This homemade Pasta Fagioli is a hearty Italian soup with ground beef, two kinds of beans, ditalini pasta, and veggies in a rich tomato broth. Better than Olive Garden!

Pasta Fagioli is the soup I make the minute the weather turns cool. It is thick and hearty, loaded with ground beef, two kinds of beans, tender little ditalini noodles, and plenty of carrots and celery, all simmered together in a rich, tomatoey broth seasoned with Italian herbs. One bowl and a piece of garlic bread is a complete dinner, and nobody leaves the table hungry.

 

It is also one of the easiest soups in my rotation. Most of the ingredients come straight from the pantry, it all cooks in one pot in under an hour, and it makes enough to feed a crowd or stock the freezer. Lots of people know it from Olive Garden, but once you make this homemade version, you will never order it out again. It is even better the next day.

What is Pasta Fagioli

Pasta fagioli (pasta e fagioli in Italian) literally means “pasta and beans.” It started as a simple, frugal Italian peasant dish made from whatever pantry staples were on hand. You will often hear it called “pasta fazool,” which comes from the Neapolitan pronunciation that Italian-American families brought over. Pasta e fagioli and pasta fagioli are the same dish; the “e” just means “and.”

Every family makes it a little differently. Some versions are meatless and brothy, while others are thick enough to eat with a fork. My version leans toward the Italian-American style made popular by Olive Garden, with ground beef, a tomato base, and enough broth to keep it a true soup.

Ingredient Notes

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• Ground Beef: I use lean ground beef so there is less grease to drain. Ground turkey or Italian sausage both work too (see Variations below).
• Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables after the beef comes out of the pot.
• Carrots, Onion & Celery: This classic trio (called soffritto in Italian cooking) builds the flavor base of the soup. Dice them about the same size so they cook evenly.
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor.
• Tomatoes: A can of diced tomatoes plus tomato sauce (one 15 oz can and one 8 oz can) gives the broth body and that rich tomato flavor.
• Beans: Dark red kidney beans and Great Northern beans. Drain and rinse them first to remove the extra starch and salt.
• Chicken Broth: Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt level. Beef broth works too.
• Italian Seasoning: An easy all-in-one blend of basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
• Ditalini Pasta: These tiny tube-shaped noodles are traditional for pasta fagioli. Small shells or elbow macaroni are easy swaps.
• Parmesan & Fresh Herbs: Optional, but grated Parmesan and a little fresh parsley or basil on top make every bowl better.

How To Make Pasta Fagioli Soup

• Brown the beef. Heat a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until it is no longer pink. Remove the beef from the pot and set it aside.
• Sauté the vegetables. Return the pot to the heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the carrots, onion, and celery and cook for 6-7 minutes, until the onions are translucent and the veggies are starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute, just until fragrant.
• Add everything else. Return the browned beef to the pot. Pour in the diced tomatoes, both cans of tomato sauce, the kidney beans, the northern beans, chicken broth, and Italian seasoning. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Simmer. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes so the flavors can come together. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Cook the pasta. You have two options. If you plan to eat the whole pot that day, stir the uncooked ditalini into the soup during the last 10 minutes of simmering and cook until tender. If you expect leftovers, cook the pasta separately according to the package directions and add a scoop to each bowl when serving.
• Serve. Ladle into bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley or basil, if you like.

Recipe Tips & Suggestions

• Keep the pasta separate for leftovers. Pasta keeps soaking up broth as it sits. Storing it separately keeps the noodles from turning mushy and the soup from turning into a casserole.
• Drain the beef if needed. If you use a higher-fat ground beef, drain off the extra grease before removing it from the pot.
• Rinse your beans. Draining and rinsing canned beans removes the starchy liquid and some of the sodium so the broth tastes clean.
• Season at the end. Canned tomatoes, beans, and broth all bring salt, so taste after simmering before adding more.
• Thin it out. If the soup gets too thick, especially when reheating, add a splash of broth until it is the consistency you like.
• Add some heat. Sprinkle red pepper flakes over each bowl at the table, or stir them into the whole pot.

Recipe Variations

• Swap the meat. Ground turkey or Italian sausage both work in place of the ground beef. Italian sausage adds extra seasoning, so taste before adding more salt.
• Add greens. Stir in a couple of handfuls of fresh spinach during the last few minutes of cooking and let it wilt.
• Change up the beans. Use what you have! Cannellini beans in place of the northern beans or light kidney beans in place of the dark ones are both delicious.
• Vegetarian. You can leave out the meat and use vegetable broth to make these a vegetarian soup.

Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli

This soup works great in the slow cooker. Brown the ground beef and sauté the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic on the stovetop first, then add them to the slow cooker along with the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, broth, and Italian seasoning. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. Stir in the pasta during the last 20-30 minutes on HIGH, or cook it separately and add it to each bowl when serving.

Storage & Freezing

Refrigerator: Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. I recommend storing the pasta and soup separately. It still works if they are combined, but the pasta will soak up a lot of the broth and the leftovers will be more like a loose casserole.

Freezer: This soup freezes really well, but freeze it without the pasta. Store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop and add the pasta so it cooks right in the broth as the soup heats up.

Reheating: Warm leftovers on the stovetop over medium heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if the soup has thickened.

It is great served with Olive Garden Breadsticks, a Side Salad or Cheesy Garlic Bread is always a good idea.

More Comforting Soup Recipes

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Cabbage Roll Soup
• Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup
• Beef Macaroni Soup
• Zuppa Toscana