Easy Pasta e Fagioli
This easy pasta e fagioli is a classic Italian soup loaded with vegetables, white beans, and pasta, and it’s perfect for a chilly night.
I found a recipe for this Italian white bean soup on America’s Test Kitchen and I loved that it’s comforting & hearty, uses pantry ingredients, and is on the table in no time. I adapted the recipe by adding a small parmesan rind to the soup while it simmered for added depth of flavor and I also cooked the pasta separately so I could serve the soup later in the day. This easy pasta e fagioli paired nicely with a roasted beet salad and freshly baked bread.
How to Make Easy Pasta e Fagioli
Take one can of white beans (drained & rinsed) and place it in a food processor with 1 cup of water. Blend until creamy, about 30 seconds.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, pancetta, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, pureed white bean mixture, remaining can of whole beans, and small parmesan rind; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente in boiling salted water per instructions, and drain.
Right before serving, remove the parmesan rind and discard. Add the cooked & drained pasta to the soup along with the freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil; stir well. Taste the soup and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste. Serve with freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 (15 oz) cans of white cannellini beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced **Or 2 small onions
- 2 carrots, peeled & diced
- 1 stalk of celery, diced
- 2 oz pancetta, diced
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cup chicken broth
- 1 small parmesan rind
- 4 oz ditalini pasta
- 2 oz parmesan cheese, finely grated plus more for serving
- ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Take one can of white beans (drained & rinsed) and place it in a food processor with 1 cup of water. Blend until creamy, about 30 seconds.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, pancetta, crushed red pepper flakes, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken broth, pureed white bean mixture, remaining can of whole beans, and small parmesan rind; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente in boiling salted water per instructions and drain.
- Right before serving, remove the parmesan rind and discard.
- Add the cooked & drained pasta to the soup along with the freshly grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil; stir well. Taste the soup and season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan on the side. Enjoy.
Such a bowl of comfort and deliciousness!
Looks very good and soup weather is coming quickly.
One of my favorite Italian dishes. Your recipe looks delicious.
Nico has given me a cold and an endless sore throat, but this sounds like the perfect antidote!