Olive Garden Pasta e Fagioli Soup Review | Coalition Eats

Today, we are reviewing the Pasta e Fagioli Soup from Olive Garden. This is our first assessment of an Olive Garden dish on Coalition Eats. Pasta e Fagioli has been a longtime staple on their menu. “Pasta e fagioli” translates to “pasta and beans,” which are key components of this soup.

Historically, pasta e fagioli was a dish favored by those with limited resources, but today, it enjoys popularity among a wide variety of diners. Pasta e fagioli comes in many variations, and we are not trying to validate the authenticity of Olive Garden’s version, but to evaluate its overall performance.

Olive Garden is an Italian-themed restaurant that was founded in 1982 by business partners Blaine Sweatt, Mark Given, Gino DeSantis, and Dave Manuchia as a unit of General Mills. By 1989, it was up to 145 restaurants. In 1994, General Mills spun its restaurants into a standalone company known as Darden Restaurants. Olive Garden eventually became the world’s largest Italian-themed restaurant chain. It boasts 900+ locations.

The Construction

Although you can place orders with “special instructions,” I believe no customization options are available for the Pasta e Fagioli soup. Additionally, Romano cheese is offered separately, either served in the restaurant or provided in a packet for take-out.

• Ground Beef
• Red Kidney Beans
• White Kidney Beans
• Ditalini Pasta
• Tomato
• Celery
• Onion
• Carrots
• Romano Cheese
• Length: n/a
• Weight: 14 ounces (including plastic bowl)
• Location: Monroe, North Carolina (2 Visits)
• Price: $8.99

For this assessment, we mixed one packet of Romano cheese into the soup before serving.

Appearance (*)

This year, we started comparing the actual food we are assessing to the marketing photos. We could not find a standalone picture of the Pasta e Fagioli soup. The only one available featured all Olive Garden soups. The soup at the top of the four is Pasta e Fagioli. Because this wasn’t a standalone photo, it was too difficult to assess the comparison. This one gets an incomplete.

The Experience

Normally our soup reviews follow a pattern: Stock (4 points), Main ingredient(s) (2 or 3 points), Supplemental ingredients (1 or 2 points), and Intangibles (2 points). Although the name means “pasta and beans,” additional ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, made it hard to single out a main ingredient. Therefore, I included everything in the broth under the “Contents” section and evaluated the entire category.

• Stock (Broth): 4 points
• Caramelized Onions: 3 points
• Extras (Cheese, Croutons): 1 point
• Intangibles: 2 points

One final note. This soup was ordered as take-out. An insulated bag was used to maintain temperature during transport.

Stock (Broth)

The stock (broth) used in the pasta is tomato-based. However, it absorbs flavors from various ingredients, particularly the beef, vegetables, and seasonings. I wouldn’t describe this broth as overly robust, but it has subtle savoriness, sweetness, and extra saltiness. Additionally, it has a slight acidity. Overall, I consider it to be an above-average broth.

Score: 2.50 out of 4.00 points

Contents

We will break down each ingredient in the broth one by one:

• Ground Beef: I would categorize this as the most savory component. It has a really good beef flavor, and I picked up some of the flavor in the broth.
• Red Kidney Beans: Red kidney beans add a creamy, earthy flavor to the soup. They have a pleasant texture—firm without being too hard or too mushy.
• White Kidney Beans: I don’t notice much of a difference between red and white kidney beans. Both varieties add similar creamy and earthy flavors to the dish. Their texture is also just right—not too hard and not too mushy.
• Ditalini Pasta: A very short tube pasta that I found to be more starchy, picking up a lot of the tomato broth and beef flavors.

• Tomato: These are very small tomato pieces, and in some cases some skin. I found they might have added a touch of acidity, but they didn’t have a huge influence on the broth
• Celery: Basically this is what I would consider a classic celery flavor – namely slightly vegetal and slightly sweet.
• Onion: These small chunks were slightly sweet and non-pungent. I found the onion also absorbed some of the broth components. 
• Carrots: These added a touch of sweetness and nuttiness. 
• Romano Cheese: This adds more nuttiness and saltiness. As mentioned, I mixed in one packet.

Score: 2.75 out of 4.00 points

Intangibles

First of all, I always consider whether the overall experience exceeds the sum of its parts. In the case of this Pasta e Fagioli, the answer is a resounding yes. The combination of flavors was really impressive. The beef and vegetables influenced the broth, while the broth and beef contributed to the flavor of the Ditalini pasta. I especially appreciated the creamy, earthy component that the beans added. The cheese also enhanced the dish, providing a bit more “zip” with its additional saltiness and nuttiness. Ultimately, these flavors worked harmoniously together, creating an elevated dining experience.

I found the proportions to be quite balanced. The ratio of broth to other ingredients was just right, and the amounts of the non-broth elements were well-considered—not too many beans, not too much beef, etc. While the soup bowl felt a bit small, I understand this dish is meant more as a side than a main course at Olive Garden. I also appreciated that the soup wasn’t messy at all.

Score: 1.50 out of 2.00 points

OVERALL ASSESSMENT

For some reason, the internet has taken to beating up on the Olive Garden. I think some critics have never even been there. This soup offering delivers a positive experience. While I don’t think the broth on its own would cut it, the added ingredients are quite good. At $8.99 for less than 14 ounces (remember, the bowl was weighed as well), it seemed a little high for the portion. Still, as the autumn season comes, soup season begins – and this is a nice soup offering.

Summary

Score: 6.75  (out of 10 points)
Value: Slightly Above Average

Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted

* Not scored in the overall numeric assessment rating.