Olive Garden® Pasta e f*g ioli

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(Courtesy of Top Secret Recipes)

Serves 8

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced (1 cup)
1 large carrot, julienned (1 cup)
3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can great northern beans (with liquid)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 12-ounce can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound (1/2 pkg.) ditali pasta




1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat.
2. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour.
4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slightly tough. Drain.
5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve.

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Improvements:

From: RJacob2243

After making serveral batches , which didn't last long, we find you have to use a good quality tomatoes and sauce and add 2 cups of water and a couple of dashs of hot sauce. It gives it a little kind and the water smooths the soup nicely.


From: Kim Fermanich

I work at the olive garden as a prep cook- and although your recipe is kind of close (the white vinegar is not one of the ingredients and there is a sauce that goes in it that the olive garden exclusively makes called meat sauce base) you need to add cayenne pepper to it -- that's what makes it spicy.


From: MVOplingerTo:

Just tried Pasta e f*g ioli (a la Olive Garden), and was extremely well
pleased. I used my favorite brands of canned items, and fresh vegetables.

My husband suggested using Worcestershire Sauce to replace the vinegar. When
I make it again, I will use half the amount of pasta (l/4#), and a cup or two
of water. I do like it thick, but it was plenty thick even after adding a
cup or so of water.


From: Aunt Bitzy
i would like to give you my version of this recipe. Your's is close but the first time I made it it was exactly like theirs: i used the ground meat, but added about 1/2 Italian mild sausage crumbled. Also instead of V-8 juice and vinegar, I added a can of beef broth and a dash of Worchestshire sauce and a dash of soy sauce. Also used 6-8 cloves of garlic... us Italians love our garlic. I also rinsed the beans under cold water. this doesn't make the sauce as "pastey" oh, and the best part... add a dash of red wine. Homemade is best, but can use any good red wine. Doesn't need to be cooking wine.