Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup is so delicious and you can use any large slow cooker to make this tummy-warming soup! The soup recipe is vegetarian as written, but you can definitely add cooked Italian Sausage if you prefer!

Click here to PIN Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup!

Pasta e Fagioli means simply “pasta and beans” and there are many variations of this traditional Italian soup. If you have an Italian grandmother, this is the soup she probably made for you, or perhaps you’ve had a version of it at an Italian restaurant. Either way, this soup is Italian comfort food at its best, and this Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup tasted great when I tried it out with my brother Rand on one of those chilly spring days that are so commin in Utah.

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What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

 What slow cooker did I use?

I made this soup in the Ninja Cooker that my wonderful blogging and real-life friend Lydia sent me as a housewarming present. Lydia got a Ninja Cooker a few months ago and she was so sure I would love it too. (Thanks Lydia!) However, I’m not trying to convince you that everyone needs a Ninja Cooker, any Five Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) will work for this recipe, and I’ll give instructions that make it clear how to make the dish either way.

What if you don’t want a meatless soup?

This vegetarian soup is loaded with flavor, but you can definitely add browned Italian Sausage to the slow cooker if you prefer a soup with meat!

Do you love the slow cooker?

If you’re still a slow cooker fan, click here for more Slow Cooker (and Instant Pot) recipes on my other site!

How to Make Vegetarian Pasta e Fagioli Soup:

(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)

1. Heat the olive oil and saute the onion (either in a pan on the stove or in the Ninja Slow Cooker until it’s starting to soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the chopped celery and carrots to the onion and cook 3-4 minutes more.  Then add the minced garlic, Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link), Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), fennel and red pepper flakes and saute about 1 minutes more.  (Transfer to slow cooker if you’re sauteeing in a pan.)
3. Rinse the canned red beans until no more foam appears.
4. Add the beans, vegetable stock, and tomato sauce to the slow cooker and season the soup with a little salt and fresh ground black pepper and start to cook.
5. If you really want to get the full Italian grandmother flavor, add a couple of Parmesan rinds to the soup when you start cooking it. (This is optional, you can add more Parmesan to the finished soup if you don’t have a rind.)
6. After the soup has cooked 3-4 hours on high (or 6-7 hours on low), add the whole wheat orzo (or brown rice) and cook about 40 minutes more.
7. Stir in balsamic vinegar to finish the soup and serve hot, with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan to add at the table.

If you’re a slow cooker fan, click here for more Slow Cooker / Pressure Cooker Recipes on my other site!

More Tasty Slow Cooker Soups:

Slow Cooker Soup Index Page ~ Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker
Slow Cooker Indian-Spiced Red Lentil Soup 
Slow Cooker Ground Beef Soup with Cabbage

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep  to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 tsp. Italian Herb Blend (Use any brand of Italian seasoning that you have.)
• 2 tsp. Spike Seasoning (Or substitute any type of all-purpose seasoning blend that you like.)
• 1/2 tsp. ground fennel (probably optional, but it adds a lot of flavor.)
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• two 15 oz. cans red beans, rinsed and drained
• three 14 oz. cans vegetable broth (or use homemade vegetable stock, which would be fantastic in this)
• 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• several pieces Parmesan rind (optional, but does add wonderful flavor to the soup)
• 1/2 cup 100% Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta (see notes)
• 2 T good quality balsamic vinegar
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
• chopped fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil (either in the Ninja Cooker or in a pan on the stove) and saute the onions until they start to soften, about 4 minutes.
2. Add the celery and carrots and cook 3-4 minutes more, then add the minced garlic, Italian Herb Seasoning (affiliate link), Spike Seasoning (affiliate link), ground fennel, and red pepper flakes and cook about a minute more.  (Transfer to the slow cooker if you’re using a pan on the stove.)
3. While the vegetables are cooking, put the beans in a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water, until no more foam appears.
4. When vegetables are done, add the drained beans, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, salt, and fresh ground black pepper to the slow cooker (along with the Parmesan rinds if you have some) and cook on high for 3-4 hours (or on low for 6-8 hours.)
5. Add the orzo (or other small pasta shape, or brown rice for gluten-free) and cook about 40 minutes more.
6. Remove Parmesan rinds and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
7. Serve soup hot, with freshly grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley to add at the table.
8. This freezes well, and I’m glad I have some in the freezer for the next chilly spring day!

Notes

I’d use at least a Five Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe, and a larger size would also work.

Try This Next Keto Short Rib Chili

You could substitute any type of small whole wheat pasta, or use  brown rice for gluten-free variation.

This recipe was adapted from 50 Simple Soups for the Slow Cooker, although I spiced it up quite a bit.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 281Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 1019mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 10gSugar: 4gProtein: 14g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This Slow Cooker Pasta e Fagioli Soup would be Phase 2 or 3 for the original South Beach Diet, due to the carrots and whole wheat orzo. If you substitute another pasta shape, it needs to be whole wheat pasta for South Beach. You could make this soup lower in carbs by using less carrots, beans, and pasta, but this can never be a low-carb soup.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Soup Recipes to find more like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was posted in 2013. It was last updated in 2021 with the option to add sausage, and more information.

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Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

There’s a definite chill in the air. Can you feel it? Well, maybe not in some parts of the country, but here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn is on its way, if not already here.

The best part of fall is the comfort food and there is no food more comforting than this short rib chili. Well, maybe my Shrimp and Bacon Chowder. Or perhaps my keto Cream of Mushroom Soup. And my Buffalo Chicken Soup is also pretty darn spectacular.

But this keto chili recipe definitely makes the short list.

Chili is and always has been one of my favorite foods, because even not very good chili is pretty darn comforting when you’re cold and hungry. How can you go wrong with meat cooked slowly in rich spices and a thick tomato broth? You can’t, that’s all. You can’t go wrong.

And the crazy part is that while I make chili all. the. time, I don’t actually have a good keto chili recipe here on All Day I Dream About Food. Until now, that is.

What makes the best keto chili?

Well, what really makes good chili is a matter of opinion and taste. And probably a few feuds as well. Everyone has their own take on the best way to make chili.

In my experience, a slow simmered chili recipe is best, as it allows the flavors to develop and intensify over time. So don’t be fooled by promises of “fast and easy”. Good chili is usually easy to make but it takes time to cook.

Keto chili should be devoid of any higher carb items like beans, though. That goes almost without saying, because beans are high in carbs and many consider them inflammatory. Onion needs to be kept to a minimum as well, since it’s surprisingly high carb.

Tomato sauce, paste, and puree can also send the carb count up if used too liberally. I like to keep my chili to less than 5g total carbs per serving, so I use a single can of diced tomatoes. Fire roasted tomatoes help bring out the best flavor.

But the focus of a good keto chili recipe should always be the meat and the spices. Use beef with a high percentage of fat for a satisfying meal, and be generous with the chili, cumin, and garlic.

Can you make keto chili ahead of time?

I find myself wanting to answer this question with a smart ass comment like “Is the pope Catholic?”. Because chili is perhaps the best make ahead meal on the planet.

It’s one of those dishes that seems to actually get better when it’s eaten the next day or even a few days later. And one of the benefits of keto chili is that there are no beans to get mushy as they sit and soften. So it’s just as good or better than the day you made it.

So go ahead and make a huge pot of this short rib chili. This particular recipe serves 10 people. Let it cool to room temperature and then split it up however you see fit. You can do individual servings, or portion it out for your family size.

The chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. We froze our leftovers back in May and I just fed my family the second portion about a month ago!

Because it contains acidic ingredients like tomatoes, I recommend storing in glass containers if you have them. If not, good BPA-Free tupperware works too.

Tips for making Short Rib Chili

Short ribs are ideal for comfort food dishes like this, because they are fatty and rich, and become incredibly tender with slow braising.

Always brown the ribs first: This step adds 10 minutes or so, but it’s worth it. Browning the meat in lard or oil helps bring out the best flavor, before the liquids are added. Otherwise, you are essentially just eating stewed meat. Transfer the ribs to a plate while making the rest of the chili.

Sweat the onions and other veggies: While I do keep the onion to a minimum, it definitely helps add flavor. So add the onion and green pepper to the pot and sauté in the oils and fats with a little bit of salt. This will help them release their juices and flavor.

Add the spices into the hot oil: Before adding any liquids into the pot, you want to briefly sauté the garlic, jalapeño, and spices in the hot oil. This enhances and intensifies the flavor.

Adjust the heat to your liking: My husband and I like our chili pretty spicy but our kids have more tender palates. So we keep the heat at a medium level. I always add the seeds from the jalapeño but you can leave them out if you want less spice. You can also leave out the cayenne. Or you can add more jalapeño and cayenne too.

Now add the liquids and the meat: Once the spices and garlic are fragrant, stir in the diced tomatoes and broth and bring to a simmer before adding the meat.

Slow braise in the oven: You’re looking at a good two to three hours of cooking, but this time is completely inactive. You can be doing lots of other things during this time. Slow braising makes the meat from the short ribs fall off the bone and shred more easily.

Doesn’t this keto short rib chili sound like the perfect comfort food? 

Check out my Keto Soups & Stews cookbook for more delicious comfort food recipes.

Keto Short Rib Chili

Bean-free keto chili made with braised beef short ribs. So easy to make and the perfect low carb comfort food. This keto chili recipe is paleo, dairy-free, and Whole 30 approved! And it can be made ahead and frozen so it’s ideal for keto meal planning.

Popular Recipe Cream of Asparagus Soup – Dairy Free Keto Recipe

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: keto chili, keto chili recipe, short rib chili

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 25 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Calories: 428kcal

Ingredients

• 3 lb bone in short ribs
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup bacon fat, lard, or other high-heat oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 large green pepper chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper minced (leave the seeds in for more heat)
• 2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 15 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
• ⅓ cup beef bone broth

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300F and season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper.

• In a large dutch oven over medium heat, melt the bacon fat or lard. Once hot, add half the short ribs and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and brown the remaining short ribs. Transfer to the plate.

• Add the onion and pepper to the pot, sprinkle with salt, and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne, and cook another minute, until fragrant.

• Stir in the roasted tomatoes and bone broth and bring to a simmer. Add the short ribs back into the pot, cover and transfer to the oven.

• Cook 2 to 3 hours, until the meat is very tender. Remove the ribs, shred the meat and return the meat to the pot. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with your favorite chili toppings.

Nutrition Facts

Keto Short Rib Chili

Amount Per Serving (1 serving = about 1 cup)

Calories 428
Calories from Fat 319

% Daily Value*

Fat 35.4g54%

Carbohydrates 4g1%

Fiber 1.2g5%

Protein 22.6g45%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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