Pasta e fagioli, or pasta and beans in English, is a delicious, hearty soup for any time you’re in the mood for some warm comfort. This crock pot pasta e fagioli recipe pairs ground beef with all sorts of delicious veggies, chicken broth, beans and delightful ditalini pasta. Once it’s in the slow cooker, it’s basically a set-and-forget recipe, ready when you are later in the day.
Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli Ingredients
- Ground beef: Ground beef makes this dish deliciously hearty. It’s an excellent way to use up some of that extra ground beef you bought when it was on sale.
- Onion: Onion adds flavor to the pasta fagiole.
- Chicken broth: Chicken broth is the base stock for this dish, ensuring a massive umami flavor experience.
- Canned tomatoes: Tomatoes add color, texture and flavor to this pasta and beans dish.
- Canned cannellini beans: Cannellini beans are just the right size for pasta fagiole.
- Carrots: Carrots bring color, texture and nutrients to this power-packed dish.
- Cabbage: Cabbage adds a hint of flavor and a little more texture to this meal.
- Celery: Celery brings color and crunch to this dish. Every broth-based soup tastes better with celery and carrots in it!
- Fresh or dried basil: Basil brings layers of flavor and fragrance to every spoonful.
- Garlic: Garlic enhances the flavor of all the elements in this hearty dish.
- Seasonings:Â Salt and pepper are added for taste.
- Ditalini or other small pasta: Petite ditalini pasta tubes are perfect for pasta fagiole and all sorts of soups. They’re fun and just the right size to load a group of them onto a spoon.
- Parmesan cheese (optional): Parmesan cheese brings loads of fragrance and its sharp, tangy flavor to every bowl.
Directions
Step 1: Cook ground beef and onion
In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and onion until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is tender. Drain the grease.
Step 2: Prepare the soup
Transfer the beef and onion to a 4-quart or 5-quart slow cooker. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, beans, carrots, cabbage, celery, basil, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low until the vegetables are tender, for about seven to eight hours.
Step 3: Add the pasta
Stir in the pasta. Cover and cook on high heat until the pasta is tender, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Crock Pot Pasta Fagiole Recipe Variations
- Make it vegan or vegetarian: Omit the ground beef and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. Swap out the Parmesan cheese for nutritional yeast or a vegan Parmesan cheese to make the dish completely vegan.
- Use a different meat: Try some pan-crisped bacon or pancetta in place of ground beef for a different texture and flavor. Ground sausage, ground pork or even shredded beef or chicken also taste delicious in this hearty dish.
- Try different beans: Cannellini beans aren’t the only kind that can be used in a slow cooker pasta fagiole. The dish traditionally uses white beans, however, substitute borlotti or cranberry beans, great northern beans or navy beans.
How to Store Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli
Store crock pot pasta fagioli in airtight storage containers rather than in the actual crock pot. Place the containers in the refrigerator and enjoy the contents within three days, or freeze some for later. (Is it even possible to have any left to freeze?)
Can you freeze crock pot pasta fagioli?
Great news: crock pot pasta fagioli can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Keep it in portion-sized airtight storage containers or freezer bags with the excess air pressed out. This way they’ll stack flat. Thaw frozen pasta fagioli in the refrigerator the day before you plan to eat it. Reheat it in a saucepan, adding at least a tablespoon of water, as the dish thickens quite a bit when the pasta absorbs liquids.
Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli Tips
Can I make this without a slow cooker?
Yes, pasta fagioli can be made on the stovetop, too. Brown the ground beef and onion in a pot (rather than in a skillet) then add the other fresh vegetables, broth and seasonings. Cook, covered, for about 45 minutes or until everything is tender. Add to it the ditalini, cooked according to package directions.
What other pasta can I use?
Other small pastas that work well for pasta fagiole include small shells, small elbow macaroni, stelline or little stars and mini farfalle or bow-tie pasta. Since pasta gets larger as it cooks and potentially absorbs liquid over time, it’s best to stick with small pasta varieties for this dish.
Can I cook the ditalini separately?
Yes, cooking the ditalini separately, according to package directions, is an excellent way to keep the pasta from turning mushier after a couple of days. If you’re making the dish intending to freeze it, cooking the fagiole portion separate from the pasta helps ensure the pasta stays supple when thawed and reheated. You can also make the fagiole portion of the recipe and make the pasta once you’re ready for a bowl of deliciousness.
