Everyone’s favorite! This Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli is a comforting, delicious, and impressive dish that you can easily make in your slow cooker. Serve this with a crusty baguette or breadsticks to scoop up all the goodness!
Ingredients
½ pound lean ground beef
½ pound ground Italian sausage
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 whole carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (28 oz. can) crushed tomatoes
4 celery stalks, diced
3 (14.5 oz. can) beef broth
2 whole bay leaves
1 (15 oz. can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz. can) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. ditalini pasta,, uncooked
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Shaved Parmesan – optional
salt and pepper to taste
How to make Olive Garden Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli
Step 1: Into a large skillet, add the olive oil, then the ground beef and sausage. Cook for a few minutes until no longer pink.
Step 2: In a slow cooker, transfer the meat mixture and add the remaining ingredients except for the pasta, beans, and Parmesan. Set to cook for 7 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high. Stir in the beans and ditalini thirty minutes before serving.
Step 3: To taste, season with salt and pepper. Before serving, discard the bay leaves.
Step 4: Serve the Pasta Fagioli hot. If desired, sprinkle with Parmesan on top. Enjoy with a crusty baguette or breadsticks.
Notes:
In an airtight container, place the soup and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
To reheat, place the soup in a medium-sized pot and cook on the stove for about 5 to 10 minutes over medium-high heat until completely heated.
You can swap ditalini pasta with Tubettini, macaroni, orzo, conchigliette, and others. Make sure to use small-sized pasta.
Feel free to substitute chicken broth with beef broth.
If desired, you can use just ground beef, but the beef and sausage mixture is more authentic. You can also use turkey sausage instead.