Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Fagioli, translated from Italian as "pasta and beans," is a soup known for its hearty and comforting nature. It has been popularized in the United States thanks to the soup, salad, and breadsticks combo at Olive Garden-and now, we're going to show you how to make it at home!
What is pasta e fagioli?
I really like all the soups Olive Garden serves, but I'd have to say the Pasta e Fagioli is my favorite. Pasta e Fagioli literally translates to pasta and beans. The soup originates from an Italian peasant dish that mixed together two of the cheapest ingredients available-pasta and beans-in either a broth or tomato-based sauce.
The Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli soup is actually somewhat authentic. It's definitely a more modern take on the classic recipe (it includes meat, something that wouldn't exist in many peasant recipes), but compared to many of their other dishes on the menu, it's a pretty close replica to what you'd find at an authentic Italian restaurant.
When I make Pasta e Fagioli at home, I make it into more of a pasta dish than a soup. I really like it to be thick and very stick-to-your-ribs. You can easily adjust the thickness by reducing or increasing the amount of pasta.
What is the difference between pasta fagioli and pasta fazool?
What's in a name? The Olive Garden pasta fagioli can also be called pasta fazool or even just "pasta and beans." It's just a difference in pronunciation for the same dish!
What is pasta fagioli soup made of?
To make this soup, you'll need:
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- Olive oil
- Seasonings: Red pepper flakes, bay leaf, dried thyme, dried oregano, dried basil, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper
- Garlic and onion
- Mild Italian sausage. In a pinch, you can also use ground pork or ground beef and Italian seasoning.
- Tomato sauce
- Diced tomatoes
- Great Northern beans. Cannellini beans will work as well!
- Chicken broth
- Orzo or other small pasta
What kind of noodles are in pasta e fagioli?
Typically, you'll find Pasta e Fagioli made with small pasta like ditalini pasta or mini elbow macaroni, but I don't tend to keep those on hand. I do keep orzo on hand (I love me some orzo), so that's what I like to use. If you want to be authentic, go ahead, but I promise you aren't going to ruin anything if you use whatever small pasta you have kicking around.
Is this fagioli soup recipe good for prepping ahead?
It sure is! This recipe is one of those dishes that is really good straight off the stove, but becomes life-changingly delicious once it has melded in the fridge overnight. You could whip up a batch of this on the weekend, and then eat on the leftovers for lunch for the week. Yum!
Enjoy!
📖 Recipe
Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 16 ounces canned tomato sauce
- 15 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 30 ounces canned Great Northern beans drained and rinsed, 2 15-ounce cans
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1-2 cups orzo depending on how thick you'd like your soup
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add in the red pepper flakes and garlic, and saute until garlic is fragrant and slightly tender-about two minutes. Add in the onion, and cook until translucent-about three minutes. Add in the Italian sausage and cook until browned.
- Add in all the remaining ingredients, except the orzo, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, then add in the orzo. Cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the soup is thick and bubbly and the orzo is cooked.
I love this recipe! I probably make it at least twice a month when I know our week is going to be crazy and I need leftovers for quick lunches and dinners.
I'm also sharing it (direct links to your blog) with my nutrition clients - wonderful meal inspiration! http://www.nutritionwithsteph.com/single-post/2016/10/28/Weekly-Meal-Plan-2
Wooohoo! Thanks for sharing. 🙂 So glad you like it!
Looks like a perfect slow cooker meal. I could eat a large bowl of this. Yum!
This was excellent! Thanks for the recipe.
Wow I just stumbled across your blog, and I'm so glad I did! Pasta Fagioli is my favorite at Olive Garden, and I've been dying to find a great recipe to whip up at home! This looks so absolutely delicious...can't wait to try it! 🙂
Wow, what an easy great recipe for fall! I'll have to keep this in mind. Totally with you on the Friday classes. Took me a semester to realize that going to every class wasn't obligatory 😉
Ummm, that looks amazing. BIG mistake reading this right before I head out for a run - HUNGRY 🙂
Although, I was sure hoping for a breadstick recipe as well 😛
Oh wow does that look and sound delicious! Gonna have to try this as soon as we get settled after the move. Perfect for the fall weather for something warm and cozy. 🙂
This looks soooo good. Now just gotta figure out how to make it vegetarian (husband is vegetarian) without just leaving out the sausage. Maybe seasoned seitan?
I think seitan would work, but just make sure to add extra spices—fennel, oregano, etc. In fact, you might want to just add the extra spices listed in the post to help replicate the flavor: https://wholefully.com/how-to-turn-pork-breakfast-sausage-into-italian-sausage-for-recipes/
Exactly what I was thinking. Thanks, Cassie!
I'm planning on making it with Field Roast Italian sausage- you could try that! Field Roast veggie meats are out if this world good and no weird ingredients. Apple sage is my fave but I think the Italian would be great here (no I don't work for them, just vegan and FR are the only veg meats I've found worth eating so spreading the love)
This looks crazy good, Cassie! I'll replace the chicken broth with vegetable (since we eat a vegan diet) and it's a hearty meal for my family during the cold winter months ahead. Thanks for sharing!
Also, could your photography get any better? Answer: No. No it cannot.
I tried pasta e fagioli for the first time recently and I was blown away- SO good. I'll be bookmarking your recipe for future use. And plus, it's perfect for fall/winter! 🙂