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Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli Soup Copycat

Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Copycat

A hearty and flavorful copycat recipe for Olive Garden's popular Pasta e Fagioli Soup, featuring browned beef, aromatic vegetables, beans, and ditalini pasta in a rich tomato-beef broth.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 450 g lean beef mince
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 celery sticks diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
  • 1 x 400g tin cannellini beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 x 400g tin red kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 250 ml water
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 100 g ditalini pasta or other small pasta like elbow macaroni
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Fresh parsley chopped, for garnish

Method
 

  1. Sauté the Mince: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef mince, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until it’s beautifully browned all over, losing its raw pink colour and developing a savoury aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Drain off any excess fat from the pot, leaving just a thin layer to coat the base.
  2. Soften the Aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery to the pot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion turns translucent, about 8-10 minutes. You’ll notice a sweet, earthy smell starting to fill your kitchen as they cook down.
  3. Add Garlic and Herbs: Stir in the minced garlic, dried oregano, dried basil, and dried thyme. Cook for another minute until the garlic becomes fragrant and you can distinctly smell the aromatic herbs blooming in the heat, being careful not to let it burn.
  4. Build the Soup Base: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, rinsed cannellini beans, and red kidney beans. Add the beef stock and water, then drop in the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. This simmering time is crucial for the flavours to meld and deepen, creating a rich, inviting aroma.
  5. Cook the Pasta: After 20 minutes of simmering, add the ditalini pasta to the pot. Continue to simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for another 8-10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente – tender but still with a slight bite. Keep an eye on the consistency; the soup will thicken as the pasta cooks and absorbs some of the liquid. If it becomes too thick, you can add a splash more hot water or stock.
  6. Season and Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the soup. Taste and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve the Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup hot, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. The vibrant green of the parsley will contrast beautifully with the rich red-brown of the soup.

Notes

This soup thickens as it sits; add more stock or water when reheating if desired. Other small pasta types like elbow macaroni can be used if ditalini is unavailable.