Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli is classic Italian comfort food at its finest! This thick and hearty soup combines pasta, beans and aromatics into a cozy one-pot meal that is simple to make, wonderfully filling, and packed with flavor. Best of all, it is made with affordable pantry ingredients, making it perfect for feeding a family without stretching the budget.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Soaking time 10

Total Time 10 45

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup dried beans (Note 1)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
2 celery ribs finely chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon tomato puree/paste (Note 2)
4 cups broth chicken or vegetable
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 parmesan rind optional (Note 3)
1 ½ cups small pasta
¼ cup fresh parsley

To serve

parmesan grated
extra virgin olive oil (Note 4)

Instructions

Soaking and cooking the Beans

Rinse the beans and remove any debris.
1 cup dried beans (Note 1)
Transfer the beans to a large bowl and cover with water. You want the water to come at least 3”/7.5cm above the beans. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the beans soak overnight (or for at least 10 hours).
Drain the beans and rinse them gently.
Add the beans to a large pan, cover with at least 3 inches of cold water and turn heat to high.
As soon as the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low so the beans are barely simmer. Cook until the beans are tender, between 30 minutes and 1 hour. (Note 5)
Drain the beans reserving all the cooking liquid.

Making the Pasta e Fagioli

Give the pan you cooked the beans in a quick rinse and then put back on the heat over medium-low heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and then cook the chopped onion, carrots and celery for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 carrots peeled and finely chopped
2 celery ribs finely chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
Stir in the tomato paste/puree and cook for 2 minutes.
1 teaspoon tomato puree/paste (Note 2)
Add the broth, dried oregano, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.
4 cups broth chicken or vegetable
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 sprig rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Add in the cooked beans and parmesan rind (if using). Stir gently.
1 parmesan rind optional (Note 3)
Remove 1 cup of the soup and set aside (make sure the parmesan rind isn’t in your reserved soup).
Add the pasta and 2 cups of the reserved bean cooking water to the soup.
1 ½ cups small pasta
Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the pasta is just cooked. Stir regularly to prevent the pasta from sticking. If the soup is getting too dry add more of the reserved bean cooking liquid.
While the pasta is cooking blend the cup of reserved soup to a smooth constancy.
Stir the blended soup back into the pan. Add the fresh parsley. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed . If the soup is very thick you can add more of the bean cooking water. (I added around 1 cup extra each time I made this.)
¼ cup fresh parsley
Serve in big bowls with grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. (Note 4)
parmesan grated
extra virgin olive oil (Note 4)

Notes

Borlotti beans (also called Cranberry beans) or Cannellini beans (also called Great Northern beans) are both perfect for this recipe. You also skip the soaking and cooking and use canned beans if you prefer. I have detailed using canned beans in the adaptations section in the main blog post
This is the concentrated tomato you buy in a jar/tube. It has a rich intense flavor. You can replace it with ½ cup of passata.
This is a great addition! It doesn't make the soup cheesy it just adds an extra level of flavor. I always keep my rinds in the freezer so I have them on hand if I want them. But if you don't have one available the dish will still be delicious.
When finishing the soup a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil adds to the richness. Chili oil and garlic oil are also delicious. If you like lemon, then a drizzle of lemon oil would also be nice
The time needed to cook the beans depends on their age. Older beans will take longer to cook. When you test one, it should be soft all the way through and squash easily between your fingers.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Nutrition

Nutrition is per serving

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