My new favorite slow cooker meal is Italian Crockpot Pasta Fagioli. This simple and savory soup is an instant classic dinner recipe. Featuring the cutest pasta ever and cannellini beans, this set it and forget it soup recipe is filling and delicious. (Yes, I said cute pasta. Ditalini is cute!) If you are a fan of pasta fagioli, you have to try this. So get the recipe, jot down your shopping list and hop to it. You can thank us later.
Simple yet delicious, Italian Crockpot Pasta Fagioli is an instant classic.
Pasta fagioli sounds really fancy doesn't it?
Oh, it is anything but fancy. But I would totally give this Italian pasta and bean soup recipe a 5 star rating.
You know what I love about this recipe? It is wholesome. That's the word.
Healthy vegetables like celery, carrots and onions combine in your slow cooker with lean ground beef (or pork) and create crockpot magic.
Attention vegetarians: you can totally leave out the meat. This Crockpot Pasta Fagioli is just as delicious without it.
And cannellini beans! Love these beans. They have a wonderful creamy texture and hold their shape after a day of simmering in the crockpot.
These are different from normal white beans (like Great Northern), so give them a try.
Crazy about Crockpot recipes? We are, too! Here are more you have to try:
Red Wine Slow Cooker Roast
Cinnamon Cherry Crockpot Cobbler
Cranberry Chili Meatballs
For a punch of flavor, add diced tomatoes to your Crockpot Pasta Fagioli. We didn't want to use a tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes, because beans and pasta are the stars of this show.
Next we added a large handful of fresh green spinach to the crock pot. Spinach adds more healthy nutrients, texture and bright color to the soup.
Once you have all of your ingredients in (EXCEPT the pasta), cover with chicken broth, season, and turn your crockpot or slow cooker on low.
And go have fun! Let your crockpot do all of the work on this Crockpot Pasta Fagioli.
During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the ditalini pasta. (This is also a great time to reseason your soup to taste.)
If you add the pasta too soon, it will get mushy. So toss it in toward the end, and stir every few minutes for perfect pasta results.
Serve with your favorite bread and shredded Parmesan and Asiago cheese. This is what I call a perfect meal.
Crockpot Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef or Italian pork sausage
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 15 oz cans of cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1 cup uncooked ditalini pasta
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 2 medium carrots diced
- ½ onion diced
- 1 large handful of fresh spinach shopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- ¾ tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp black pepper or more to taste
- ½ tsp salt or more to taste
Instructions
- Cook ground beef in a skillet until browned. Transfer to a crockpot.
- Add all of the other ingredients except the pasta. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes, stir in the ditalini pasta. Stir every few minutes until the pasta is done. Reseason to taste.
- Serve hot with your favorite bread and cheese.
Nutrition
This looks delicious! About how many servings does this make? I was thinking of making this for an easy Easter weekend lunch but have extended family in town. Thanks.
It makes about 16-20 cups. 🙂