Pasta e fagioli is a hearty Italian soup made with pasta, beans, and vegetables. Served with crusty bread, it’s the ultimate vegetarian comfort food.
Pasta e fagioli, sometimes abbreviated as pasta fagioli (or pasta fazool if you’re a soprano fan), is a classic Italian soup. Its name literally translates to “pasta and beans” and consists of small pasta, creamy beans and tender vegetables in a fragrant tomato broth.
Here in the US, many people know about the pasta and fagioli on the Olive Garden menu, but I’m here to tell you that you MUST try making this dish at home. It comes together in a single pot. The ingredients are largely pantry staples. And the combination of pasta, beans, and vegetables makes it a satisfying stand-alone meal.
If you’re looking for easy, affordable, and delicious dinners to add to your rotation, pasta and fagioli can’t be beat. I’m sharing my favorite recipe below. I hope you like it as much as I do!
Pasta e fagioli recipe ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this pasta fagioli recipe:
- Pastaof course! Ditalini is my first choice. Can’t find it? Macaroni with small elbows or another small pasta shape would also work well.
- Beans – In Italy, pasta e fagioli is traditionally made with fresh cranberry beans. However, where I live it’s hard to find fresh beans, so I order canned cannellini beans. They are still delicious!
- Extra virgin olive oil – For wealth.
- Onion, garlic, carrot and fennel – These aromatic vegetables create the tasty base of the soup. I LOVE the anise flavor of fennel in this soup, but if you can’t find it, or if you’re not a fan of fennel, celery is a great alternative!
- tomato paste – Thickens the broth and deepens the tomato flavor.
- fresh rosemary – For a cozy pine flavor. In a pinch, substitute dried rosemary or use another dried herb such as dried oregano or basil.
- diced tomatoes – They add a sweet and spicy flavor to the broth.
- vegetable broth – Use store-bought products or make your own.
- A parmesan crust – Yes, you can just cut the rind off a block of Parmesan cheese! If you’re vegetarian, be sure to look for a brand made with vegetarian enzymes (BelGioioso is excellent). If you are vegan, feel free to skip it.
- Kale or chard – Not quite traditional pasta e fagioli, but I love finishing a pot of soup with lots of leafy greens!
- red pepper flakes – They add a touch of heat.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors stand out!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
How to make pasta and fagioli
This hearty soup recipe is so simple to make!
First, sauté the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or pot over medium heat and add the onion, carrots and fennel. You want the vegetables to be very soft. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the garlic, tomato paste and rosemary and cook for another minute.
Next, simmer the soup. Add the tomatoes, beans, broth, and Parmesan zest to the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Then, add the pasta. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the pasta is al dente.
Finally, add the kale and red pepper flakes. Cook until kale is wilted. Season to taste and serve!
Serving Suggestions for Pasta and Fagioli
When you’re ready to eat, ladle the pasta and fagioli soup into bowls and top with more red pepper flakes, a sprinkle of parsley, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Soup is a satisfying meal on its own, but you can’t go wrong with a side of crusty bread to soak up the broth. It also goes well with garlic bread and homemade focaccia.
For a larger meal, serve the soup with a salad. A simple green salad, Caesar salad, or chopped Italian salad would be delicious.
How to store
If you make the soup as written, leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days. But be careful: the pasta absorbs more and more broth the longer it remains in the soup.
To prepare the food: If you plan to enjoy this soup for several days, you may want to omit the pasta when you first make it. Instead, cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup just before serving. When you eat, the noodles will still have an al dente bite and the soup will still be brothy.
To freeze: I also recommend preparing the pasta separately if you want to freeze the soup. Without the paste, it freezes well for up to 3 months. Boil the pasta separately and add it when you reheat the soup.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this recipe, try one of these classic soups below:
Pasta and Fagioli
serves 4 to 6
Pasta e fagioli, sometimes abbreviated to pasta fagioli, is a classic Italian soup made with pasta and beans. My recipe is a delicious and comforting vegetarian dinner! Serve with crusty bread to soak up the tasty broth.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and more to spray
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 small fennel bulb or 2 sprigs of celery, finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, and more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 mugs cooked cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 mugs vegetable broth
- parmesan rind, optional
- 1 cup ditalini pasta, or other small pasta
- 2 large leaves of kale or chard, stemmed and crumbled (about 6 cups)
- pinches red pepper flakes
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, carrots, salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very soft.
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Add the garlic, tomato paste and rosemary and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juice, beans, broth, and grated Parmesan, if using. Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Add the pasta and simmer for 10 more minutes, or until al dente. Add the kale and red pepper flakes and cook until the kale is wilted. Season to taste and serve.
