Easy Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe made in the Instant Pot. You’ll love this hearty comfort food with the trifecta of meat, pasta, and vegetables!
If you love cooking with your Instant Pot, be sure to try our delicious Instant Pot Tuna Casserole. Or give this family favorite Instant Pot Ziti recipe a try for dinner tonight!
Table of Contents
What is Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Move over Olive Garden, there’s a new copycat recipe in town that is better than the original.
Pasta e Fagioli soup, known as “pasta and beans” is an Italian classic. If you’ve ever been to Olive Garden, you may have even tried this hearty bowl of comfort food.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t usually put pasta and beans in the same meal…it’s usually one or the other, plus a protein and veggies. Pasta e Fagioli soup is an easy dish that is a complete meal. One bite and you’ll fall in love.
It’s got the trifecta of ingredients: Meat. Pasta. Vegetables. All in one delicious bite!
While today is an Instant Pot recipe, I’ve also included tips on how to make today’s recipe in the Slow Cooker and on the Stove Top. ENJOY!
Easy Instructions
STEP 1: Saute the meat.
I use ground beef in my pasta fagioli soup, but feel free to use 1 lb of your favorite…Italian sausage, ground turkey, or a combo of these are fabulous.
Brown the meat in the Instant Pot until fully cooked. Drain the liquid and and the beef, set aside.
STEP 2: Cook the vegetables.
While on the “saute” function, add olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables have softened slightly and onions are translucent. This step adds a depth of flavor to the dish that you don’t want to skip.
STEP 3: Pressure Cook.
Add the beef broth to the pot while still on saute. Deglaze the pot by scraping the bits of browned meat and vegetables off the bottom. This takes only a few seconds, but is an important step!
Now add the beef back to the pot, as well as the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, remaining beef broth, water, ditalini pasta, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Give a quick stir.
Lock the lid in place, turn on High Pressure and cook time of 4 minutes.
When cook time ends, allow to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
STEP 4: Finishing touches.
Open the lid after pressure releases and add one can of Great Northern Beans and one can of Kidney beans (both drained and rinsed).
Give the soup and stir and serve with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Brown meat in skillet (or if your slow cooker has this option). Drain and add to bottom of slow cooker.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.
NOTE: You will NOT be adding water and pasta to the slow cooker!
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- To add the ditalini pasta, you can either cook it ahead of time on the stove top, or 30 minutes prior to serving, add the pasta to the slow cooker with 1 cup of hot water. Stir, cover, and let cook.
- When ready to serve in 30 minutes, stir in parsley and top with parmesan cheese. ENJOY.
Stove Top Instructions
- Brown meat in bottom of large soup pot (or dutch oven). Drain grease and add olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until vegetables have softened slightly.
- Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, 1 cup water, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning.
NOTE: You do not add all the water or pasta at this time.
- Cover soup pot and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, until vegetables have softened. Add remaining water and ditalini pasta. Cover and cook on medium until pasta is desired texture (about 10 minutes).
- Remove from heat, add parsley and serve with parmesan cheese. ENJOY.
Tips and Tricks
- Swap out the kidney beans for Cannellini beans. For whatever reason, I find the white beans to be a little creamier and kid friendly!
- Be sure to deglaze the pot with the beef broth. Failure to do so could result in a “burn” notice. Those bits of meat and veggies stuck on the pan can trigger this notice.
- During the quick pressure release, if it becomes messy, instill a “controlled” pressure release by turning the valve knob open and close. I will sometimes cover the top of the valve with a thin tea towel, tenting it over the valve with my hands to keep the “liquid” from spraying all over my kitchen.
- DO NOT SKIP PARSLEY. It really does add flavor to this soup!
- Leftover soup can be kept in refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days. The noodles may get extra soft when reheating, but the flavor is still delicious!
- Today’s recipe was created in my Instant Pot 6 qt Duo. Different brands and size pressure cookers may yield different results. Time does not include the time the Instant Pot takes to come to pressure, be sure to factor that into your planning.
What to serve with Pasta e Fagioli
Like any traditional Italian meal at my house, we serve this Olive Garden Salad and Dinner rolls.
Pasta e Fagioli is hearty enough though to just add a loaf of Italian Bread to the table and call it a meal.
Add a bowl of this Spinach Artichoke dip to the table and everyone will be happy!
More Instant Pot Recipes
- Sloppy Joes
- Instant Pot Pork Chops
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Instant Pot Spaghetti
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Crack Chicken
Favorite Soup Recipes
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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup Recipe
Pasta e Fagioli
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 3 cloves garlic pressed
- 1 can diced tomatoes, not drained 14.5 ounce
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 ounce
- 32 ounce beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained 15 ounce
- 1 can Kidney beans, rinsed and drained 15 ounce
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Turn on Instant Pot and select "SAUTE." Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain liquid and remove meat to paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
- Add olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the instant pot while still on saute. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until vegetables have softened slightly.
- Add the beef broth to the pot while still on saute. Deglaze the pot by scraping the bits of browned meat and vegetables off the bottom. This takes only a few seconds, but is an important step! Select "cancel."
- Now add the beef back to the pot, as well as the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, remaining beef broth, water, ditalini pasta, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Give a quick stir.
- Lock the lid in place, turn on High Pressure and cook time of 4 minutes.
- When cook time ends, allow to naturally release pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick release.
- Open the lid after pressure releases and add one can of Great Northern Beans and one can of Kidney beans (both drained and rinsed).
- Give the soup and stir and serve with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Swap out the kidney beans for Cannellini beans. For whatever reason, I find the white beans to be a little creamier and kid friendly!
- Be sure to deglaze the pot with the beef broth. Failure to do so could result in a “burn” notice. Those bits of meat and veggies stuck on the pan can trigger this notice.
- During the quick pressure release, if it becomes messy, instill a “controlled” pressure release by turning the valve knob open and close. I will sometimes cover the top of the valve with a thin tea towel, tenting it over the valve with my hands to keep the “liquid” from spraying all over my kitchen.
- DO NOT SKIP PARSLEY. It really does add flavor to this soup!
- Leftover soup can be kept in refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-5 days. The noodles may get extra soft when reheating, but the flavor is still delicious!
Nutrition
Move over Olive Garden, there’s a new copycat recipe in town that is better than the original. Pasta e Fagioli soup can be made in Instant Pot, Slow Cooker or on the stove!
Would be so helpful if there was a way to print the recipes. Unless I am missing something, I don’t see a print option. Thanks.
There is a print option in the recipe card on every one of my recipes. 🙂
I think this is one of the best blogs for me because this is really helpful for me. Thanks for sharing this valuable information for free.
This soup was a huge hit! My family loved it! I will be making it again soon.
My goodness, this soup is so satisfying and absolutely delicious! The hubby and I loved it!
This was such a savory and hearty soup! Can’t wait to serve this again and again during these cold months!