Pasta e Fagioli Soup is a hearty Italian dish that’s packed with protein, fresh veggies, beans, and pasta. It’s nutritious, comforting, and comes together in just one pot! The best cozy dinner that has something for everyone.
This soup is incredibly versatile, which is what love most about it. Pasta e fagioli is filling enough to be the main dish alongside a warm garlic bread and a side salad.
What Makes This Recipe A Staple?
Comforting & Filling: Pasta Fagioli recipe is the ultimate comfort food. The veggies, beans, and pasta, also make this soup extra filling and nutritious. I’m sure, you won’t miss Olive Garden after this!
One-Pot Recipe: You can make this soup with one pot and simple ingredients you probably have on hand. It’s great for weeknights because cleanup is a breeze!
Perfect for a Crowd: This recipe makes a huge pot of soup, so it’s perfect if you’re serving a lot of people. Plus, you can stretch it even further with more beans and veggies.
Pasta e Fagioli translates to “pasta and beans.” The Italian soup features lots of fresh vegetables, creamy beans, and small pasta in a savory tomato broth. It’s a humble, but amazing soup that you can’t help but fall in love with.
Key Ingredients
This Pasta e Fagioli is a simple and hearty soup. It uses many pantry items like pasta, canned tomatoes, and white beans. It’s also similar to the Minestrone soup, but this last one is a vegetable-packed soup with beans and pasta too.
You can easily switch up the ingredients based on what you have in your pantry. Pasta Fagioli soup is the kind of recipe that’s great no matter what you have on hand.
How To Make Pasta e Fagioli Soup In 4 Easy Steps
One: Brown your ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain any excess fat, if necessary, and return the meat to the pot.
Two: Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5-7 minutes. Then, toss in the garlic and cook for another minute or two.
Three: Stir in the tomato sauce, beef broth (or chicken broth), canned tomatoes, and seasonings. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20–25 minutes.
Four: Add the dry ditalini pasta to the soup pot and cook for about 10 minutes, until al dente. Stir in the beans until warmed through, then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Easy Swaps & Variations
Pasta: You can go with any small variety like orecchiette, small shells, or elbow macaroni.
Beans: You can use white kidney beans, butter beans, borlotti beans and cannellini beans.
Protein: I like to use lean ground beef, but you can also opt for ground turkey, chicken, or Italian pork sausage. A 50/50 mix of ground beef and Italian sausage is a popular choice, and adding chopped bacon can bring even more flavor.
Got a parmesan rind? Don’t toss it! Add it to the soup pot with the broth for an extra boost of rich, salty parmesan flavor. Let it simmer and infuse the broth, then remove the rind before serving.
Can I Make Vegan Pasta e Fagioli Soup?
Yes, you can make this recipe vegetarian or vegan with just a few easy modifications.
For starters, you’ll substitute the meat for more veggies and beans. I like to use chickpeas and zucchini to bulk up the soup but you can add whatever you like.
You’ll also want to use vegetable stock instead of beef broth and skip the parmesan cheese on top. You can garnish the soup with nutritional yeast or lemon zest to make up for that extra pop of flavor from the cheese.
Storage & Reheating
It’s best to store the soup and pasta separately if you can. No biggie if you already tossed the pasta in there. It’ll just become a little bit softer the longer it sits.
You can store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to use a freezer-safe container and leave extra room for the liquid to expand. Then, thaw it in the fridge overnight and reheat it in a pot on the stovetop. Add fresh pasta just before serving.
If you enjoy this Pasta e Fagioli Soup, don’t forget to leave a star rating and comment below to let me know! And if you’re craving more cozy soups, check out the full collection of soup recipes here at Primavera Kitchen.
More Favorite Soups to Try:
Pasta e Fagioli Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 ¼ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots about 2 medium
- 1 ¼ cups diced celery about 3 stalks
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 cups tomato sauce
- 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Italian seasonings
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 2 leaves of bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
- 1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
- Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese for serving
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Equipment
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 1 lb of lean ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Add 1 ¼ cups chopped onion, 1 cup diced carrots, and 1 ¼ cups diced celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, then stir in 3 minced garlic cloves for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add 2 cups tomato sauce, 6 cups beef broth, 1 can diced tomatoes, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp Italian seasonings, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp basil, 2 bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Add 1 cup dry ditalini pasta and simmer for 10 minutes until al dente.
- Stir in 1 can drained dark red kidney beans and 1 can drained great northern beans. Heat through for 5 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and ladle soup into bowls. Top with Romano or Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley before serving.
Tips
- Dice the veggies into small, even pieces so you get some of everything in each bite.
- If you plan to have leftovers, it’s best to cook and store the pasta separately.
- Remember to remove the bay leaf before serving the soup!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Priscila Costa says
This looks amazing! Thanks for sharing with us.
Olivia says
You’re so welcome!
Eric Chamberlain says
There is no ground beef in Pasta e Fagioli.
Olivia says
Thank you for your comment! Traditional Pasta e Fagioli recipes vary depending on the region in Italy, and many versions don’t include ground beef. However, I added ground beef to my recipe as a personal twist to make it heartier and more filling for those who enjoy it that way. I love how recipes can be adapted to suit different tastes! 😊