Ditalini Pasta e Fagioli

This Olive Garden copycat recipe is full of flavor and loaded with veggies and protein. Made mostly with pantry and refrigerator staples, it is a quick and easy soup for those chilly fall weeknight meals.

Ditalini pasta is shaped like a small tube and is also referred to as “little thimbles.” These tiny pastas are often used in soups, like minestrone or pasta e fagiole. A larger version of ditalini is known as ditali, which serves a similar purpose as its smaller counterpart. Apulio, Italy started producing smaller shaped pastas during the industrial era – now ditalini is mass produced and sold around the world. To learn more about ditalini pasta, visit https://sharethepasta.org/pasta-shapes/ditalini/.

Ingredient List

For the Ditalini Pasta e Fagioli:

1 pound lean ground beef
2 medium carrots (about 14-16 baby carrots), diced
1 large onion, diced
1-2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounce) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce
32 ounces chicken broth
1 can (15 ounces) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, adjust to taste
1 cup dry ditalini pasta

Instructions

Ditalini Soup

In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, brown ground beef for 3-5 minutes. Break it up as it cooks.
Remove cooked beef from the pot, drain of excess fat, and set aside.
In the same pot, add diced carrots, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté the vegetables until softened, about 4-5 minutes.
Add canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, both kinds of beans, cooked beef, and seasonings to the pot. Stir to combine. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes.
Add pasta and cook an additional 10 minutes, or until pasta is tender.
Serve immediately.
If you love zucchini, try adding some diced fresh zucchini with the pasta.