Making Olive Garden’s Pasta Fagioli 🔥

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil (extra virgin optional)
• 0.5 onion Yellow Onion (medium, diced)
• 2 carrots Carrots (large, diced)
• 3 stalks Celery Stalks (diced)
• 5 cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 pound Ground Beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio)
• 14 oz Diced Tomatoes (canned, undrained)
• 16 oz Tomato Sauce (two 8‑oz cans)
• 15 oz Kidney Beans, Dark Red (canned, drained and rinsed)
• 15 oz Kidney Beans, White (Cannellini) (canned, drained and rinsed)
• 32 oz Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth (low‑sodium, boxed)
• 1.5 cups Ditalini Pasta (dry, small tube pasta)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black Pepper
• to taste Italian Seasoning
• 1 tablespoon Sugar (optional, to balance acidity)
• to taste Parmesan Cheese (freshly grated for serving)

Instructions

1. Prep Vegetables

   Dice half a medium yellow onion, two large carrots, and three celery stalks into uniform pieces. Mince five garlic cloves.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sweat the Aromatics

   Place a medium saucepan over medium‑high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and heat for about 1 minute. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until softened.

   Time: PT5M

3. Boil Water for Pasta

   Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the pasta, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.

   Time: PT5M

4. Cook Ditalini Pasta

   Add 1.5 cups dry ditalini pasta to the boiling water. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

   Time: PT8M

5. Add Garlic and Brown Ground Beef

   Drain the pasta and set aside. Return the saucepan to the stove, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add 1 lb ground beef, breaking it up with the spoon. Cook for 11 minutes, stirring, until the meat is fully browned and no pink remains.

   Time: PT12M

6. Incorporate Tomatoes, Sauce, and Beans

   Stir in 14 oz diced tomatoes, two 8‑oz cans tomato sauce, a 15‑oz can drained dark red kidney beans, and a 15‑oz can drained white kidney beans.

   Time: PT2M

7. Add Broth and Seasonings

   Pour in the 32‑oz box of reduced‑sodium chicken broth. Season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. If the soup is too acidic, stir in 1 tbsp sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

   Time: PT5M

8. Simmer the Soup

   Reduce heat slightly and let the soup simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, allowing flavors to meld.

   Time: PT15M

9. Finish with Pasta

   Stir the cooked ditalini pasta into the simmering soup and cook for an additional 1 minute until the pasta is heated through.

   Time: PT1M

10. Serve

    Ladle the soup into bowls and top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

380

Protein

20 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Fat

12 g

Fiber

6 g