Pasta e fa*gioli (Olive Garden Copycat) (2024)

Pasta e fa*gioli is a hearty, one-pot soup inspired by Olive Garden. Chock-full of beans, veggies, noodles and lean beef, this classic Italian soup is sure to win you over. Pair it with Soft Dinner Rolls and you have a very satisfying meal.

We love making restaurant favorites at home like Zuppa Toscana soup, Chicken Madeira (a Cheesecake Factory favorite) and of course Philly Cheesesteak.

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Pasta e fa*gioli Recipe:

Hello everyone! Natalya here from Momsdish. I’m so excited to share my copycat recipe for Olive Garden’s Pasta e fa*gioli with you. I believe this recipe tastes better than the restaurant version. You will love this soup!

This hearty soup is the perfect candidate for meal prepping. It only requires one pot to make and it reheats amazingly throughout the week. It is also super filling and healthy.

What is Pasta e fa*gioli?

In Italian, “Pasta e fa*gioli” translates to “pasta and beans”. This makes a whole lot of sense considering this soup is chock-full of pasta and beans! It is also loaded with aromatic veggies and lean ground beef, making it a whole meal in a bowl. Think of Pasta e fa*gioli as an Italian spin on chili!

How to Make Pasta e fa*gioli

1. In a dutch oven or soup pot, heat up a tablespoon of olive oil at medium heat and brown your beef. Drain excess fat and set aside. Add a bit more olive oil to the pot and stir in garlic, onions, celery and carrots. Cook until tender.
2. Add in tomato sauce, canned tomatoes and beef. Stir to combine. Add your beans and chicken stock/broth. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add in pasta and Italian seasoning (dried oregano and thyme will work if you don’t have the spice blend on hand). Cook for 10 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Can I Substitute the Ground Beef?

You can substitute spicy, ground Italian sausage for beef. It will add a nice kick of heat! Also, don’t hesitate to use half beef, half Italian sausage.

Pro Tip: Have a parmesan rind lying around? Don’t let it go to waste and throw it into the soup pot alongside the broth. All the oils and salty-parmesan in the rind will meld with your broth and enhance the flavor. Just make sure you take the rind out before serving.

Storing Pasta e fa*gioli

Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days. The kicker? This soup tastes better and better as it marinates in the fridge. Yes, that means your leftovers will get tastier as the days go by! To reheat your soup, simply microwave it or bring it to a simmer in a pot over medium-high heat.

Can this Soup Be Frozen?

I wouldn’t recommend freezing Pasta e fa*gioli. Generally, freezing soups with pasta is not a good idea. When the noodles defrost, they tend to turn to mush, ruining the texture of your soup.

More Olive Garden Copycat Recipes:

• Creamy Shrimp Pasta – plump shrimp in alfredo sauce
• Zuppa Toscana –Natasha’s take on Olive Garden’s soup.
• Alfredo Sauce – easy and done in 5 minutes! Perfect pasta or pizza sauce.
• Minestrone Soup– classic soup never goes out of style. Serve it as an appetizer or a meal all on its own.