Pasta e Fagioli

We don’t live close to an Olive Garden and when you’re craving their Pasta Fagioli that can present a problem.  That is until you Google “Olive Garden’s Pasta Fagioli”.  I found a lot of recipes claiming to taste just like the restaurant.  However, I decided to go with Top Secret Recipes version.  It was the right choice.  Try this and see if you agree. 

1 lb. ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15oz. can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15oz. can tomato juice
1 12oz. can V-8 juice
1 tbls. white vinegar
1 ½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. basil
½ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. thyme
½ lb. (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta

Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat.  Drain off most of the fat.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer 1 hour.

About 50 minutes into the simmering, cook the pasta in 1 ½ to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat.  Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta al dente, or slightly tough.

Add the pasta to the large pot of soup.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more and serve.

Serves 8

Bits & Pieces

Certainly, this is a recipe that you can play around with.  However, if you love Olive Garden’s Pasta Fagioli then don’t change anything.  That is…unless you can’t find ditali pasta…which I couldn’t.  Next time we “go into town”, I’ll stop at HEB and get a couple of packages.  I used Barilla’s Piccolini mini rotini instead.  It didn’t spoil the taste:)  Now, I just need to make their bread sticks!