Healthy Recipes Soup Noodle Soup Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli 4.8 (13) 11 Reviews This copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli soup features lean ground beef, ditalini pasta and plenty of beans—just like the original. By Amanda Stanfield Amanda Stanfield Amanda Stanfield is a Test Kitchen assistant at EatingWell. She completed her undergraduate degree in journalism and strategic communications at Hampton University. After graduation, Amanda worked in the nonprofit sector as a marketing associate for a global nonprofit organization. In 2018, she pivoted into the food industry and began training in fine-dining restaurants around Atlanta. Later she gained her culinary degree from Johnson & Wales University and went on to work in a variety of kitchens from boutique restaurants to conference hotels.As a true foodie, Amanda seeks out nutritious and unique flavors to inspire others to eat happily and healthfully. When she's not cooking up delicious recipes, you can find her lap swimming in the pool or watching a good sci-fi movie. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 9, 2025 Reviewed by Dietitian Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Reviewed by Dietitian Sarah Pflugradt, Ph.D., RDN, CSCS Sarah Pflugradt is a registered dietitian who holds a Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance and is a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her extensive background in dietetics has made her a sought-after expert in family and youth sports nutrition. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Active Time: 40 mins Total Time: 55 mins Servings: 8 servings Nutrition Profile: Gut Healthy Mediterranean Diet Sesame-Free Nut-Free Healthy Pregnancy Soy-Free High-Protein Egg-Free Jump to recipe Our Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli is a pretty good match, if you asked us. It's hearty, comforting and full of classic Italian flavor. This soup starts with a mirepoix, or soffritto, of onions, carrots and celery added to perfectly browned lean ground beef. We shortened the spice list by using Italian seasoning and brightened up the dish with fresh basil. The classic soup uses both kidney and cannellini beans and two types of tomatoes—double the fiber and double the lycopene! And it wouldn't be Pasta e Fagioli without ditalini pasta—a complete meal in a bowl. Keep reading for our expert tips on cooking technique, ingredient substitutions and more. Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! No-salt-added beans can still contain salt, so it's smart to drain and rinse them.This recipe calls for whole-wheat ditalini, a great pasta choice for soup. Tubetti pasta works perfectly too. You could also go for macaroni, orzo or acini di pepe if that's what you have.Some easy swaps include using ground turkey or your favorite sausage in place of ground beef, or opting for chicken broth instead of beef broth.To make this soup vegetarian, omit the meat, and look for a plant-based cheese. Pecorino Romano is made with animal rennet. Nutrition Notes Lean ground beef is one of the most accessible and affordable animal proteins. It contains iron for healthy blood cells, zinc for immunity and choline for brain health. Beef is a complete protein, which means it contains all essential amino acids, but it is a particularly good source of leucine, which is an amino acid important for building muscle. This soup contains two types of beans. All beans are high in fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health. Canned beans are convenient but can contain higher amounts of sodium. We chose no-sodium-added to reduce the amount of sodium from the beans—better for your heart health. Canned tomatoes are also used twice in this recipe—diced and sauce. We opted for no-salt-added on these ingredients, too, to reduce total sodium. Canned tomatoes are an excellent convenience food because they contain higher amounts of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh tomatoes. This antioxidant can help reduce inflammation in the body from chronic disease. Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound lean ground beef 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 small white onion, chopped 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped ½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus ¼ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, divided 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pepper 3 cups lower-sodium beef broth 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added cannellini beans, rinsed 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce 4 ounces whole-wheat ditalini pasta (about 1 cup) ⅓ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese Directions Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground beef; cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the beef, until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, celery and onion; cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ½ cup chopped basil, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; stir to combine. Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Stir in 3 cups broth, 15 ounces kidney beans, 15 ounces cannellini beans, 15 ounces diced tomatoes and 8 ounces tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in 4 ounces pasta; cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until the pasta is tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Divide the soup among 8 soup bowls. Top with ⅓ cup Pecorino Romano and the remaining ¼ cup basil leaves. Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless Frequently Asked Questions Can I use any kind of bean? Yes, but it's best to stick with beans that hold their shape well in soup. Cannellini beans are a great choice because they're sturdy and add a nice, creamy texture along with great flavor. You can also use borlotti beans or Great Northern beans as substitutes. For extra flavor and a pop of color, we went with kidney beans, but feel free to swap those for pinto beans, black beans or chickpeas if you like. How should I store and reheat leftovers? You can keep the soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days, and it improves as the flavors blend together. If you anticipate leftovers, keep the pasta separate, as it may become mushy if left in the soup for too long. Plus, you may have to add extra broth. When you're ready to reheat it, pop it in the microwave or warm it on the stove over medium heat. Can I freeze the soup? Absolutely, and the soup will last for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container. Be sure to leave a little room at the top of the container, so the ingredients have room to expand. You can freeze the soup with the beans, but they'll soften a little. Reheating on low heat is best to retain some firmness. However, we would not freeze the pasta. Make a fresh batch to add when serving. What should I serve with Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli? A fresh, crisp salad would work well, like our Caesar Salad with Crispy Artichokes, Basic Green Salad with Vinaigrette or Kale Salad with Cranberries. And you can't go wrong with some good bread on the side—perfect for dipping in the tasty broth or wiping the bowl clean. Rustic bread is a solid choice or garlic bread. Nutrition Information Serving Size: about 1 1/3 cupsCalories 308, Fat 11g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 40mg, Carbohydrates 30g, Total Sugars 5g, Added Sugars 0g, Protein 22g, Fiber 6g, Sodium 485mg, Potassium 669mg EatingWell.com, December 2023 Save Rate Print Additional reporting by Linda Frahm Linda Frahm Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines