Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli
Crock Pot Pasta Fagioli is a hearty and comforting Italian soup made with pasta, beans, and vegetables, slow-cooked to perfection for an easy, flavorful meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef or Italian sausage
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 2 cups small pasta shells or ditalini
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups fresh spinach or kale (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef or sausage and diced onion until browned; drain excess fat.
- Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Transfer meat mixture to the crock pot.
- Add cannellini beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, beef broth, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in pasta shells and fresh spinach or kale if using; cover and cook until pasta is tender.
- Adjust seasoning as needed and serve hot topped with grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
For a vegetarian version, omit the meat and use vegetable broth; adding more beans and vegetables enhances the flavor.