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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Pasta e Fagioli

    BY Ayeh Manfre · UPDATED: Feb 28, 25 · PUBLISHED: Feb 26, 23 · 21 Comments

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    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 flavor 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 pasta e ceci or 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
    • How to make Pasta e Fagioli
    • Tips & Tricks
    • Storage and Reheating
    • FAQs
    • More Authentic Italian
    • More Pasta Recipes
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    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, Chickpeas 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 as it holds the sauce like little buckets. Ditalini pasta and elbow macaroni are also popular
    • 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 or beef 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

    How to make Pasta e Fagioli prepare the broth steps
    1. Prepare soffritto by dicing onion, carrots and celery into tiny consistent cubes
    2. Saute soffritto with olive oil in a pot over medium heat with bay leaves and a pinch of salt
    3. 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
    4. 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

    How to make Pasta e Fagioli adding beans and pasta steps
    1. When the vegetables are cooked, remove a cup of broth from the pot and reserve it on the side for now
    2. 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)
    3. 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
    4. 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

    1. Ensure to chop the vegetables for the soffritto into tiny cubes similar in size so they all cook within the same time
    2. 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
    3. 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.
    4. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind before serving into bowls
    5. Add the beans in at the end of the cooking process so they don't overcook or become mushy

    Storage and Reheating

    • Leftovers always taste amazing and are key as the soup flavors develops more. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
    • Reheat in a pot with a dash of water or more broth until heated through
    • You can also freeze for up to 2 months. I recommend to freeze without pasta included as it will become soft and mushy when reheating. Simply boil and add the pasta once thawed and ready to eat

    FAQs

    Does Pasta e Fagioli have meat?

    Some recipes use pancetta, Italian sausage or ground meat, however, I've made a vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipe

    Is Pasta e Fagioli healthy?

    Yes, it's full of vegetables and a good source of protein and nutrients from the beans

    More Authentic Italian

    • Italian minestrone soup with a spoon coming out of the bowl
      Italian Minestrone Soup
    • Spaghetti alla Nerano with a fork in a bowl
      Spaghetti alla Nerano
    • Spoon of Pastina coming out of a bowl
      Pastina - Italian Comfort Food
    • Limoncello recipe with a glass full and a bottle on the side
      Limoncello Recipe

    More Pasta Recipes

    • Bowl of Sicilian Pasta alla Norma
      Pasta alla Norma (Sicilian Eggplant Pasta)
    • Creamy orzo pasta topped with parmesan and basil
      Creamy Orzo Pasta
    • Spaghetti Aglio e Olio served in a bowl
      Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
    • Piece of spinach lasagna being pulled out of an oven dish
      Spinach Ricotta Lasagna

    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 served in a bowl topped with parsley and parmesan cheese

    Pasta e Fagioli

    4.54 from 41 votes
    Pasta e Fagioli is a traditional Italian soup with a savory tomato broth, and translates to pasta and beans. With Nonna's tips, this recipe is full of flavor and screams comfort food
    Author: Ayeh Manfre
    Course: Main Course, Pasta
    Cuisine: Italian
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 401kcal
    Print
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time25 minutes mins
    Total Time35 minutes mins

    Video

    Ingredients 

    • 7 oz/ 200grams short pasta (I’ve used Orecchiette)
    • 1 can Fagioli beans / Borlotti beans (or you can use Cannellini beans or your preferred beans)
    • 1 onion diced
    • 2 medium carrots diced
    • 2 medium celery sticks diced
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 4 garlic cloves diced or minced
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste 
    • 1 potato chopped into cubes
    • 3 cups vegetable broth - I've used low sodium
    • 2-3 cups water
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
    • 1 Parmesan cheese rind (optional) 
    • Salt and black pepper to taste

    Garnish

    • Fresh herbs such as finely chopped parsley or basil leaves
    • Freshly grated parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    • In a large pot, saute the onion, carrots and celery with olive oil over medium heat with the bay leaves and a good pinch of salt
    • After a few minutes when the veggies are tender, add the garlic and stir together along with the concentrated tomato paste. Saute for 3-5 minutes to fry the sauce down, if required add a dash of olive oil
    • Pour in the vegetable stock and water, season with salt and black pepper. Add the potato, nutmeg, a cube of parmesan rind (optional) and simmer with the lid on for 10-15 minutes over 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 with 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 a blender along with the reserved broth on the side. Blend to create a creamy sauce
    • When the pasta is half way cooked, add the remaining 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 and enjoy!
    ⭐️ Final Step! Would love if you left a rating and comment to let me know how it went. Your feedback helps inspire others and means alot ❤️

    Nutrition

    Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 860mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5293IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 3mg
    Keywords: comfort, Pasta, soup

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    Comments

      4.54 from 41 votes (32 ratings without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. jayme says

      September 04, 2021 at 1:25 pm

      4 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Ayeh says

        September 07, 2021 at 12:10 pm

        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

        Reply
    2. Alice says

      September 20, 2021 at 5:41 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Ayeh says

        September 21, 2021 at 12:53 pm

        So happy you loved this Alice, its such a cosy meal xx

        Reply
    3. Alice says

      September 20, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    4. Susie says

      October 11, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      5 stars
      A new family favourite!!

      Reply
      • Ayeh says

        October 14, 2021 at 11:09 am

        Hehe yay love this xxx

        Reply
      • Lilia Casanova says

        February 19, 2023 at 8:52 pm

        I like Ayeh's recipes. They look easy and simple but looks good to eat. Lilia

        Reply
        • Ayeh Manfre says

          February 25, 2023 at 3:02 am

          Thank you Lilia! x

          Reply
    5. Anon says

      February 20, 2023 at 2:05 am

      Does the Parmesan rind melt or does it have to be removed ?

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 25, 2023 at 3:06 am

        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 🙂

        Reply
    6. John says

      February 20, 2023 at 5:44 am

      5 stars
      Love your recipes for their fresh & healthy taste to them , Also they are in general very easy to prepare . Thank You
      John Central California

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 25, 2023 at 3:03 am

        Amazing to hear John!

        Reply
    7. Erin says

      March 02, 2023 at 5:40 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        March 07, 2023 at 10:18 pm

        Love this as its so so true and nostalgic!! You are so very welcome dear xxx

        Reply
    8. Betty Diehl says

      May 21, 2023 at 5:07 am

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        May 21, 2023 at 5:43 pm

        oh how amazing to hear!!!!

        Reply
    9. Jadran Lazic says

      November 05, 2024 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Top

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        November 07, 2024 at 9:03 pm

        the best 🙂

        Reply
    10. Claudia says

      February 16, 2025 at 4:50 am

      5 stars
      My favourite food, so delicious!

      Reply
      • Ayeh Manfre says

        February 17, 2025 at 8:34 pm

        Ditto 🙂

        Reply
    Ayeh about me picture

    Hi, I'm Ayeh!

    Hey everyone! I love creating easy everyday recipes with a healthy twist that anyone can make. I will show you that you can eat delicious food, using wholesome ingredients that make you feel good from the inside out!

    About Me →

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