Cozy and savory, Grandma's Pasta Fagioli soup will warm you up any day. Packed with savory bites of beef, tender beans, and pieces of pasta in a smooth tomato broth, this soup made in the slow cooker is ready when you are.
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✨ Here is why this recipe is amazing:
- Hearty Dinner or Lunch- Pasta Fagioli is a filling, inexpensive dinner that warms you up on any cold day.
- Ready When You Are- The slow cooker addition to this recipe means that dinner is hot and waiting for you when you are ready for lunch or dinner.
🥫 Ingredients needed:
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 medium onion diced
- 28 ounces tomatoes diced, canned
- 15 ounces cannellini beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 cups green cabbage finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil dried
- 2 cloves garlic minced, or two tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
🔄 Substitutions
- Change The Beans - You can easily substitute other varieties of beans in this recipe for what you have available.
- Skip The Cabbage- If your family isn't a cabbage fan it can be skipped. Cabbage can also be swapped with kale or frozen spinach. You can also add fresh spinach in the same time you add the pasta.
- Swap The Chicken Broth- I usually keep chicken broth in my pantry, but beef broth or vegetable broth also are delicious in this recipe.
- Change the Meat- We've used ground beef, but you could use ground sausage, ground turkey, or a combination of ground meats.
🔪 How to make slow cooker pasta fagioli
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned and crumbled then drain well.
- Place the ground beef, diced onion, canned tomatoes, cannellini beans, kidney beans, diced carrots, shredded cabbage, celery, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and chicken broth in the slow cooker. Stir until well mixed.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for four hours.
- Add the ditalini pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Push all the pasta below the liquid line. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Serve with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!
❄️ Storage Tips
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
This soup can also be frozen for up to three months for best results. Personally if I plan on freezing the soup I usually leave out the cabbage because I find it doesn't freeze how I would like.
♨️ Reheating Instructions
This soup can be reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. You could also place leftovers back in the slow cooker to warm up for later.
📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:
Ditalini is a small pasta that is in a small tube shape. While ditalini is the traditional pasta in pasta fagioli, other small pasta shapes such as orzo, stellini (stars) or even alphabet letters can be substituted.
Macaroni is another great option, but I don't recommend using a pasta shape larger than macaroni.
Traditional pasta fagioli has beans, but you could add more of the vegetables you prefer like carrots or cabbage.
Yes you can make this recipe on the stove. Brown the meat, and then expect to simmer all the rest of the ingredients covered for about an hour. The pasta will usually take another 10-15 minutes before it is finished, or you can boil the pasta in a separate pot and add it to the soup to speed things up.
What Do I Server This Soup With?
Try serving this pasta fagioli with these breadsticks, perfect for dipping. You can also serve this soup with a crusty bread, croutons, and parmesan cheese. I like to put a crispy green salad on the side, and sometimes I'll add a grilled cheese sandwich made with mozzarella cheese.
Other Recipes You'll Love
Crockpot Chicken And Gravy- Tender chicken in a savory gravy for a cozy meal you'll love.
Pasta In Pink Sauce- This pretty pasta is cheesy and easy for any weeknight.
Chicken Alfredo- Creamy, cheesy chicken alfredo is a delicious weeknight meal that's warm, gooey and delicious!
Grandma's Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 1 medium onion diced
- 28 ounces tomatoes diced, canned
- 15 ounces cannellini beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces kidney beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 2 cups green cabbage finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil dried
- 2 cloves garlic minced, or two tablespoons minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and onion until the meat is browned and crumbled then drain well.
- Place the ground beef, diced onion, canned tomatoes, cannellini beans, kidney beans, diced carrots, shredded cabbage, celery, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and chicken broth in the slow cooker. Stir until well mixed.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for four hours.
- Add the ditalini pasta to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Push all the pasta below the liquid line. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Serve with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
To Make This Pasta Fagioli Soup On The Stovetop
Brown the meat, and then expect to simmer all the rest of the ingredients covered for about an hour. The pasta will usually take another 10-15 minutes before it is finished, or you can boil the pasta in a separate pot and add it to the soup to speed things up.Nutrition
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