Pasta e Fagioli is a traditional Italian soup with a savory tomato broth, that translates to pasta and beans. With Nonna's tips, this recipe is full of flavour and screams comfort food.
Pasta e Fagioli, which is also known as Pasta Fazool, is a very traditional Italian dish.
It's a type of dish that your Nonna (grandmother) would make you, so it screams comfort food.
I was able to ask Nonna for her tips which I’ve mixed with my own recipe to create the perfect meal!
If you love hearty Italian dishes, then you must also try my pastina soup and Italian minestrone soup.
Pasta e Fagioli translates to pasta and beans in Italian. It's similar to a minestrone soup with beans, vegetables, and pasta in a rich creamy sauce, what's not to love right?
You can think of it as Pasta Soup 🙂
To level up this pasta, you can top with some pangrattato (crispy flavored breadcrumbs) for some crunch.
This recipe is also easily made vegan too, just eliminate the parmesan cheese.
The best part is that it's all made in the one-pot which means easy cleanup. It's also made with kitchen staples most have in their fridge and pantry, so it's a great meal to make when you haven't been shopping.
Table of Contents
Ingredients to make Pasta e Fagioli
- Fagioli Beans are the star of the dish which are also known as Borlotti beans. You can also substitute with Cannellini beans or Red Kidney beans. I've used canned beans however you can also use dried beans that have been soaked and then cooked in an instant pot.
- Pasta, short pasta or pastina is the best pasta to use. I've used Orecheiette which I love as it scoops up the sauce like little buckets. You don't traditionally use long noodles
- Onion, Carrots, Celery make up your soffritto which is the base of the soup
- Bay leaves bring a beautiful flavour especially when sauteed with the soffritto
- Garlic always make every dish taste better
- Nutmeg was my Nonna's tip to bring a lovely earthiness to it
- Potato is also one of Nonna's additions as it adds body and creaminess
- Tomato Paste is my preference over canned tomatoes, diced tomatoes or tomato sauce as its concentrated so it has a deeper flavour
- Vegetable Stock is what I've used to make it vegan and vegetarian, however, if you prefer you can use chicken broth.
- Parmigiano Reggiano rind is an optional ingredient and can be eliminated to make the dish vegan friendly. Adding a small cube of the parmesan rind brings a beautiful aroma and a light cheesy depth to the sauce. It's then discarded before serving.
- Extra-virgin olive oil is used of course to saute the veggies
How to make Pasta e Fagioli
Make this classic Italian dish in these simple steps. Perfect for a cozy evening at home!
Prepare broth
- Prepare soffritto by dicing onion, carrots and celery into tiny consistent cubes
- Saute soffritto with olive oil in a pot over medium heat with bay leaves and a pinch of salt
- After a few minutes (when the veggies are tender), add garlic and stir together. Then add 3 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste and saute for 3-5 minutes to fry the sauce down. If required, add a dash of olive oil to help it saute
- Pour in vegetable stock and water, and season with salt and pepper. Add in a potato chopped into small cubes, nutmeg and a cube of parmesan rind (optional). Place the lid on and simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium heat
Add pasta and beans
- When the vegetables are cooked, remove a cup of broth from the pot and reserve it on the side for now
- Add pasta and a pinch of salt, and cook with the lid on (Note, if the broth has reduced too much or the liquid is too thick you can add an extra cup of water in this step)
- Drain a can of beans and add about a quarter of the beans to the reserved broth on the side. Once the broth has cooled down, blend it in a blender to create a creamy sauce
- When the pasta is halfway cooked, add the beans and the creamy sauce to the pot and cook together for a few minutes. Serve it up! With some chopped parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
- Ensure to chop the vegetables for the soffritto into tiny cubes similar in size so they all cook within the same time
- Always fry the tomato paste down before adding the stock. It brings out all its beautiful flavours and it will also eliminate any raw tomato taste
- I've noted in my recipe 2-3 cups of water. It's best to start with 2, and then add the 3rd cup if you find it needs it. Different pasta shapes absorb different amounts of water so you can judge if it needs more water.
- Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind before serving into bowls
- Add the beans in at the end of the cooking process so they don't overcook or become mushy
FAQs
Some recipes use pancetta and meat, however, I've made a vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipe
Yes, it's full of vegetables and a good source of protein and nutrients from the beans
Yes for up to 2 - 3 months. If freezing, it's recommended to do so without pasta included as it will become soft when reheating. The vegetables would also become soft when reheating so if you know you want to freeze a batch, make sure to undercook the soup so that it will maintain a beautiful texture when you decide to reheat it in the future. Then you can boil some fresh pasta and add it to the soup.
More Authentic Italian
More Pasta Recipes
I love seeing your creations and remakes, so be sure to rate the recipe, comment and share your Pasta e Fagioli photo on Instagram so I can share the love!
Recipe
Pasta e Fagioli
Video
Ingredients
- 200 g short pasta (I’ve used Orecchiette)
- 1 can Fagioli beans / Borlotti beans (or you can use Cannellini beans or your preferred beans)
- 1 onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 medium celery sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 potato
- 3 cups vegetable broth or stock
- 2-3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 Parmesan cheese rind cube (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- Fresh herbs such as finely chopped parsley or basil leaves
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Dice the onion, carrots and celery into tiny cubes to make a soffritto. Saute them in olive oil in a pot over medium heat with the bay leaves and a pinch of salt
- After a few minutes when the veggies are tender, add the garlic and stir together. Then add 3 tablespoons of concentrated tomato paste and saute for 3-5 minutes to fry the sauce down. If required, add a dash of olive oil to help it saute
- Pour in the vegetable stock and water, season with salt and pepper. Chop the potato into small cubes and add to the pot along with the nutmeg, a cube of parmesan rind (optional) and simmer with the lid on for 10-15 mintues on medium heat
- When the vegetables are cooked, remove a cup of the broth from the pot and leave it on the side to cool down
- Add the pasta a pinch of salt and cook with the lid on (note you can add an extra cup of water at this time if the sauce has reduced too much or liquid is too thick)
- While the pasta is cooking, drain the can of beans and add a quarter of the beans to the reserved broth on the side. Blend it in a blender to create a creamy sauce
- When the pasta is half way cooked, add the beans and the creamy sauce to the pot and allow it to cook together for a few minutes.Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Serve your Pasta e Fagioli soup with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
jayme says
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I think I'd cut back on the water though because it ended up being too liquidy. I added just a pinch of chicken bouillon powder too.
Ayeh says
Yay so glad you loved it! How many cups of water did you add dear? Ive noted only to add the extra cup if it needs it as depending on your pasta it can absorb too much liquid xxxx
Alice says
I made this for my family and they all loved it! My Mum can’t eat gluten so I used gluten free pasta which worked well.
Ayeh says
So happy you loved this Alice, its such a cosy meal xx
Alice says
I made this for my family and we all loved it! My Mum can’t eat gluten so I used gluten free pasta which worked well.
Susie says
A new family favourite!!
Ayeh says
Hehe yay love this xxx
Lilia Casanova says
I like Ayeh's recipes. They look easy and simple but looks good to eat. Lilia
Ayeh Manfre says
Thank you Lilia! x
Anon says
Does the Parmesan rind melt or does it have to be removed ?
Ayeh Manfre says
Oh great pick up, thank you for bringing it to my attention. It needs to be removed with the bayleaves before serving as it wont melt 🙂
John says
Love your recipes for their fresh & healthy taste to them , Also they are in general very easy to prepare . Thank You
John Central California
Ayeh Manfre says
Amazing to hear John!
Erin says
Ahh ..Pasta Fagioli..I absolutely love this nostalgic dish! ❤️ Your recipe is amazing!
It’s one of those dishes that will fill your belly & your heart! Thank you for sharing your amazing recipes with us!
Ayeh Manfre says
Love this as its so so true and nostalgic!! You are so very welcome dear xxx
Betty Diehl says
The almost same recipe I got from my landlady in the 70's when I lived in Pozzouli a little town outside of Naples, Italy. Better the the Olive Garden by leaps and bounds.
Ayeh Manfre says
oh how amazing to hear!!!!
Jadran Lazic says
Top
Ayeh Manfre says
the best 🙂