Olive Garden Pasta E Fagioli

"This is by Todd Wilbur: "It's amazing how many lousy clones for this delicious chili-like soup from Olive Garden are floating on the Web. Some are shared on message boards, others are displayed on sites in a collection of "actual restaurant recipes" (yeah, right!). But they all leave out obvious ingredients you can see, like the carrots, ground beef or two kinds of beans. Others don't get the pasta right--it's obviously ditali pasta (short little tubes). Then there's the recipe that really squeezed the seeds from my gourd--one that's floating around in MasterCook format that lists "Top Secret Recipes" as the source. But wait a minute! I've never created a clone for this dish--not here on the site and not in any book. So, after logging some time over a chopping block, an open flame, and a couple tasty glasses of Merlot, out popped this puppy. And this is the one, kitchen cloners! If you want the taste of Pasta e Fagioli at home, this is the only recipe that will fool in a side-by-side taste test. Accept no other imitation." So says Mr. Wilbur. A friend brought me some of this so I wouldn't have to cook one night and brought me this write up the next day. This is wonderful, whoever's recipe it is."
 
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Ready In:
1hr 10mins
Ingredients:
17
Serves:
8
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ingredients

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directions

  • 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 saute for 10 minutes.
  • Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
  • About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water, over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
  • Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

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Reviews

  1. This is DELICIOUS; just wonderful. I omitted the salt and vinegar - there is plenty of salt with all of the canned veggies, etc. I also substituted reduced sodium beef broth for the V-8 juice. Used Contadina diced tomatoes that were seasoned with garlic, basil & oregano and actually diced my tomatoes into a smaller dice. I never put my cooked ditalini pasta into the soup pot. Always put it in the individual bowls; keeps pasta nice and al dente - doesn't get mushy in the soup that way. This soup freezes beautifully. I portion it into two servings, and also freeze cooked ditalini in separate small freezer bags. This is going to be an amazing Christmas gift for an older friend who is no longer able to cook. She just takes out the small containers I freeze it in for her, and a small bag of frozen ditalini and she has a fast, delicious, and nutritious meal. TRY THIS RECIPE - IT REALLY IS SCRUMPTIOUS.
     
  2. Tried this recipe the other night, and it was fabulous! Made according to directions, except omitted vinegar and substituted beef broth for vegetable juice. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing!
     
  3. I made this last night for my family and they loved it. I always order the pasta fagioli at Olive Garden because it is one of my favorite dishes. Now I can make it at home. It was exactly the same! Love it!
     
  4. I found this exact recipe at topsecretrecipes.com, my family thinks it tastes just the same as olive garden and my husband was a chef there, lol.
     
  5. It's honestly been at least a year since I've been to Olive Garden so I can't say if it's exactly like their soup, but I can imagine it's pretty close. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great. My family really enjoyed it, thanks for posting this.
     
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Tweaks

  1. Tried this recipe the other night, and it was fabulous! Made according to directions, except omitted vinegar and substituted beef broth for vegetable juice. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing!
     

RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

My husband and I are full time RVers (in a 5th wheel RV, our home on wheels) and have been for 10 years. That means we are both retired and do nothin' but travel wherever and whenever we want to. All our kids are grown and have their own families, all in Texas. We are originally from Texas (Pasadena) and sure do enjoy travelling. We are now back in Texas, a little town called (UPDATE) PIPE CREEK and will be here for awhile. We have been all over the United States, in all seasons. We do still have the Northeast to explore yet. My passion is cookin'. And travelin'. My husband and I cook together well, too. My pet peeve is inconsiderate people. I also enjoy crafts and making jewelry or working on my scrollsaw.
 
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