Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (2024)

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Slow cooker Pasta e fa*gioli soup is a rich and hearty Italian soup loaded with pasta, vegetables, beans, and lean ground beef. It’s hearty, comforting, and oh so delicious!

Italy knows just the way to my heart! If you love a good Italian soup, try this creamy Zuppa Toscana, this chicken gnocchi, or this classic Italian wedding soup.

Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (1)

A Reader’s Review

This is a great simple recipe for a tasty, filling meal! My husband also really enjoyed it… Going to be a regular at our house. Thanks for this winner!!!

-Keriema

Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli

Today I am sharing one of my favorite soups: Pasta efa*gioli. This is comfort food at its finest! It’s a super hearty, meaty, thick Italian soup loaded with veggies, meat, and beans. But that’s not even the best part! The best of all is that this soup is made in a slow cooker. That means little to no prep time and lots of flavors. This soup simmers low and slow for 8 hours! Let the slow cooker do all the work while you relax and enjoy the aroma in your home.

While your soup is cooking all day, then you have some time to make a few sides to go with it. I love adding a side salad and some breadsticks to dip into this soup. You can also make those recipes ahead of time! Then, when the soup is finished, all you have to do is get it all out, set the table, and dig in! It’s a great meal that your entire family will enjoy.

Ingredients You Need to Make Pasta e fa*gioli

This is a thick, rich and hearty soup that is loved by all. So many ingredients but so much flavor in all of them! You will love the combination of vegetables, beans, and pasta. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

  • Extra virgin olive oil:This adds a hint of seasoning and liquid in the mix.
  • Ground beef: When I buy ground beef I try and get it as lean as possible.
  • Carrots:The should be freshly peeled and sliced. Canned carrots are little too mushy when simmering them for a long period of time.
  • Celery stalks: Slice and dice them to your preference.
  • Onion: I like to dice these up a little smaller for kids.
  • Crushed tomatoes:Canned tomatoes are best. Some cans are flavored which adds more flavor so get the kind that you prefer.
  • Beef broth: This liquid base adds in a delicious flavor.
  • Bay leaves:This brings in a strong taste that is so familiar in soups.
  • Oregano:The oregano brings more aromatic seasoning to the soup.
  • Dried basil:Dried basil has a slight pepper taste but is perfectly strong and sweet.
  • Dried thyme:Thyme is a subtle flavor but it is enough for this soup.
  • Salt and pepper: Add this to taste (I added 1 tsp salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper)
  • Cannellonibeans and red kidney beans: Make sure that these have been drained and rinsed before adding
  • Ditalini pasta: This uncooked pasta will be added in at the end.

How to Make Pasta e fa*gioli

This soup takes just a bit of prep time and is super easy to throw together. Serve it with a hot, fresh perfect soft, buttery rollfor a great dinner meal!

  1. Brown the ground beef:Add olive oil to a large skillet and add in ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink.
  2. Combine all ingredients: Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except for the beans and pasta.
  3. Cook on low:Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 30 minutes before serving stir in beans and pasta.
  4. Season:Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves before serving.
  5. Serve:Serve immediately while hot.
Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (2)

Is Pasta e fa*gioli a Main Dish or a Side Dish?

This is a common question, and there is no correct answer! This dish is filling enough and has your meats and veggies all in one so you can definitely serve it as a main dish! Add in a Caprese salad and some breadsticks and it can be a meal. Or, you can serve it as an appetizer to the main course! Either way, it’s going to fill you up!

Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (3)

What’s the Difference Between Minestrone Soup and Pasta e fa*gioli?

These two soups are often confused with one another! They are both delicious but here are the differences between the two:

  • Consistency: The main difference between minestrone soup and pasta e fa*gioli soup is the meat and the thickness. Minestrone leaves our ground beef and has a thinner consistency.
  • Vegetables: They each have vegetables but pasta e fa*gioli has a few more and a different variety.

How to Store Leftovers

This soup makes fantastic leftovers! It tastes just as good, if not better, the next day!

  • In the Refrigerator: Place the soup in an airtight container and put it in your fridge. It will last 3-4 days.
  • To Reheat: When you are ready to eat it again then put the soup in a medium sized pot and cook it on medium-high heat on your stove. It will take 5-10 minutes until it’s heated through.
Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (4)

More Italian Recipes to Try

As I said before, Italy really knows the way to my heart! All of the delicious seasonings, soups and pasta are SOO GOOD. It’s hard to pick a favorite! It you are looking for some more delicious tried and true recipes then you will love these that I have rounded up. Serve them family style and it will feel as if you are in Italy! Enjoy!

Dinner

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken with Pasta

6 hrs 20 mins

Pasta

Lemon Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Pasta

25 mins

Dinner

Slow Cooker Italian Beef

8 hrs 20 mins

Dinner

The BEST Lasagna Ever!

1 hr

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Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup

4.88 from 32 votes

By: Alyssa Rivers

Slow cooker Pasta e fa*gioli soup is a rich and hearty Italian soup loaded with pasta, vegetables, beans, and lean ground beef. It's hearty, comforting, and oh so delicious!

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours hours

Total Time: 7 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 10 people

Equipment

  • Crock-Pot

  • Cuisinart Stainless Steel Chopper

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Add olive oil to a large skillet and add in ground beef. Cook until browned and no longer pink.

  • Place the beef in a slow cooker along with the rest of the ingredients except for the beans and pasta.

  • Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. 30 minutes before serving stir in beans and pasta.

  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Discard bay leaves before serving.

  • Serve immediately while hot.

Video

Notes

Updated on January 27, 2022
Original Post on October 23, 2015

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 177kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 14gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 146mgPotassium: 486mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2216IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine: American, Italian, Italian American

Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!

About Alyssa Rivers

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Alyssa Rivers and the food blogger behind The Recipe Critic. The blog launched in 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family. Each recipe is tried and true, family-tested and approved.

Read More About Me

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Slow Cooker Pasta e fa*gioli Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to stop pasta from going soggy in a slow cooker? ›

You can use slow cookers to make pasta as long as you don't mix the pasta in with the sauce and leave it sitting in the slow cooker for an extended period of time. Doing so will result in pasta that is mushy, soggy and unappetizing. For best results, keep the pasta separate until serving.

When should you add pasta to a slow cooker? ›

Broth-based slow cooker dinners need their dry pasta added at just the right moment — add the pasta too early and your noodles will be mushy before they get to the table. Adding dry pasta 30 to 4o minutes before serving means you'll have perfectly cooked pasta in your soup.

Why did my noodles turn to mush in the crockpot? ›

One of the most common reasons for mushy noodles is overcooking. Pasta, including noodles, has a relatively short cooking time compared to other ingredients typically prepared in a crockpot.

What is pasta e fa*gioli soup made of? ›

Pasta e fa*gioli, sometimes shortened to pasta fa*gioli (or pasta fazool if you're a Sopranos fan), is a classic Italian soup. Its name literally translates to “pasta and beans,” and it consists of tiny pasta, creamy beans, and tender vegetables in a fragrant tomato broth.

How long does dry pasta take to cook in a slow cooker? ›

To keep pasta from becoming mushy in the crock pot, be sure to check for doneness periodically and serve once they are tender. It takes slow cooker pasta 3 to 4 hours on low or 1 to 2 hours on high. Check pasta doneness sooner than later, especially as some slow cookers are more powerful than others.

How do I reduce the liquid in my slow cooker? ›

If it comes to serving and you open your slow cooker to find a watery sauce, never fear we have an easy answer. Take the lid off, turn the machine up to high heat and leave it for 30-45 minutes to let excess moisture cook off. The liquid will reduce, leaving you with a thick and delicious gravy or sauce.

Is it better to do slow cooker recipes on low or high? ›

Foods take different times to cook depending upon the setting used. Certainly, foods will cook faster on high than on low. However, for all-day cooking or for less-tender cuts, you may want to use the low setting.

Can you overcook something in a slow cooker? ›

Slow cookers are specially designed to cook food for long periods of time, but yes, you can still overcook in a slow cooker if something is left on the wrong setting for longer than it's supposed to be.

Do you add liquid to slow cooker? ›

A slow cooker does not need any liquid added at the beginning of the cooking process, because it will generate steam, which will become liquid in the bowl. For recipes that use liquid, and have not been written specifically for a slow cooker it make sense to reduce the amount of liquid by half.

What cannot be cooked in a slow cooker? ›

10 Foods You Should Never Make in a Slow Cooker
  1. Raw Meat.
  2. Seafood.
  3. Pasta.
  4. Rice.
  5. Delicate Vegetables.
  6. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts.
  7. Dairy.
  8. Wine and Other Liquor.
Jan 19, 2024

What vegetables should not be added to a slow cooker? ›

Tender vegetables

Vegetables such as peas, asparagus and peppers can become a flavorless, mushy mess in a slow cooker.

What does fazool mean in Italian? ›

1. Italian for bean . 2. Term used for money or a bill .

Did Olive Garden get rid of pasta fa*gioli? ›

Love the Olive Garden. Never disappoint!! fa*gioli has been taken off the menu.

What was Dean Martin's favorite Italian dish? ›

“When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fa*gioli, that's amore,” Martin croons. The pasta and bean dish is more than just an apt rhyme for “drool,” Martin is actually singing about one specific version of pasta fa*gioli that he loves: his mother's.

Does pasta go soggy in a slow cooker? ›

The heat causes the protein to set, constraining the expansion of the starch and resulting in pasta with the proper texture. When pasta is cooked in the slow cooker, however, the liquid heats up slowly, so the starch has more time to swell before being checked by the protein, resulting in soggy, mushy pasta.

Can you put pasta in a slow cooker? ›

Yes you can! This is a commonly asked question and one that can lead to a lot of confusion. You can absolutely cook pasta in your crock pot, and there is no need to cook it on the stove when you intend to use it in a slow cooker recipe.

How do you thicken pasta sauce in a slow cooker? ›

A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of a cold liquid with cornstarch. It is used as a thickening agent, and is particularly common in Asian sauces. As a rule of thumb, dissolve 2 parts cold water and 1 part cornstarch. Add the slurry to your sauce as it simmers in the slow cooker.

How do you fix soggy pasta? ›

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add your overcooked pasta. Gently sauté over medium heat for a few minutes until the pasta's texture has firmed up. The whole process takes less than 10 minutes and you'll know it is done when the edges of the pasta have started to crisp and light browning has begun.

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