It is also ideal for busy days. The ingredients go into the Slow Cooker in the morning and a nice, hot meal awaits in the evening.
- Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup: There are so many different vegetables in this Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup. It is very healthy and hearty.
- Slow Cooker Cheese Tortellini Soup: This Cheese Tortellini Soup is a flavorful, easy slow cooker meal. Tortellini, sausage, and spinach in a creamy tomato soup and slow cooked to perfection.
- Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup: This is one of the easiest soups you will ever make. It is filled with flavorful meat and vegetables. Everyone loves it!
- Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana Soup: Many agree that this Zuppa Toscana Soup Olive Garden Copycat is actually better than the original! It has a creamy both base and is loaded with sausage and potatoes.
How to make Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 carrots shredded
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes undrained
- 16 ounces red kidney beans drained
- 16 ounces white kidney beans drained
- 4 cups beef stock
- 3 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons pepper
- 5 teaspoons parsley
- 1 teaspoons tabasco sauce
- 20 ounces Prego traditional spaghetti sauce
- 8 ounces Ditalini pasta
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in large skillet. Drain fat.
- Add beef and all ingredients except the pasta into a large crock pot.
- Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- Before serving, cook pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and add to soup.
- Serve with crusty bread, breadsticks, or cornbread.
Elizabeth Goins says
August 21, 2012 at 9:07 pmThank you for posting this! This is my husband’s favorite soup! Can’t wait to try!
Michelle S says
January 29, 2019 at 7:15 amMY question is, “WHY would you use all if these wonderful, fresh ingredients and then add a jar of PREGO????…UGH
Favorite Family Recipes says
January 29, 2019 at 12:14 pmHere is a link to our homemade sauce that you can use instead if you would like! https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/homemade-spaghetti-sauce-with-fresh-tomatoes/
Rob Dotzler says
March 9, 2019 at 12:43 amYeah, that’s messed up. That’s why you make batches of sauce and then use the freezer. In fact, that’s why I bought a vacuum sealer system, so I can make up to a years worth at a time. It’s just as easy to make triple batch if you have a big enough pot.
Liann says
August 22, 2012 at 1:26 pmThis is one my all-time favorite soups. My mom and I used to go to Olive Garden when I was a kid to get this soup, along with their salad and breadsticks of course. I can’t wait for Fall and cooler temps so I can add this one to my list of soup recipes I plan to make.
JC says
September 1, 2012 at 11:57 pmSounds delicious! I can’t wait for San Diego to cool down so I can try this.
Emily says
September 9, 2012 at 8:39 amYou could always do the recipe over the stove in a fraction of the time. But this recipe you can throw in a crock pot in the morning and have delicious dinner at night (where the flavors have been simmering together all day).
Pat says
July 27, 2018 at 7:04 amI am making this in a stock pot, my 6 qt crockpot wouldn’t hold all of the ingredients. Excited to try it tonight.
Favorite Family Recipes says
July 31, 2018 at 2:40 pmHi Pat– what size slow cooker did you use? I use a 6 qt and it BARELY fits.
Lynette Wilwert says
September 9, 2012 at 1:41 pmThis is my favorite Olive Garden soup, I can’t wait to try it. Thank you.
Christen says
September 11, 2012 at 4:10 amI made this last night! Absolutely delicious, my husband had 3rds! Make sure you use a very large crockpot! This made so much that I’m going to freeze some of the leftovers. My husband called this ‘the same or BETTER than Olive Garden’s!!!’
Pam says
September 15, 2012 at 3:30 pmI made this about noon today & we just just had it for dinner this evening. I only had 1 carrot on hand so wasn”t able to shred the 3 called for in the recipe. I also decided to add a can of drained & rinsed black beans that I wanted to use up to the white & red kidney beans. I had macaroni in the pantry so just fixed enough to put a small handful in the bottom of each bowl before adding the soup to the bowl & then added some shredded parmesean cheese to the top of the bowl. My husband & I both agreed that we liked this better than regular chili. Since we now have enough to freeze alot of “Italian Chili”, we’ll be enjoying this frequently. We’ll just add enough pasta each time that we heat it up instead of freezing the pasta with the soup. Next time I will try to half the recipe & also use less pepper & tobasco than listed & have enough shredded carrots. Thanks for posting this excellent recipe!
Teresa says
September 16, 2014 at 3:01 pmI just made this and was out of canned kidney beans so I sustituted a can of pintos and a can of navy beans. It was still delicious! =)
sue piotrowski says
March 28, 2017 at 2:45 amI made this last night for 3 hungry men, and still have enough leftovers for them to eat again tonight. This makes a huge pot full! I did mine on the stovetop and added smokey bacon in with the hamburger for a added depth of flavor. I also added 2 minced garlic with the onion. I live in Switzerland and we don’t have Prego here, so I used a large jar (2 cups) of Italian herbed tomato sauce and 2 Tbls of Brown sugar with a generous handful of assorted Italian herbs. I cooked the pasta in the pot after adding all the liquids, but that meant I had to stand and stir frequently so they wouldn’t stick to the bottom. I will cook separately next time and then add to pot once cooked al dente and drained so it will soak up the flavors of the soup. It is a must to serve with a cut up a loaf of crusty bread with sweet butter. I set out a jar of homemade chili oil for those who like a bit more heat. I topped with fresh grated parmesan cheese and gouda. Loved this recipe!!!
Brooke says
September 16, 2012 at 6:03 pmI made this for dinner tonight and it was awesome! I cut the recipe in half and there is still tons leftover for the week. Thank you and I’m looking forward to purchasing your new cook book! Congrats!!
Diane says
September 20, 2012 at 6:40 pmMy husband loves this soup. It’s probably the best offering at Olive Garden. Think I’ll surprise him with this next week
Sarah Zink says
September 24, 2012 at 1:17 pmThis recipe is huge! I’m making it right now and it doesn’t even fit in my crockpot. I’m going to have to dump it all in a big bowl and separate it out into two pots.
Courtney says
September 25, 2012 at 6:52 amI’ve got this simmering away in the crockpot as I type this. It smells delicious! My only complaint is the large amount this recipe makes. I didn’t cook all 2lbs of ground beef and have not added the noodles yet and the crockpot is filled to the rim. I’ll follow up and let everyone know how it tastes 🙂
Courtney says
September 25, 2012 at 5:38 pmTurned out absolutely delicious!
Melissa says
September 25, 2012 at 9:39 pmAre the amounts for the oregano and parsley based on fresh or dried? Just want to make sure I don’t over do it. 🙂
Emily says
September 26, 2012 at 8:23 amDried
Vanessa says
September 27, 2012 at 12:29 pmMade this for Sunday dinner after church, and it was a huge hit! Totally amazing 🙂 Super easy to make. A note of warning however, it makes A LOT! My 6 quart crock pot was full to the top and overflowing. I will probably half the recipe next time
Lisa says
September 27, 2012 at 4:32 pmI made this tonight was so good hubby really liked to made it in my crock pot i will be sure to make again and pass it on thank you
Wendy says
September 28, 2012 at 7:02 amThis recipe sounds so good. I can’t wait to make it. I am going to buy everything I need to make it this weekend at the store. Thanks for posting it 🙂
Sandy says
September 30, 2012 at 10:11 amI made this soup yesterday, and it was delicious! I did it in a stock pot since I wasn’t sure it would fit in my crock pot. It does make a lot of soup, but when you work night shift and need to be able to just throw something in a container, it works well! The only thing I did different was instead of the separate veggies, I used 2 bags of frozen mirapoix blend that was pre-chopped. I also didn’t add the pasta to the whole pot as my dad doesn’t eat pasta. I just added it to the bowls so he didn’t have to pick around it. It was a hit with everybody. Will definitely make again!
Lynette Wilwert says
September 30, 2012 at 5:01 pmI have it all prepped and in the fridge so I can put in on in the morning, can’t wait to try it tomorrow night. Thank you for the recipe.
Caryn P says
October 2, 2012 at 11:53 amMaking this today…Had to transfer to my Nesco/roaster since I didn’t have room for the last 2 cups of beef stock…and I have a huge crock pot! Can’t wait to eat it tonight! (And tomorrow…and next month since we’ll be freezing 🙂
Melissa says
October 4, 2012 at 7:26 pmI’m going to make this this weekend only with ground turkey! It looks delicious!
amy says
October 5, 2012 at 5:56 pmI made this today and it is fabulous!! so easy and I agree with the other posts….it tastes just as good than olive garden!! Make sure you use a very large croc pot. it makes alot.
Beverly says
October 9, 2012 at 5:13 pmThis looks terrific! I love Olive Garden’s soup. Guess what’s on the menu this week? Thanks!
Candi says
October 9, 2012 at 7:49 pmThis is by far the best soup that I have ever made! Thanks for the simple crockpot recipe…..
kathi says
October 10, 2012 at 4:05 pmMade this minus the meet and fell in love all over again!!! 🙂
Michele says
October 11, 2012 at 4:42 amDoes this need any added salt? I don’t see salt on the ingredient list. I am making this tonight.
Emily says
October 11, 2012 at 6:27 pmYou can add some salt to taste if you think it needs it.
Andrea says
October 11, 2012 at 4:00 pmLove love love this just wish there was done nutrient facts posted…
Janine says
October 11, 2012 at 8:33 pmMade this tonight and it was GREAT! I didn’t have all 5 tsp of parsley, so I used italian seasoning and it still came out awesome – and I love that there’s no added salt – doesn’t even need it!
Donna says
October 16, 2012 at 3:13 amThis soup was a huge hit when I served it earlier in the month. While it does make a lot, my crock pot was completely empty after 7 adults, two children and a teen enjoyed seconds. I’ll be making this again as soon as the weather turns chilly.
Teresa says
October 18, 2012 at 3:46 amA generous Tablespoon of white vinegar brings out the flavors, much as salt would, and adds a spark to this soup.
Gina says
October 18, 2012 at 5:42 pmWow, we loved it! It’s still hot in October in the Bay Area but I went ahead and made this soup today. We will definitely make this soup again.
Amanda says
October 21, 2012 at 7:21 amHave this in the crockpot right now cooking on high so I can have it in time for lunch! I cut the recipie in half, I dont have a huge crockpot and even cut in half its almost overflowing. Looks delicious. I love soups and my husband is not a fan so I end up eating a whole pot of soup by myself. This will be perfect for lunches this week. I go to a lot of large potlucks where it would be perfect to make the full sized recipie, as soon as I get a bigger crockpot!
Chaz says
October 27, 2012 at 12:58 pmThis is fabulous! If you don’t want to make it in a crock pot, just throw it in a pot on the stove! I doubled the recipe and before adding the pasta halved it, so I could freeze part of it!
Mandy says
October 27, 2012 at 4:38 pmThank you for posting this. Made this for dinner tonight. Even my kid (who is picky) loved this.
Grace says
October 28, 2012 at 5:45 pmJust made this recipe for myself and my three roommates. Everyone loved it! Like others previously stated, this makes a HUGE amount of soup. I only used 1lb of beef. Next time I will cut the recipe in half for sure!
nancy says
November 2, 2012 at 3:46 pmI make a version of this soup also-one I found online years ago. It calls for mostly the same ingredients-but in addition, a can of v8, and 1T of white vinegar. I worked at the OG for several years, and I love that soup! 🙂
Laura says
November 8, 2012 at 2:28 pmYeah this makes a TON! I have it cooking for dinner right now- had to transfer some of it to a second, smaller slow cooker because I had a little more than 2 lbs of meat to use, and it absolutely would have overflowed my 6 qt crockpot. Excited to try it!
Whitney says
November 11, 2012 at 8:57 amI didn’t have a big enough crockpot but I have a huge stockpot so I made this soup in that. I had to improvise a little because I didn’t have two cans of tomatoes on hand. I had one can of tomatoes and I had a can of tomato sauce so I used those instead. I cooked the pasta to al dente then I added all ingrediants to the stockpot and heated until boiling. Then I reduced heat to simmer and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes then served it. It was great this way because we were able to have it for lunch rather than waiting for dinner. It is amazing! I love that it makes a ton because I will be freezing individual servings to bring to work! Thanks, another great pinterest find!
Aurora H says
November 11, 2012 at 5:11 pmThis was fantastic! I made it tonight and my whole family was impressed. I found that garlic salt and parmesan were great additives. Try with a side of spinach and feta stuffed crescent rolls!
Barbara says
November 17, 2012 at 1:01 pmI’ve used this recipe for many years, and it’s absolutely wonderful. I angle-cut my carrots though because our local Olive Garden manager had them done that way. She got promoted and the new manager shreds them, and he’s stingy, so try it with the carrot medallions; it’s prettier and holds up better to long cooking with the larger size. I do add minced garlic and a bit of sugar to offset the tomato’s acidity, also. I freeze large quantities of my soup in quart jars, and it is wonderful to have on hand. I make large amounts in a stock pot; not in my little crock pot. We like to let it sit in the refrigerator overnight for the flavors to meld better.
Rhonda says
November 25, 2012 at 4:24 pmWOW, this is fantastic. I will definitly make it again. My husband loved it too.
Valerie says
November 29, 2012 at 11:57 amI LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!! I have make it several times for my family and its a hit every time. My husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and he loves it! Highly recommend trying it for yourself!
Joan says
November 30, 2012 at 4:47 amI made this soup last night for dinner. It turned out great. It’s been so long since Olive Gardens left Canada, I can’t remember how their Pasta e Fagoli soup tasted. But I do know that this was a really nice meal to leave cooking and come home to dinner ready. Thank you for sharing.
Paula says
November 30, 2012 at 3:16 pmMade this soup a couple of weeks ago and loved it! Making it again tomorrow. Instead of 2 cans of diced tomatoes, I used a can of diced and a can of pureed (what I had in the pantry). The flavor was fabulous. Thanks for posting!
Nicole says
December 4, 2012 at 8:19 pmI made this recipe tonight and it was perfect, tasted exactly like the real thing!! Just be prepared by how large a portion it really makes, it wouldn’t all fit in my crockpot (guess I have an excuse to get a new, bigger one ;).
Shirley says
December 5, 2012 at 9:20 amThis is my husbands favorite soup to eat at Olive Garden.. Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe, I will definitely surprise him making it for dinner ! Also this will be a great hit with the large amount of company coming in for the holidays.
Aimee G says
December 5, 2012 at 7:42 pmMade this tonight and loved it! I did cut it in half because I’m
Only cooking for 2 people, my husband was concerned though that it wasn’t soupy enough.
What should I add to make less chili and more soup?
Shannon says
March 7, 2016 at 8:03 amI thought the same thing. It’s cooking now and it’s not very soupy. I’ve made it before (it’s DELICIOUS) and can’t remember if it creates more broth as it’s cooking or if I added something. I guess we’ll wait and see…
Susan says
December 12, 2012 at 11:45 amI made this today & OMGosh….it is excellent! It does fill the crock pot to the top & makes a lot.
Kristin says
December 18, 2012 at 1:36 pmMaking this now! I’m excited for the final product. Didn’t realize how much it would make so will have to keep the posts separate. Should have enough to freeze for another night too. Serving with garlic bread yum!
Nancy DelSNto says
December 30, 2012 at 5:40 pmLOVED this recipe! It made a ton of soup that tasted fantastic! This recipe will be made in this house over and over
michelle says
January 1, 2013 at 1:55 pmI dont care for celery so I omitted that and added zuccini! yum!
Regina says
January 6, 2013 at 7:49 amI made halfed the recipe. Does that mean I should half the cooking time in the crock pot? Thank you! 🙂
Emily says
January 6, 2013 at 12:28 pmNo, don’t cut the time in half, but maybe check it an hour to half hour earlier.
marlene says
January 9, 2013 at 5:09 pmAnyone know how long it will take to heat in a 6 quart crockpot after it has been refrigerated? Want to make it a day early. Thanks
Ra says
January 13, 2013 at 11:21 amI am looking so forward to making this because of all the post. All your post are so helpful too. I will cut the recipe in half. THANKS
Sue says
January 13, 2013 at 1:25 pmI have looked at a lot of Pasta Fagoli soups online and all are very similiar and I was curious has anyone every tired adding cumin to it. I thought I always detected a bit of that when I at this soup at olive garden or was it chili powder?
Liz says
January 14, 2013 at 10:32 amI am making this tonight! I didn’t thaw out the hamburger meat in time to use the crock pot this morning so I’m thawing it out now and will be making it in a big pot on the stove. My husband is working nights right now so I think this will be a good family friendly meal, especially with this crazy cool weather we’re having in Texas. Need something to warm us up! I don’t have a few of the things on hand…and I despise the grocery store, I go as little as possible. 🙂 So, I’ll be using marge butter beans or great northern beans instead of white kidney beans also Italian seasoning to sub for some of the others.
Hoping for a successful meal! Thanks for sharing!
Sandy says
January 21, 2013 at 8:11 pmMade this up this weekend and there was definately a lot of it. If I try it again will use a 1 can of crushed tomatoes and 1 can diced instead of two diced. Also I would cut way back on the oregano and parsley. Was definately too strong for my and my husbands taste. Always good to try something new!
Barbara says
January 26, 2013 at 10:16 amI am wondering if anyone has tried this with turkey rather than beef and if it makes a huge difference? I made it once according to the original recipe and it was great but I have a daughter who does not eat beef and, since it makes so much, I can’t share it with her. Thanks!
Melinda says
January 26, 2013 at 4:54 pmI always make it with ground turkey and it is so good. Definitely recommend with turkey.
Vicki says
October 26, 2018 at 2:08 pmDo you use beef broth or different broth if making it with turkey?
Cheryl says
January 27, 2013 at 1:32 pmI have this in the Crock pot cooking now. Sure smells good, I’ll let you know how it taste later.
Bethany says
January 30, 2013 at 9:34 amOOPS! I halfed the recipe because i am only cooking for three, but forgot to half the spices (full amount of parsley, oregano, pepper)- i just started cooking it- anyway to fix? Will it taste terrible now?
Hope i didn’t mess it up too bad!! ANY THOUGHTS?
Emily says
January 30, 2013 at 9:58 amIt might have a strong flavor but will definitely still be edible. You could try diluting it with a little “plain” tomato sauce. Good luck!
Bethany says
January 30, 2013 at 11:39 amThanks so much!! Just took a pre bite & it tastes great!! Might even make the same way next time 🙂 Thank you!!
Sarah Watson says
January 23, 2014 at 4:40 pmoh my goodness, i just did the same thing! i will try diluting with tomato sauce…fingers crossed!
Beth says
February 2, 2013 at 7:30 amMade it once exactly to the recipe. LOVE LOVE’d it! Tonight making it with Italian sausage/ground beef. Can’t wait to try it.
Laurie says
February 2, 2013 at 8:51 amI’m making half the recipe right now in a stock pot. I simmer on low for a couple hours before adding the beans. I’m going to serve it with the Olive Garden salad and breadsticks for the Super Bowl tomorrow. We can’t wait!!!
Becky says
February 6, 2013 at 1:59 pmI made this a couple of weeks ago! I was YUM MEE! My fam keeps asking me when I’m going to make it again. Thanks for posting!
Sarah says
February 9, 2013 at 6:15 amThis recipe is very good. The only problem I came across is that after adding the pasta it soaked up all the juices. So the soup became very thick. I think next time I try this, I’m going to add the pasta as I make the bowls. Seems like it would freeze well, which is a great thing because this makes a lot of soup.
Erica says
February 9, 2013 at 12:44 pmWhen did you add the noodles? You should be adding the cooked noodles at the very end, right before serving, as per the recipe, or they will soak up too much and become soggy.
cook says
February 21, 2014 at 5:27 pmThat’s what the recipe says to do:
1. cook the soup WITHOUT pasta
2. cook the pasta
3. add the pasta to the soup
philip says
February 10, 2013 at 9:19 amI’ve learned through experience that you always leave noodles on the side and only put in your bowl not the soup unless it will all be eaten in one sitting
philip says
February 10, 2013 at 10:43 amI also found out that a six quart crockpot is not big enough had to cook it on the stove
Kathie says
February 16, 2013 at 9:16 amI’m going to make this tomorrow night. My biggest crock pot is 6 qt. It sounds like that won’t be big enough. Is an 8 qt stove top pan big enough or do I need to get my roaster out?
Emily says
February 20, 2013 at 9:36 amI wouldn’t go any smaller than an 8 qt but that should be big enough.
Laurie Lush says
February 23, 2013 at 6:46 amThis is good soup. I have also made it adding zucchini and summer squash slices . My daughter is a vegan , so I did this and cut out the meat, I also used broken pieces of spagetti for the pasta as it does not seem to soak up so much of the liquid.
Tori says
March 4, 2013 at 5:39 pmI just made this recipe tonight, but halved it based on the comments. It was fantastic! My husband ate thirds and said it was just as good as the Olive Garden’s. Thanks for posting!
Carol says
April 23, 2013 at 1:11 pmI’ve made this twice now – I use the sodium-free beef broth granules, and instead of the water, I use low sodium V8 – and a lot of it. I also use tomato puree instead of the diced tomatoes. The ditalini pasta is perfect for this, and has a nice “bounce” when you bite it. I have a huge batch in the stockpot and plan on freezing most of it. Tastes great.
Debra says
May 12, 2013 at 5:12 pmThis is an excellent copycat recipe. This is my favorite soup at OG and you’ve nailed it. The only thing I changed is I added a little bit of crushed red pepper and sugar, I sautéed the onions and celery and garnished with grated Parmesan. It does make a lot so everyone at the office should be happy tomorrow along with what I’ll put in the freezer. I’ll leave out the pasta in the freezer batch and add it when I reheat. Thank you for sharing this recipe. Nice work.
Vivian Warfield says
June 13, 2013 at 11:33 amI just made this today, my husband said it was better than Olive Garden’s. he is on a low carb diet so I am adding the cooked pasta to only the bowls of the people that want it. Perfect!
Sherry says
July 29, 2013 at 9:03 amI made this last night but I did 1 lb of Hamburger and 1 lb medium Italian sausage..it was WONDERFUL
Jaime Boyd says
August 1, 2013 at 7:23 pmAll I would say is have a HUGE crockpot! 🙂 I think it needed a little salt. Next time I will add the noodles as we serve it. I added it to the crockpot and the noodles sucked up all the juice, but it was still delicious!
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jennie says
November 14, 2013 at 1:44 pmThis was outstanding. I actually followed the recipe 100%, which is rare for me and I am really happy I did. It’s fantastic. I nearly substituted the Prego Spaghetti Sauce for plain tomato sauce and some additional herbs, but I’m sure glad I didn’t. That Prego really makes the flavor. I will for sure be making this again!
Pamela says
November 25, 2013 at 3:29 pmYears ago OG had a wonderful meatloaf…does anyone have the recipe?
Brownie95 says
December 15, 2013 at 4:05 pmThis soup looks really good. I can’t wait to try it out.
If making this soup (1/2 recipe) in a stockpot on the stove, how long do I cook it for? Thanks
Erica says
December 15, 2013 at 6:53 pmI would do it on low for at least an hour… you can really do it as long as you want though– as long as you add the pasta at the end!
kathy moore says
January 6, 2014 at 8:07 pmMade this today on the stovetop and it came out great. Cooked it about three hours.
Lee L. says
February 2, 2014 at 7:10 amForget cutting in half, I doubled it and cooked on the stove 4 hours. Served it with a salad and fresh baked baguettes, huge hit with entire family!
Kathy says
March 22, 2014 at 6:36 pmMade this today; halved the recipe. Italian sausage instead of hamburg, 3 1/2 c. broth, elbows, only kidney beans, a few red pepper flakes in place of the Tabasco. NO, no, no to Prego! Barilla pasta sauce with garlic and basil. A little sugar to cut the acidity. Cooked in the oven at 225 for about 5 hrs. EXCELLENT!
Monica M. says
March 28, 2014 at 4:38 pmMade this today. I will say it tastes a lot like Olive Gardens soup. A slight difference though. I’m surprised that the recipe didn’t call for any garlic or salt. I will add both next time. I will say this makes a TON. Almost didn’t fit my 6qt crock pot. I might scale back a bit next time too. Its delicious and I will be keeping this recipe. Thank you! I notice on some of these comments how people comment on how good this sounds but never have made it. I guess I dont understand why you would comment if you haven’t even made it yet. I notice that on a lot of websites though. Just kinda strange. 🙂
Ruth says
April 6, 2014 at 9:38 pmI always cook this in a large stock pot on the stove. I cook the noodles and add only what I need to each bowl. If you add the noodles to the soup they suck up all the liquid and get really squishy. I also use half hamburger and half Italian sausage. And I use either chicken or vegetable broth instead of beef. Still always turns out well.
Karen says
August 17, 2014 at 2:46 pmDelicious!! I cooked pasta separate and drained with cold water and once soup cooled enough to put in freezer bags (takes up less room than containers) I added the al dente cooked ditalini pasta. The pasta doesn’t keep cooking and I can freeze with pasta in the soup and the texture is not mushy.
robin says
September 11, 2014 at 11:05 amI put this all together ys & 1/2 the recipe will still feed an army, it filled my 5 qt crock pot. I got up in the middle of the nite so at 3:30 a.m I put it on. when we woke up it smelled amazing. I added the dilitini but made the mistake of adding it uncooked now all juices r used up. its no longer a soup! do u think adding more beef broth would do the trick?
Erica says
September 11, 2014 at 11:11 amYikes! If it were me I would add more broth and maybe some tomato sauce/juice… hopefully it will still work out! This is one of our favorite soups!
Wendy k says
September 21, 2014 at 5:07 pmi thought this was incredibly bland. I added a ton of spices to make it even worth it. I can’t believe it doesn’t even call for salt. Once it actually had some taste from the added spice, it was good. This is a nice base recipe but I’m surprised so many like it as is.
Echo says
September 22, 2014 at 7:39 amIt is a good idea to add some salt or spices. Everyone has different tastes! Thank you for your comment!
Kathy says
October 27, 2014 at 9:45 pmMade the soup tonight for a group of friends for dinner. It was delicious and very hearty. Perfect fall soup!
Cassandra says
November 18, 2014 at 4:02 pmThis recipe is currently simmering away in our crockpot. I’ve got abother hour to go!
I subbed the beef for Italian chicken sausage, and the beef stock got chicken stock.
I also halfed the recipe and my crockpot is full!
So excited to eat this. It smells so good 🙂
Echo says
November 19, 2014 at 8:31 pmGreat idea on the substitutions! It does make a lot of soup!
Jeanne says
November 29, 2014 at 10:41 pmThis is my second go at this, making it with ground venison this time, for my husband to take to hunting camp. I added a little V-8 to it, as this does tend to become quite thick, and I also added 1 tbsp. of white vinegar. Was a huge hit the first time I made it (I used sweet Italian sausage and ground turkey mixed together) and I’m sure it will be again with the guys. so easy, just labor intensive, but very delicious.
Echo says
December 1, 2014 at 8:39 amThank you for the great ideas! Sounds delicious!
Anticatrattoria.com says
February 5, 2015 at 2:56 amA hearty and healthy pasta e fagioli soup that’s you have share with good for your veggies like carrots, and tomatoes, and celery, and my personal favorite – garlic.
BeckyRaZ says
July 14, 2015 at 11:09 amThis recipe is awesome. I’ve made it several times and it’s become a family favorite. It’s SO easy and versatile! I use ground turkey instead of beef, but still use the beef stock and you can’t tell any difference. I do like the idea of adding rinsed black beans. We freeze the leftovers, but it doesn’t last very long in the freezer (but that’s only because it calls to us and then we just HAVE to have it)! Thanks for a great recipe!
Erica says
July 14, 2015 at 8:32 pmThanks so much for the comment– great idea using ground turkey– makes it even healthier!
Dixie says
November 9, 2015 at 4:15 pmI love this soup. When I makr it I use V-8 juice. Am making for my BD company.
Brownie95 says
January 27, 2016 at 6:05 pmI made this soup and it was fantastic.
Question: I have left over vegetables (celery, carrots etc.) Can I cut them up and freeze them, then thaw and use them in another batch of this soup at a later time? If yes, do I have to blanch them or can I just cut them up and put them in a freezer zip lock bag or container? Then when I have the rest of the ingredients at a later time just unfreeze and drop them in the soup?
The reason why I am asking is I only have extra vegetables. I do not have extra beans, tomatoes etc., to make the soup and then freeze accordingly.
Erica says
January 27, 2016 at 8:18 pmyou should just be able to freeze them just fine. You can just cut them up and freeze them. 🙂 Hope this helps!
Stephanie says
December 29, 2016 at 10:17 pmI made this tonight, very good! Added garlic and did both ground beef and ground turkey. Definitely a keeper recipe!
Echo says
December 30, 2016 at 12:53 pmThank you for sharing your success Stephanie! I’m so glad you like the recipe.
Cindy says
August 30, 2017 at 10:18 pmExcellent except for the black pepper and tabasco. I make it all the time now and leave those two ingredients out unless you like fire!
BARBARA OLDAKER says
January 7, 2018 at 4:15 pmI HAVE TRIED SEVERAL OTHERS PUT I LOVE THIS RECIPE THE BEST. I ALSO COOKED IT ON TOP OF THE STOVE .
Kim G says
January 12, 2018 at 1:59 pmLove love love this soup…thank you so much for sharing❤️❤️
Sandy says
January 24, 2018 at 4:00 pmThis soup was absolutely delicious, and, so easy to make. Tasted exactly like the Olive Gardens soup. Makes a large portion, and, worth every bit of it. Thanks so much for sharing.
Favorite Family Recipes says
January 26, 2018 at 11:52 amSo glad you liked it! Thanks so much for your comment!
Kat says
July 29, 2018 at 5:40 amWhat size crock pot do you recommend for this recipe? You mentioned large. Mine is 6 qt. Is that large enough? Thank you.
Favorite Family Recipes says
July 31, 2018 at 2:37 pmYes, 6qt should be big enough. 🙂 Hope this helps!
Heather says
February 10, 2019 at 1:46 pmI’ve been making your recipe for this soup for a few years now and we still love it! I only make a half batch and I still have plenty of leftovers for the next day or so. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us 🙂
Favorite Family Recipes says
February 11, 2019 at 4:38 pmThank you so much for this nice comment! We are so glad you like this recipe– it is one we make all the time too 🙂 It’s just so easy!
Kim Weaver says
February 19, 2019 at 1:39 pmMy stockpot is so full, I don’t have room for the Prego spaghetti sauce! Wow…lot of soup! So I added all the spices I would put in spaghetti sauce & hope it comes out ok…
Favorite Family Recipes says
February 19, 2019 at 6:27 pmOh no, what size Crock Pot do you have? You can also simmer it in a large stockpot over low heat if the Crock Pot isn’t cutting it. Hope this helps!