Description
A hearty and flavorful slow-cooked pasta fagioli recipe that combines ground beef or Italian sausage with a medley of vegetables, beans, herbs, and pasta in a savory broth. Perfect for a comforting meal on a chilly day.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Soup:
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Meat: In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef or sausage until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain any excess fat. Transfer the meat to the crockpot.
- Prepare the Soup: Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, cannellini beans, beef broth, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours until vegetables are tender.
- Add Pasta: About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the ditalini pasta. Cover and continue cooking until the pasta is tender.
- Finish and Serve: Discard the bay leaf, stir in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with grated Parmesan on top.
Notes
- If the soup thickens, add hot water or broth to adjust consistency.
- For a vegetarian version, omit meat and use vegetable broth.
- Pasta fagioli thickens on standing, so add extra liquid when reheating leftovers.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 10g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
