I absolutely LOVE the Paste E Fagioli from Olive Garden, so I went on a search to create a recipe that would compare. Unfortunately I didn’t come up with anything that was an exact match, but this is a super substitute! This recipe ends up being a little bit more like a goulash, but it is a perfect meal for those cold winter days. Plus, the fact that it is all made in a crock pot makes it the perfect meal for us busy moms!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (I actually substitute either venison or turkey burger… makes it leaner)
- 1/4 onion, chopped (I hate chunks of onion, so I chop like crazy!)
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (16 oz) can of red kidney beans, drained
- 1 (16 oz) can of great northern beans, drained
- 15 oz of beef stock
- To taste: oregano, pepper, parsley
- 1/2 (20 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce (I use Prego)
- 8 oz pasta (Whatever kind you want… I use shells typically)
Directions:
1. Brown the meat in a skillet.
2. Drain fat from the meat (if you use venison or turkey burger, you will not have to drain). Add everything to the crockpot.
3. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 4-5 hours
4. During the last 30 mins, add pasta, or you can cook the pasta on the stovetop and add it when you are ready to serve.
Thank you for the recipe. I love slow cooker meals that do not involve cream of something soups!
I totally agree! I actually have not used cream of anything for a couple years… I found a simple recipe to make my own 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! I’m always looking for good crockpot recipes, since I keep overcooking chicken. I’d be afraid of overcooking the pasta in the crockpot. Wouldn’t it turn mushy?
Since the pasta is added in the last 30 minutes it doesn’t turn out mushy… at this point everything is already cooked so you can serve it whenever you feel the pasta in “done.” 🙂 Hope you enjoy!