Olive Garden’s famous Pasta e Fagioli soup is perfect on chilly fall nights or cool, rainy spring days—finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a piece of crusty bread. This is a copycat version you can make at home.
Post updated May 1, 2019. I updated the photos and clarified the points after a reader noted a discrepancy. There are many types of sausage that work well in this soup; I’ve used both sweet and hot Italian sausage. If you prefer, substitute chicken or turkey sausage. If you track points, use your WW recipe builder to calculate values for your chosen sausage. I reduced the pasta to ½ cup because 1 cup made the soup too thick for my taste.
Why You Will Like This Recipe
Olive Garden is one of my go-to spots for comforting carbs—their breadsticks are irresistible and a simple soup-and-salad meal can feel light yet satisfying. Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty, comforting soup loaded with beans and pasta; it has the warmth and depth of an Italian-style chili. Some versions use Italian sausage or pancetta; the aroma of sausage or bacon with onions, carrots, celery, and garlic simmering together is one of the best kitchen smells.
For a quick accompaniment, some grocery bakeries sell cheese breadsticks that pair nicely with this soup. One breadstick with a cup of this soup makes an easy, satisfying meal.
Depending on where you live, ditalini pasta can be hard to find; many stores carry it while some don’t. If you can’t find ditalini, any small tubular pasta or small rings will work. There are plenty of filling, low-point ingredients in this soup if you’re watching calories.
Ingredients for Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli
- Ditalini pasta or any small tubular/ringed pasta
- 8 oz sweet Italian sausage (or turkey/chicken sausage)
- Garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- Chicken broth (homemade preferred; use reduced-sodium for canned)
- Crushed tomatoes (choose no added salt or sugar if desired)
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
How to Make Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Step 1: Lightly spray a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add the Italian sausage and brown, about 3–5 minutes. Drain any excess fat and set the sausage aside.
Step 2: Add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3–4 minutes.
Step 3: Whisk in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the uncooked pasta and drained beans, then return the browned sausage to the pot. Simmer until the pasta is cooked and everything is heated through. If reheating leftovers, the soup may thicken—add a splash of water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
Recipe FAQs
Nutrition and points are calculated using the WW recipe builder. I also use MyFitnessPal for detailed nutrition breakdowns.
Points for the recipe are listed in the Notes section below; adjust as needed for ingredient substitutions.
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Weight Watchers Pasta Fagioli
- Author: Jenna
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 20–25 min
- Total Time: 35 min
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Easy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Olive Garden’s famous Pasta e Fagioli soup is perfect on chilly fall nights or cool, rainy spring days—finished with a sprinkle of Parmesan and a piece of crusty bread. This is a copycat version you can make at home.
Ingredients
- ½ cup ditalini pasta or small tubular pasta
- 8 oz sweet Italian sausage
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- Toppings: Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Spray a large Dutch oven with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add the sausage and brown for about 3–5 minutes. Drain excess fat and set aside.
- Stir in garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 3–4 minutes.
- Whisk in chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
- Add uncooked pasta and beans, and return the cooked sausage to the pot. Simmer until pasta is tender and everything is heated through.
- Serving size: 1 cup.
Notes
myWW points: Blue 3; Green 5; Purple 3. Adjust points based on specific ingredients and portions. If you prefer a thinner soup when reheating, stir in additional water or broth.
Personal WW points may vary. Use the WW recipe builder for the most accurate calculation with your chosen ingredients.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 227
- Fat: 7.9g
- Carbohydrates: 24.4g
- Fiber: 4.6g
- Protein: 15.3g