My brother got married over this Christmas break, and Mom decided that we would cater his reception ourselves. Her idea? Copycat Olive Garden. We gathered slow-cooker versions of the Pasta e Fagioli and Zuppa Toscana soups, added some salad tossed with copycat Olive Garden dressing, and a few breadsticks. The day of was as easy as throwing the soups in the crockpots, letting them cook, and then placing them on the table for folks to enjoy. Much cheaper than paying someone, extremely delicious, and really not that stressful in the end.

The recipe we used for Pasta e Fagioli comes from the 365 Days of Slow Cooking blog. It makes a ton – something like 12 servings – for pretty cheap. It’s also extremely delicious and filling. With two kinds of beans, pasta, and ground beef (or ground turkey, which is what we use – leaner and cheaper) this is a hearty soup that legitimately fills you up. My husband’s chief complaint when I serve soup is that he never feels full, but I have not yet heard that complaint about this soup.

Also, all of those nice proteins (beans, lean beef/turkey) are good and healthy for you. Combine it with the veggies and spices, and you have a deliciously healthy meal. Literally no guilt here, guys. Just enjoyment. You’re welcome 🙂

Slow Cooker Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli | Homan at Home

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Slow Cooker Copycat Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli

Warm, savory soup with hearty lean and vegetarian protein!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Servings 12

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef browned and drained
1 onion diced
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced celery
3 cloves minced garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
3 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 can kidney beans
1 can northern beans
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1 tsp thyme
½ cup apple juice
8 oz ditalini pasta
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Place all ingredients except pasta into the slow cooker.
Allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Boil pasta on the stovetop until al dente. Add pasta to slow cooker and allow to cook for another 15 minutes.
Enjoy!

Notes

If you want to eat this as a leftover, the pasta will suck up most of the broth. One way to avoid this is to keep the pasta separate and only add in what you want. Another is simple to add a little bit of water to the soup when you reheat it.

Adapted from 365 Days of Cooking