Description
This Slow Cooker Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli is a comforting and hearty Italian-American soup featuring savory Italian sausage, tender beans, vegetables, and ditalini pasta simmered to perfection in a flavorful tomato broth. It’s an easy, hands-off recipe made in the slow cooker, perfect for a warm family meal.
Ingredients
Meat and Vegetables
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound Italian sausage (casing removed)
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Liquids and Canned Goods
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 (16-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
Herbs and Seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pasta and Garnish
- 3/4 cup ditalini pasta
- 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Brown the Sausage and Onion: Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage and diced onion, cooking while stirring frequently until the sausage is browned and crumbled, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat before proceeding.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Transfer the cooked sausage and onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add chicken stock, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, red kidney beans, cannellini beans, carrots, celery, minced garlic, dried basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, then stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
- Slow Cook the Soup: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or on high heat for 5 to 6 hours, allowing flavors to meld and vegetables to soften.
- Add Pasta and Finish Cooking: Remove the lid and stir in the ditalini pasta. Re-cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender but not mushy.
- Serve and Garnish: Spoon the soup into bowls and top each serving with shaved Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Use Italian sausage without casing to easily crumble while browning.
- Ensure beans are well drained and rinsed to reduce excess salt and preserve soup flavor.
- You can substitute vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian by omitting sausage.
- For a thicker soup, reduce the amount of chicken stock or cook uncovered toward the end to evaporate extra liquid.
- If ditalini pasta is unavailable, small pasta shapes like elbow macaroni or small shells work well.
- Parmesan garnish adds nice salty flavor, but you can omit for a dairy-free option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian-American
