It’s amazing how many lousy clones for this delicious
chili-like soup from Olive Garden are floating around on the Web.
Some are shared on message boards, others are displayed on sites
in a collection of “actual restaurant recipes” (yeah, right!).
But they all leave out obvious ingredients you can see, like the
carrots, ground beef, or two kinds of beans. Others don’t get
the pasta right — it’s obviously ditali pasta (short little tubes).
Then there’s the recipe that really squeezed the seeds from my
gourd — one that’s floating around in MasterCook format that
lists “Top Secret Recipes” as the source. But, wait a minute!
I’ve never before created a clone for this dish — not here on
the site, and not in any book. So, after logging some time over
a chopping block, an open flame, and a couple tasty glasses of
Merlot, out popped this puppy. And this is the one, kitchen cloners!
If you want the taste of Pasta e Fagioli at home, this is the
only recipe that will fool in a side-by-side taste test. Accept
no other imitation imitation!
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta
1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat.
Drain off most of the fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2
quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just
until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes
and serve.
Serves 8.
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I made this for the first time this week and loved it! It does differ from the Olive Garden version slightly, however I cannot tell what it is lacking that makes it different. I also kept the pasta separate so the juices wouldn't be absorbed leaving no broth. Definitely "chili" like soup. I would make it again though. Big hit at home.
Also I read the thing about the mushroom and tomato pasta sauce addition, while its a cool idea for those that like mushrooms, I don't think that its a 'missing' ingredient. I've always hated the taste of mushrooms and I would have despised this had that been in there.
I'm going to go ahead and say-before following this exact recipe-that this is definitely it. The reason I say so is that while, no I haven't worked at Olive Garden, this is the only thing I've ever ordered from Olive Garden for years, really just ever since I started going to Olive Garden which was sometime in my early childhood (80s) when I think the restaurant was still fairly new. Back then it was pretty hard to score this recipe, but I remember that it was finally "leaked" because I remember the joy of being able to recreate it. This was the exact recipe that was leaked-and when I have to look it back up I look for these exact ingredients to make sure its right-I can tell you just about everything in it-except for exact measurements, hence having to look it up.
1)I will say however that I believe the pasta does soak up the soup over night when put in-so I would advise keeping the pasta separate until serving. Keep it separate when storing as well to keep pasta firm.
2)The soup will obtain more chili-like qualities if you let it cook longer-reducing the broth some. Also if stored over night it shall absorb into the veggies more, if you want to restore that juiciness without losing flavor-I recommend adding chicken broth or beer when reheating.
Either way- its best eaten when fresh. Thanks!
I have made this a few times, I add a tube of beef chorizzo to the soup. It adds a great flavor that really ties it all together. The chorizzo breaks apart, so you can't really tell it is in there. You can still add meat if you like it like that or just the chorizzo.
Ooops. Meant to say substitute Rotel for the V-8 and tomato juice.
This recipe misses the mark. (Sorry!) Substitute 1 can Rotel (mild or hot, your choice; if you double the recipe you could use one each) and use a mushroom and pepper spaghetti sauce, and you'll get much closer to the real thing. Drain the beans, and if you need more liquid add some beef broth. Ditali pasta is fine, as is piccolini (mini ziti) or mini penne; but even elbow mac won't affect the taste, just the looks.
I tried to recreate this soup myself and have made it more veggie. I use white kidney and red kidney beans, I also added fresh mushrooms and red pepper flakes on top of the other veggies and chili powder. I have found that the shrooms add a more rustic and earthy flavor and the red pepper flakes adds more heat and dimmension to the flavor. I have tried adding the carrots and I tend not to like them. I also use mini-rigatoni noodles with ridges instead of the ditali and it seems to hold onto the juices better. I suggest making it, but doctor it up to your own likes and tastes (as with any recipe).
I worked at the Olive Garden for 3 years and ate this soup every day. I made this recipe last night and even though its a good soup its not it. SORRY. Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli is more chilli like. I am wondering if people are leaving out chilli powder?