Olive Garden's Pasta e Fagioli 🌱 Made 100% PLANT-BASED (Taste Test!)

cannellini beans

🥗Healthier: navy beans

💰Cheaper: pinto beans

Navy beans are lower in calories, while pinto beans are often less expensive.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast adds a cheesy flavor without dairy, while Pecorino is often more affordable.

Sauté 1 diced onion and 2 diced stalks of celery for a few minutes until softened, adding vegetable broth or water if it starts to stick.

Add 3 minced cloves of garlic and 6 oz of tomato paste to the pan, cooking for a couple of minutes while stirring to prevent burning.

Add 2 finely chopped carrots, 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can of red kidney beans (rinsed and drained), and 1 can of cannelini beans (or white northern/navy beans) to the mixture.

Optionally, add 1 cup of dry Butler soy curls for extra texture.

Stir in 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp basil, 1/2 tsp thyme, and 2 bay leaves, followed by 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar.

Pour in 1 liter of low sodium vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, add 2 cups of frozen spinach, 1 tbsp of low sodium tamari, and cracked pepper to taste.

Stir in 1 1/2 cups of dry elbow macaroni and cook until the macaroni is soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaves and adjust the soup's consistency by adding more vegetable broth if desired for a brothy or thicker soup.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens