Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli (Copycat)

Hearty tomato-beef soup with beans, veggies, and ditalini, just like the restaurant, made with pantry staples. Mostly one pot, with a smart pasta-at-the-end move so it stays brothy (not bready).

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A bowl of pasta fagioli soup with ditalini pasta, ground beef, beans, and vegetables in a rich tomato broth, garnished with parsley on a wooden table
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If you have ever ordered Pasta Fagioli at Olive Garden, you already know the vibe. It is hearty but not heavy, tomato-y but not marinara, and packed with enough pasta and beans to count as a full meal. This is the kind of soup that makes you do the little bowl tilt to get every last bite.

This copycat version is my weeknight move when I want comfort and I want it to taste like I tried. We build flavor fast with a good sauté, a tomato base, and a quick simmer that pulls it all together. The biggest trick is simple: cook the pasta separately (or add it at the very end) so it does not drink your soup dry.

All ingredients for pasta fagioli arranged on a kitchen counter, including ground beef, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, canned tomatoes, beans, broth, and ditalini pasta

Why It Works

  • Big, cozy flavor from sautéed aromatics, tomato, and Italian seasoning without needing a million ingredients.
  • Hearty texture thanks to two kinds of beans plus tender pasta and browned beef.
  • Restaurant-style balance with a broth that is savory and tomato-forward, not overly sweet.
  • Leftover friendly with an easy method that keeps pasta from turning mushy.

Pairs Well With

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Storage Tips

Best move: store the soup and pasta separately if you can. The pasta keeps soaking up broth in the fridge, which can turn your leftovers into more of a stew.

Refrigerator

  • Store soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Store cooked pasta separately for up to 4 days.

Freezer

  • Freeze the soup (without pasta) for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently and cook fresh pasta while it warms.

Reheating

  • Warm on the stove over medium-low, stirring occasionally.
  • If it has thickened, add a splash of broth or water and taste for salt.
Two glass meal prep containers filled with pasta fagioli soup and a separate container of cooked ditalini on a kitchen counter

Common Questions

Is Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli vegetarian?

No. Olive Garden’s version contains meat, so it is not vegetarian. For a vegetarian version at home, skip the beef and use vegetable broth. Add extra beans or a chopped mushroom sauté for more body.

What pasta is used in Pasta Fagioli?

Most copycat versions use ditalini. Small shells or elbow macaroni also work well. The key is small pasta that fits on a spoon.

Can I make it in a slow cooker?

Yes. Brown the beef and sauté the onions, carrots, and celery first, then add everything except the pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Stir in cooked pasta right before serving.

Why did my soup get so thick?

Pasta and beans keep absorbing liquid as they sit. Add broth a little at a time while reheating until it is back to your favorite consistency.

How do I make it taste more like the restaurant?

Do not skip browning the beef, and let the soup simmer long enough for the flavors to blend. Also, finish with a small splash of red wine vinegar or a squeeze of lemon if it tastes flat. That little pop makes the tomato broth feel brighter.

Pasta Fagioli is one of those soups I make when I want the house to smell like I have my life together. I started cooking it when I realized the restaurant bowl I loved was basically a greatest hits album of pantry staples: beans, tomato, broth, pasta. Now it is my go-to for busy weeks, especially when I need dinner to be both easy and something everyone actually gets excited about. Also, I will admit it. I like it even more the next day, when the broth turns a little silkier and the flavors settle in.