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Better Than Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli

Recipe by Carman Wilken on InstagramAdded 3 November 2026.

15 minutes to prep, 30 to cook. A hearty, fall‑perfect pasta e fagioli that rivals the classic Olive Garden version. Tender beef, beans, and spinach swim in a rich tomato‑marinara broth with ditalini pasta, delivering comforting, savory flavors in minutes.

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Method

  1. In a large pot, brown the ground beef.

  2. Add carrots, celery, and onion and stir.

  3. Add a bunch of garlic and cook for about a minute.

  4. Add dried herbs and stir them into the meat and vegetable mixture.

  5. Add minced garlic and stir it into the meat and vegetables.

  6. Stir in two tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.

  7. Add the 24‑ounce jar of marinara sauce, a can of diced tomatoes, five cups of beef broth, one cup of ditalini pasta, and the rinsed and drained red kidney beans and cannellini beans; mix well and bring to a boil.

  8. Add three bay leaves, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer.

  9. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the pasta is just under al dente.

  10. Stir in three cups of spinach, mix, and season to taste.

Tips while you cook

Brown meat before veggies
Start by browning the ground beef, then add carrots, celery, and onion before any other ingredients.
Quick garlic sauté
Add the bunch of garlic early and cook it for roughly one minute to release flavor.
Simmer with lid for pasta
Cover the pot, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes until the pasta is just under al dente.
Add spinach at the end
Stir in the spinach after the pasta is cooked.

Notes from ReelsMeals, based on this recipe's ingredients, times and method. They are not the creator's instructions.

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Carman Wilken made this.

The recipe comes from Carman Wilken’s Instagram reel. ReelsMeals wrote it down from the caption and the voiceover. Check the original if something looks off, and for anything about allergens.

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