Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli

Copycat Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli Soup

I just love Olive Garden’s soups!  Like my Chicken & Gnocchi soup recipe, I think this at-home version tastes even better and everyone who’s had it agrees!

This makes enough to feed an army!  We don’t have an army here, so I usually freeze half of it.  If you want to do this, leave out the pasta and reserve half of the soup for freezing.  Cook ½ cup dried ditalini pasta and add when ready to eat!

Ingredients

• ½ lb. ground beef

• 2 Tbsp olive or vegetable oil

• 1 cup diced onion (about 1 medium)

• 1 cup julienned or grated carrots

• 1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)

• 2 cloves garlic, chopped

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

• 1 (15 oz) can red beans, drained

• 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained

• 2 cups V-8 juice

• 1 Tbsp Frank’s RedHot (or other hot sauce)

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp basil

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• 1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)

Directions

1. In a large pot, brown ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain and return to pot over medium heat.

2. Add oil, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté 10 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent.

3. Stir in remaining ingredients except pasta. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and add to soup for the last 10 minutes of simmering.

5. Serve warm, topped with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Makes about 12 (1½-cup) servings.

Cook until onion is soft & translucent

Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1 hour

Adapted from Food.com

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli