Pasta Fagioli
Pasta Fagioli is a classic, hearty Italian soup that features creamy beans and tiny Ditalini pasta nestled in a rich and savory tomato broth. You can make this recipe with or without Italian sausage. It’s perfect for a hearty dinner on a chilly evening!
Fagioli means “beans” in Italian. This fagioli recipe can be made as mild or spicy as you like and its a great comfort food when you’re craving Itallian food but don’t want all the carbs from a heavy pasta dish. Traditional pasta e fagioli typically include creamy white beans-cannellini beans are the most common, but you can substitute with navy beans, great northern white beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans or pinto beans.
Ingredients
You can easily make this pasta fagioli recipe vegan if you like. Simply omit the bacon and Italian sausage and substitute the beef broth with vegetable broth. For the recipe as written, here’s what you’ll need:
- Olive oil – just a little to saute the vegetables
- Bacon – or pancetta
- Ground Italian sausage – mild, medium or spicy – your call
- Onions – white or yellow
- Celery
- Carrots– about 2 -3 carrots petite diced
- Garlic-recommend using fresh garlic cloves
- Dried rosemary
- Dried fennel seeds
- Ground Allspice-this spice gives the pasta fagioli a very warm flavor
- Beef broth
- Crushed tomatoes– I highly recommend using San Marzano tomatoes if you can find them. You can puree whole peeled tomatoes in the food processor, or use diced tomatoes. San Marzano’s are sweeter than vine tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper-fresh ground black pepper if you have it
- Fresh grated Parmesan cheese – for garnish (optional)
- Fresh parsley – for garnish (optional)
- Ditalini pasta – these little “drum looking pastas” are the traditional pasta used in the soup, however, if you can’t find it, use any “mini-size” pasta; mini pasta shells, mini elbow noodles, etc.
- Beans – Cannellini beans and Red Kidney beans
- Optional flavors – crushed red pepper flakes, dried Italian seasonings
How to make this delicious Italian soup
This Italian soup recipe comes together pretty quickly, but like most Italian dishes, it tastes best when it has simmered on low heat for 20-30 minutes. This simmering time allows the flavors to fully blend. This is an overview; for exact ingredients and step by step instructions, see the recipe card below.
- In a large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat and add chopped vegetables, rosemary, fennel and diced bacon
- Once the bacon is rendered, add the ground Italian sausage and cook until it is no longer pink
- Add in the broth, tomatoes and spices; bring to a boil for a few minutes
- Reduce heat, add beans and pasta; cook until both are tender, stirring occasionally
- Taste for seasonings and add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley and fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- Serve with warm bread
Serving suggestions
If you make the recipe as written (with Italian sausage), this hearty bowl of Italian soup easily serves as an entree with a little garlic bread and a fresh green salad. If you make a meatless version, it could be served as a vegetarian entree or a light appetizer.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Pasta Fagioli is a filling Italian soup perfect for any occasion.
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Pasta Fagioli
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon, diced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 pound ground Italian sausage (optional)
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 -15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 -15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup Ditalini pasta See recipe notes
- ¾ cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
- ¾ cup finely diced carrots (2-3 carrots)
- 1 cup diced onion , yellow or white
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 teaspoons dried fennel
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley (optional) for garnish
- fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional) for garnish
Instructions
Prep
- Chop onions, garlic and celery; petite dice carrotsCut bacon into small piecesDrain and rinse beans¾ cup chopped celery, 1 cup diced onion, 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic, ¾ cup finely diced carrots
Make the soup
- In a large stockpot on medium heat, add oil, bacon, onions, celery, carrots, garlic, rosemary and fennel seeds and saute 5-8 minutes; add Italian sausage and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink.3 slices bacon, diced, 1 tablespoon oil, ¾ cup chopped celery, ¾ cup finely diced carrots, 1 cup diced onion, 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 teaspoons dried fennel, 1 pound ground Italian sausage (optional)
- Add beef broth, tomatoes and allspice; bring to boil and cook for 10 minutes2 cups crushed tomatoes, 4 cups beef broth, 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- Reduce heat to medium, add drained beans and pasta; cook 10-20 minutes or until the pasta and beans are tender; season to taste with salt and pepper1 -15 ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 1 -15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, 1 cup Ditalini pasta, salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheesefresh chopped parsley (optional) for garnish, fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional) for garnish
