Pasta Fagioli is a hearty soup is filled with spicy Italian sausage, veggies, pasta, and beans and topped with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. It is serious comfort food that the whole family will love! And it tastes just like the Olive Garden version!
This is one of my favorite soups in the world. Pasta Fagioli means “pasta and beans” but it’s so much more than that. It’s a spicy tomato-based soup made with Italian sausage, vegetables, beans, and pasta. And then it’s topped with Parmean cheese.
It is my go to on cold nights or just days when I need a bowl of warm comfort food. I’ve even been known to leave out the Italian sausage when I want something a little lighter but still cozy.
This is one of the soup options at Olive Garden and I have to tell you, I like my version better.
Ingredients
Scroll down for exact amounts.
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Hot Italian sausage – use mild if you don’t want too much heat in your soup.
- Italian seasoning
- Red pepper flakes – adjust to your taste.
- Crushed tomatoes
- Chicken stock – use homemade or store-bought. I buy a low-sodium chicken stock so that I can control how salty my soup is.
- Cannellini beans – these beans are so hearty, they are perfect in a soup like this.
- ditalini pasta – if you can’t find ditalini pasta, use another small pasta shape.
- Parmesan cheese – this is for sprinkling on top before serving.
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat.
- Add the diced onion and cook until it just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sausage to the pot, crumbling as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink.
- Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper. Stir in tomatoes and stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and ditalini. (Add an extra cup of stock or water at this point if it’s boiled down too much.)
- Simmer for 6- 8 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Serve piping hot with Parmesan cheese.
Pasta Fagioli will stay good for 3 – 5 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to store it in an airtight container – these airtight containers are my absolute favorite for leftovers.
The pasta will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits so you may need to add more chicken broth to the soup when you reheat it. You can reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Yes! It freezes very well! I recommend freezing it in airtight freezer-safe soup containers.
My favorite way to reheat it from frozen is to add it (frozen) to the slow cooker with a couple extra splashes of broth and let it warm for a couple hours. You can also let it thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove or microwave if you prefer.
I like to serve Pasta Fagioli with a green salad and some kind of bread to dip into the broth. It is also perfectly fine on it’s own, especially on a cold day.
More Soup Recipes
- Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Autumn Squash Soup
- Dill Pickle Soup
- Mom’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
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Pasta Fagioli
Pasta Fagioli is a hearty soup is filled with spicy Italian sausage, veggies, pasta, and beans and topped with fresh shredded Parmesan cheese. It is serious comfort food that the whole family will love! And it tastes just like the Olive Garden version!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled & chopped
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 lb hot Italian sausage, casings removed if necessary
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 -2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 15- ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 3 - 4 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 can cannellini beans
- 1 cup ditalini, or other small pasta
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium high heat. Add the diced onion and cook until it just begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots; cook, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sausage to the pot, crumbling as it cooks. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink. Stir in Italian seasoning and red pepper. Stir in tomatoes and stock.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and ditalini. (Add an extra cup of stock or water at this point if it's boiled down too much.) Simmer for 6- 8 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Serve piping hot with Parmesan cheese.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 478Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 1319mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 27g
Cristina says
In celebration of finally getting a cool front, I live in Florida, I made this soup Monday night. O.M.G! It was SO good!! Even my boyfriend and son loved it. I will definitely be making this again, thanks for sharing :)
Jenna says
Yuuumm!! Do you chop up all the sausage very fine before you cook it?
amanda says
I actually bought bulk sausage so I just treated it like ground beef, kind of breaking it up as I went. If you buy the sausage in casings, just remove them from the casings and crumble it into the pan. And then just break it up like any other ground meat.
Thanks for reading and commenting! :)
Chefanie Frasco says
This is one of my favorite soups! I have to make this. I will let you know how it turns out! YUMMMMM!
Memoria says
I love Pasta E fagioli (pasta AND beans). Your dish looks absolutely perfect! YUM! I’ve bookmarked this recipe. Enjoy your time alone!
Lauren @ hey, who cut the cheese? says
Yum! Looks really great.
Ashley says
thinking this will be the perfect replacement for chili when the guys are over for football on sunday! how many servings do you think it makes?
amanda says
It makes quite a big pot – maybe 6 – 8 servings. Let me know how it goes over with the guys! :)
Julie @ Table for Two says
This looks awesome for a cold winter day. Real housewives = love.
How long is your husband gone for? I love that you get up early. I’m the same way :) well, not on weekends..just during the week lol
amanda says
He’s just gone for a month or so. Not too bad this time. :)
Christina @ This Woman Cooks! says
I usually don’t consider soup as a meal either, glad to hear this was filling enough! I really want to make it now!
Nisrine says
This sounds comforting and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Christin says
I love soups with meat and pasta, especially ditalini. So hearty! Might chow down on this next week while i watch Real Housewives!
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
Oh I so get you on this one. There are postitives and negatives when our men are away. Pasta Fagioli reminds me of my husband actually. I remember he ate it on our honeymoon at a little Italian festival we went on. Weird thing to remember, I know.
Michele says
This looks great! Great for the cold front we are supposed to get in Florida this weekend. ;)
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
Oh hubs would love this – seriously. And did we or did we not cover the whole fluffernutter bit hmmm?? lol Isn’t it so funny how there are pros and cons to being home alone with the kids?
Nutmeg Nanny says
This soup looks delicious! Perfect for fall and winter…yum!
I love that you read The Hunger Games. I was just thinking about reading those books but feared I would get the whole “teenager books…again?” comments. I read Twilight and got tons of crap for that. Totally ordering these books now!
amanda says
The Hunger Games are SO good! And their quick, easy reads. You need to read them!
mk says
IMHO Novels like The Hunger Games may seem like teen reads to people who haven’t read them but they are so much more than that. A lot of YA novels may be superficial but far more of them are highly sophisticated and some of the best reads out there – they really make you think!
BTW: I just found this receipt posted on Facebook and I’m making it tonight. Sounds perfect, with an arctic chill headed our way. I think a heaping bowl of this and a good novel by the fire will make for a perfect evening!
Erin says
I really love pasta fagioli but the only time I have made it myself I wasn’t that impressed. Definitely going to give it another try with this one.
Living the Sweet Life says
PB & Fluff – – that’s the stuff champions are made of!! I’ve been meaning to try this soup – – it sounds so good!!
LeAnna says
The soup sound wonderful! I hope to make it soon.
I know how it goes when your husband is gone. My poor kids end up eating the weirdest things when he’s out of town. He’s gone to Dallas today, and I’m thinking we may have Lunchables for dinner just so I don’t have to cook. :)
Cassie says
This soup looks absolutely amazing. I love that this one is pretty straight-forward and I bet it tastes phenomenal. I’m gonna try it!
Pam @ From Apples To Zucchini says
I have been wanting to make this FOREVER! It looks amazing!
Kita says
Peanut butter and fluff are always a staple – man around or not! lol, there’s always cereal if they need it ;) 4 am though, you may be crazy.
I love pasta fagioli, one of my all time favorite soups. Glad you were able to sneak this in.