Pasta Fagioli

If you love a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that feels like a hug in a bowl, this Crockpot Pasta Fagioli is exactly what you need. It’s rich and hearty with savory beef and Italian sausage, tender beans, soft vegetables, and perfectly cooked ditalini all swimming in a deeply flavorful tomato broth. This is the kind of soup that simmers low and slow while you go about your day, quietly filling your kitchen with the warm, comforting aroma of garlic, herbs, and tomatoes. Before you know it, those cozy smells start drifting through the house and everyone naturally makes their way toward the kitchen. It’s warm, satisfying, and substantial. The kind of meal that takes the chill off a cold evening and makes the whole house feel a little softer and slower.

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef (important so it’s not greasy)

• 1 lb Italian sausage

• 3 stalks celery, diced

• 2 carrots, diced

• 1 onion, diced

• 3–4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 heaping tablespoon Better Than Beef bouillon paste

• 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes

• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce

• 1 can water (use the empty tomato sauce can)

• 4 cups beef stock

• 1 tsp Morton’s seasoning salt

• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

• 2 tsp Italian seasoning

• 1/2–3/4 tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 1/4 cups ditalini pasta

• Fresh basil, for finishing

• Freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. To your crockpot, add the lean ground beef and Italian sausage directly to the bottom. Break the meat up slightly with a spoon so it cooks evenly.

2. Add in the diced celery, carrots, onion, and minced garlic.

3. Stir in the Better Than Beef bouillon paste, kidney beans, great northern beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and tomato sauce.

4. Fill the empty tomato sauce can with water and pour it in. Then add the 4 cups of beef stock.

5. Sprinkle in the Morton’s seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and salt. Stir everything together well to combine.

6. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours, stirring once or twice if possible. The meat will fully cook and break apart as it simmers.

7. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the ditalini pasta. Cover and continue cooking on HIGH for 30 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.

8. Once finished, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot topped with fresh basil and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan.

It is safe to add raw ground beef and sausage directly to the crockpot for this recipe, as long as it cooks on HIGH for the recommended amount of time. Because this soup cooks for several hours, the meat will fully cook through and reach a safe temperature well before serving. Using lean ground beef also helps prevent excess grease from building up in the broth as it cooks. As the meat slowly simmers, it releases flavor directly into the soup, creating a richer, deeper taste. The key is to make sure you are using the proper cooking setting (HIGH in this case) and allowing enough time for the soup to fully cook.