Make a simplified version of slow cooker pasta e fagioli, an Olive Garden favorite, right at home! Ground beef, pasta, and beans cooked for hours in a rich, savory broth smell just as good as it tastes!
Pasta e fagioli has always been one of the most comforting soups around. It’s super hearty because not only does it contain ground beef and pasta, but it’s got two kinds of buttery beans in there too!
I’m sharing this slow cooker pasta fagioli recipe I’ve created as a copycat version of the popular Olive Garden soup. I did it with another favorite, the Olive Garden chicken gnocchi soup (also in the crock pot). The homemade versions are even better!
And of course, making it in the slow cooker doesn’t get much easier. It’s made with a tomato and beef-flavored broth and plenty of beef, beans, and noodles for a filling meal. Once you brown the meat, it’s a dump-and-set recipe that is hands-off and ready for you at the end of the day.
I like serving it with another copycat favorite of mine, these Texas Roadhouse Rolls, or just some frozen breadsticks. A simple lunch or dinner that will keep you warm all season long!
Crock Pot Pasta E Fagioli Soup
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s incredibly easy to make with just 15 minutes of prep time.
- Made with budget-friendly ingredients.
- You can pretty much toss in any veggies you’ve got in your fridge.
- Easy to make a double batch to freeze half for later.
Helpful Tools
Ingredients
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe, why you need them, and possible substitutions. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with measurements.
Jump
- Lean ground beef: I recommend using lean (even extra lean) ground beef for this slow cooker pasta fagioli. I use 93/7, but you should be good with anything 80/20 and leaner.
- Onions, celery, carrots: Veggies and aromatics cooked down are the foundation of flavor that the rest of the crock pot pasta e fagioli soup is built on.
- Crushed tomatoes: Adding crushed tomatoes to the broth gives it a zesty, acidic note.
- Beef broth: Regular or low sodium beef broth can be used. Two 14.5 ounce cans of beef broth can be used, or one 32 ounce carton.
- Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Beans: Use both white cannellini beans and dark red kidney beans. Drain them from the can first and then rinse them off.
- Pasta: Teeny little tube-shaped pasta that is the perfect size to not overpower this soup. Although it’s a hearty soup with less broth than a minestrone soup, for example, it’s still not a pasta dish.
How to make Slow Cooker Pasta E Fagioli
This section shows you how to make this recipe, with process photos showing the steps to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Jump- Step One: Brown the meat in a skillet over medium-high heat. Use a meat masher or wooden spoon to break it apart into crumbles as it cooks.
- Step Two: Once the meat is no longer pink, add it to the basin of the slow cooker. Then, add in everything else but the pasta.
- Step Three: Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Step Four: When there are just 30 minutes left of cooking time, stir in the uncooked pasta. Cover it again and let it finish cooking until the pasta is tender.
- Step Five: Season to taste and serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Every slow cooker runs differently. Times given are a general recommendation and should be tested in your own slow cooker and adjusted as needed.
How to serve it
If I have extra time and am serving it to guests, I’ll use a bread boule for presentation. Served on the side, we’ll do a basket of rosemary olive oil bread or one hour dinner rolls and a side chopped veggie salad.
- Don’t skip browning the meat. It adds extra flavor!
- Use any extra veggies you’ve got in your fridge. Cauliflower, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.
- Baby spinach or kale can be stirred in with the pasta for some dark leafy greens.
- If you can’t find (or don’t have) ditalini pasta, use orzo, small shells, or acini de pepe instead.
- Swap ground beef for Italian sausage. If you like it spicy, use hot Italian sausage.
Storage & Reheating
How to store leftovers
Keep leftover pasta e fagioli in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. It reheats beautifully and makes a great lunch for work or an easy dinner idea the next day.
Freezing Instructions
Once completely cooled, pour the soup into Souper Cubes or a freezer bag and try to get rid of as much air as possible before sealing it. This helps to prevent freezer burn. Keep it frozen for up to 2 months and then thaw it in the fridge overnight.
If you know you are going to be freezing it, I would try to keep the pasta separate & make that part fresh when you’re ready.
Reheating Instructions
If it’s just a single serving, heat your bowl of soup in the microwave. If it’s more, reheat it in a saucepan on the stove.
Pasta absorbs liquid, so you may need to add more broth to loosen it up.
FAQs
What does pasta e fagioli mean?
Translated from Italian to English, it means pasta and beans. It’s a classic Italian soup, that has been Americanized and part of why we love the Olive Garden so much!
Should I use low or high heat setting?
This isn’t a recipe where the cooking time matters one way or another. High or low temperatures can be used; it just depends on what your day looks like.
Need more soup recipes? Try these:
Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheddar Soup
Click here to view my entire collection of soup recipes.
Did You Make This?
If you made this recipe, I’d love to know how it went in the comments section below.
You can also tag me on Instagram – @melissa_ppplates or share a pic in the Persnickety Plates Community Facebook group. I love seeing what you’ve tried!
Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 3 medium celery stalks diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 32 ounces beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 15 ounces white cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces dark red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks, until no longer pink.1 pound lean ground beef
- To a 6 quart slow cooker, add the cooked ground beef, carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, beef broth, Italian seasoning, salt & pepper, cannellini beans, and kidney beans.2 medium carrots, 3 medium celery stalks, 1 medium onion, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, 32 ounces beef broth, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon salt, 15 ounces white cannellini beans, 15 ounces dark red kidney beans, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- 30 minutes before the cook time is up, stir in the uncooked pasta. Cover and cook for 30 minutes or until the pasta is tender.1 cup ditalini pasta
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.
- Serve in bowls topped with parmesan cheese.
Notes
- I recommend using a lean ground beef, like sirloin (93/7 or 90/10).
- Baby spinach or kale can be stirred in at the same time as the pasta for added veggies.
- Italian sausage can be used in place of the ground beef.
- Two 14.5 ounce cans of beef broth can be used, or one 32 ounce carton.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
This was a big hit in my house of very picky eaters. My husband (who usually doesn’t like crockpot meals) ate several servings and even leftovers the next day. Super delicious and so easy to make!
Thanks, Lori! Happy to hear that 🙂
I made the Slow Cooker Pasta Fagioli for supper this evening. I have always enjoyed Olive Gardens version, and it is one of my favorite soups. It turned out so good. I made it according to your recipe, using ground sirloin. This recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much..
Thanks, Kathy!
Great recipe for Pasta e Fagioli is so easy to make and is absolutely delicious. The whole family loved it! Made a double batch.
So glad you all liked it!
I made this with ground turkey and it was hearty and delicious! I will be adding this to my rotation for winter!
This was the such an easy and delicious meal! My whole family loved it! I don’t like to cook and so when I find meals that are easy and the family loves, it’s a huge win!
This was a really easy recipe and quick to make. My family really enjoyed this. Great for a chilly fall day!
I made two recipes the Pasta Fagioli and the Beef and Broccoli. They were both 5 star reviews from my family and we thoroughly enjoyed them! Looking forward to making more especially the Lasagna!
Thank you for all the time and work you put into these for us!
You’re welcome! Thanks for saying that 🙂
Made this, was yum! Will make again….
I made this soup a week ago and it’s now my sons favorite soup out of all the others I’ve made.
We really enjoyed this dish!
I used small shells for the pasta and added spinach! Next time I’m going to try spicy sausage and most likely double the recipe because my kids ate it all!!!!!
The Olive Garden’s version is one of my favorite soups, so I couldn’t wait to try this for my family. It was a hit! I love how it turned out, and it could not have been easier to make! Leftovers heated up beautifully. I just made a few slight modifications: I subbed 93% lean ground turkey for the beef, sauteed the onion with the turkey before adding to the slow cooker, and used beef stock instead of broth (grocery shopping oversight—oops). No complaints. I’m adding this to my rotation. This is pure guilt-free winter comfort food. Love it!!
I’m so glad you liked it, thanks for reporting back!
I made this soup according to your recipe and really enjoyed it. My husband loves soup and it was a hit. I made garlic toast to accompany it. Perfect hearty dinner for a very cold day in Pennsylvania. Will surely make this again!
Happy to hear that! Thanks, Elizabeth 🙂
Have made this recipe 4 times now, and it is always so wonderful! This last two times, making it, instead of cooking the pasta in the soup, I cooked it on the side and added it in after putting it in individual bowls. I found that leaves more broth in the soup, which is my favorite part! Thank you!
I agree with you & love that idea! Thanks for reporting back ❤️
Really enjoyed this soup and it was very easy to prep. One question- on the nutrition, is a serving one cup?
I’m so glad you liked it! The nutrition is a rough estimate based on dividing the total recipe into 8 servings. I’m not sure exactly what the measurements are but to get an accurate count, you’d need to calculate & weigh with your exact ingredients and serving size.
This is sooooo good! I added zucchini in at the 1 hour left mark when cooking on low for 6 hours. My 12 month old also loves it (I omitted the salt for his sake and honestly it didn’t even need the salt!).Thank you for the yummy recipe!!
Yay, you’re welcome! Thank you for letting me know 🙂