Pasta e fagioli, a traditional Italian soup, is the essence of healthy comfort food. This thick, hearty one-pot dish combines fresh vegetables, pasta, and white beans in a brothy soup base. This classic recipe nourishes the body and soul when seeking a comforting, inexpensive, budget-friendly recipe.
This soup is so economical that it is referred to as 'peasants' food or 'cucina povera', (poor kitchen/poor person's kitchen) because the ingredients used were those that were grown in abundance and readily available to peasant populations.
Pasta e fagioli translates to 'pasta' and 'beans'. It is often pronounced 'pasta fazool' in certain parts of New York and New Jersey. In my family, we call it 'pasta fajol'.
If you're old enough to remember the song by Dean Martin, 'That's Amore,' you'll recall one of the lines: "When the stars make you drool, just like pasta fazool, that's amore."
No matter how you pronounce it, this thick Italian soup is flavorful and healthy.
There are many regional variations of this soup in Italy. And many familial variations too, so all recipes differ slightly.
The commonality is pasta e fagioli must contain pasta and beans. Sometimes, it's more soupy; other times, it's thick and lush-like the variation I'm sharing with you.
Soups are a great cheap way to eat healthy and keep warm on those cold days. If you enjoy this recipe, you'll like my hearty vegetable soup with barley and lentils, beef minestrone, roasted cherry tomato soup or Italian pastina with egg soup.
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Ingredients
Below is summary of the simple ingredients you'll need to make this classic Italian soup.
Ingredient Notes
- White kidney beans: Also known as cannellini beans (like I used in my white bean and Italian sausage soup), are a staple in Italian cuisine. They are off-white in color and add a creaminess to dishes. I use canned beans because they are a convenient option, though dried beans can be used. You can refer to this handy Bean Cooking Guide should you decide to go this route.
- Parmesan rind: I freeze the rinds from the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and use them to flavor soups and stews. It's optional in this recipe, but consider freezing the rinds too, so that you can use them in your cooking.
- Canned cherry tomatoes: I am a huge fan of Mutti Cherry Tomatoes. They are plump, juicy tomatoes in tomato sauce, and add great flavor and texture to soups, stews, and spaghetti sauce.
See the recipe card below for all the ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Canned cherry tomatoes: Substitute with canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. A handful of fresh cherry tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste will also work well.
- White kidney beans: For the creamiest pasta e fagioli, substitute with borlotti beans (sometimes called cranberry beans). Though in a pinch, I've used red kidney beans and great northern beans.
- Chicken broth: You can use water or vegetable broth/stock instead if you'd like to keep the soup vegetarian or vegan. Beef broth will work too, giving the soup an intensified flavor.
- Pasta: I used malfada corta, but any short pasta shape will work. Consider ditalini pasta, small shells, or even elbow macaroni.
- Rosemary: Swap fresh sprigs of thyme for the rosemary.
- Green beans: Swap one small zucchini for the green beans.
- Bay leaf: Feel free to add a bay leaf to this traditional Italian dish.
- Leafy greens: I often add fresh spinach or kale to this hearty Italian soup if I have some on hand. If using, add after the pasta has cooked. It will take 2-5 minutes to wilt the greens.
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli
Step-by-step-Instructions
Let me show you how easy it is to make this ultimate comfort food.
Sauté vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onions are translucent.
Add garlic and rosemary. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add remaining ingredients, except pasta and parsley. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, green beans, cherry tomatoes, white kidney beans, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir well, cover with the lid, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Add pasta. Add the pasta and continue to simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Stir several times after adding the pasta to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Add parsley. When the pasta is cooked the soup is ready. Add the chopped parsley.
Serve. Retrieve and discard the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. Ladle the pasta e fagioli into bowls, garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Make sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand to clean the bowl!
Secrets for Success
- Choose a legume/bean with a creamy texture, like cannellini or borlotti beans.
- Cook the pasta until it is al dente, tender but firm to the bite.
Storage & Reheating
- Refrigerator storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days (you'll find it tastes even better the next day).
- Freezer storage: I don't recommend freezing the pasta e fagioli with the pasta because the pasta will become mushy.
- If you'd like to freeze it, do so for up to 3 months without the pasta. When you thaw and reheat it on the stovetop, add the pasta.
- Reheating: The easiest way to reheat one bowl of soup is in the microwave for up to 2 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave). Or on the stovetop on medium-low heat. If you find it has thickened, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water or broth to the soup to thin it out.
Recipe FAQs
You can add meat to pasta e fagioli, though it is usually used to add flavor, rather than be the star of the show. I have sometimes added cubed ham or pancetta to the soup. You can sauté the meat with the onions and other vegetables in the recipe's first step.
You can cook it separately if you prefer, but the advantage to cooking it directly in the soup is the starch that is released from the pasta as it cooks, thickens the broth slightly making the soup base lush and silky.
Typically minestrone will have a greater assortment of vegetables, such as potatoes, escarole, green beans and zucchini for example. The dominant ingredients in pasta e fagioli are pasta and beans. Since the soup has more pasta, it is typically thicker and not as soupy as minestrone.
Recipe
Healthy Pasta e Fagioli (Italian Pasta and Bean Soup)
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- Dutch oven or large pot
- spatula
Ingredients
Pasta e Fagioli Soup:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup onions, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 1 cup celery, diced
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
- 1 (1-inch by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
- 1 cup fresh green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (14 ounce) can Mutti Cherry Tomatoes
- 1 (19 ounce) can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 4 ounces dried pasta, mafalda corta, ditalini, small shells, or elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped
Optional Garnishes:
- grated Pamigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
- drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Sauté vegetables. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onions are translucent.1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ¾ cup onions, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery
- Add garlic and rosemary. Add the garlic and rosemary and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.1 large garlic clove, 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
- Add remaining ingredients, except pasta and parsley. Add the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, green beans, cherry tomatoes, white kidney beans, chicken stock, salt and pepper. Stir well, cover with the lid, and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.1 (1-inch by 2-inch) piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, 1 cup fresh green beans, 1 (14 ounce) can Mutti Cherry Tomatoes, 1 (19 ounce) can white kidney beans, 3 cups unsalted chicken stock, 1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Add pasta. Add the pasta and continue to simmer with the lid on for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente (tender but firm to the bite). Stir several times after adding the pasta to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.4 ounces dried pasta
- Add parsley. When the pasta is cooked the soup is ready. Add the chopped parsley.¼ cup fresh parsley
- Serve. Retrieve and discard the Parmigiano-Reggiano rind. Ladle the pasta e fagioli into bowls, garnish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Make sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand to clean the bowl!grated Pamigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Frank says
With a generous amount of grated cheese, yes !
Donna Poirier says
I agree 😃