Slow Cooker Vegan Pasta E Fagioli

After Sunday Mass, my husband and I go out to lunch and one of our favorite places is the Olive Garden. I usually order their "eat as much as you want" soup and salad. I eat a variety of their soup offerings among which are chicken gnocchi, zuppa toscana and Pasta E Fagioli. The latter is my favorite.

I decided to make a vegan version of the Pasta E Fagioli and researched both vegan and non vegan copy cat versions. I found a slow cooker recipe in this wonderful site. The recipe I have below is an adaptation. I skipped the oil and sauteing step and substituted some ingredients with what I have. The result is amazing. The soup is a dead ringer for the Olive Garden version even without the meat. My carnivore husband loves this and opted to eat the leftover over other carnivore choices in the fridge last night.

Slow Cooker Vegan Pasta E Fagioli

Adapted from this site.

• 8 ounces small pasta (I used elbow macaroni. Ditalini is the traditional one used)
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1- 15 ounce can stewed whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes or fresh tomatoes
• 8 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into  small cubes
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2- 15 oz cans cannellini beans (or use one kidney beans for one of the cannellini)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon  black pepper

Cook the  pasta according to package instructions and set aside.  Place all the other ingredients except the pasta in the slow cooker. Cook for three hours at high setting or six hours at low. I cooked mine in an Aroma Brand rice cooker/slow cooker for two hours at slow cooker setting. Add the pasta the last ten minutes or as a side dish.