Name: Pasta E Fagioli Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 195 min
Total time: 565 min
Ingredients: 1/2 lb dried great northern beans; 1/2 tbsp kosher salt; water; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 yellow onion (diced); 2 medium carrots (diced); 2 long ribs of celery (diced); 6 garlic cloves; 14.5 oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes; 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock; 2 Parmesan cheese rinds that are about 2 inches long; 2 bay leaves; 2 tsp dried thyme; 1 tsp dried rosemary (crushed); 1 tsp red pepper flakes (more for spicier soup); salt (to taste); 1/2 lb uncooked ditalini pasta (cooked separately)

Jump to Recipe

Pasta e Fagioli is a classic Italian soup made primarily with pasta and beans. There is so much flavor in this simple soup and one special ingredient makes this unlike any other. It’s a comforting homemade soup that’s perfect for cold days.

Once you enjoy a bowl of this comforting soup, try my Minestrone Soup next and homemade Chicken Noodle after that. All these soups are heartwarming and yet, they have a ton of health benefits.

PASTA E FAGIOLI

This is another one of the classic Italian soups that I love making. Pasta e Fagioli literally means “pasta and beans” and it started out as peasant food much like many other classic recipes that we love. Ingredients are inexpensive and preparation is simple, but the key is in those few flavor pops that take the soup to a whole new level of delicious.

I’ve been making this soup for many years, trying some different variations in ingredients and keep coming back to this version. I prefer to use great northern white beans because of the smaller shape or cannellini beans if I need to substitute. When it comes to pasta, smaller type of pasta is the traditional way to go. My kids love ditalini pasta so I often use that.

Besides the two main ingredients, I do have a couple of secret weapons up my sleeve that makes this soup taste the best. No, it’s not bacon, I actually find bacon too overpowering here because pasta and beans have such mild flavor. The secret ingredients are Parmesan cheese rind and fire roasted tomatoes.

Throw in a couple of Parmesan cheese rinds in with the soup while the beans are cooking and it will be life-changing! The hint of smokiness from fire-roasted tomatoes add another layer of flavor that enhances all other ingredients.

PIN THIS RECIPE

Can I Use Canned Beans?

Yes, to save time, I have used canned beans on many occasions but I still do let the soup cook for a good hour to let all the flavors develop. If substituting canned beans, use two cans of beans that are about 15 oz and drain off the liquid.

Why Cook Pasta Separate?

I often refer to pasta as a “sponge” ingredient. It will soak up all the liquid in soup, sauce, and pasta salads. Any time I make a big batch of soup that I know we will not eat right away, I always cook pasta separate. If you cook pasta in the soup and leave it in the fridge for a prolonged period of time, it will soak up all the broth. That’s why I recommend cooking pasta separately and adding it when you’re ready to serve the soup.

If you will be eating the whole batch of soup right away, you can cook pasta right in the soup. Just add another cup or so of broth when preparing soup.

HOW TO MAKE PASTA E FAGIOLI

NOTE: I use dry beans and soak them overnight. Using dry beans also increases cook time to about 3 hours. If you forgot to soak the beans, it’s not a big deal, just cook the soup for another hour or so and use a little extra stock. (If you opt for canned beans, cook time will be about an hour.)

The day before preparing the soup, rinse the beans and place them in a bowl or a food storage container. Fill enough water to cover the beans with 2 inches of water. Mix in salt and let the beans soak overnight. When ready to use, drain the beans and use them in soup.

This soup starts with a classic soffritto, which is a mixture of onions, celery, and carrots sweated until tender and then slightly browned. Add pressed garlic and saute until fragrant. Once vegetables start to brown, add tomatoes, drained beans, stock, seasoning, and Parmesan rind.

Bring everything to simmer, turn the heat down to low and cover with a lid but leave a small opening for the steam to escape. Cook for about 3 hours, stirring once in a while.

When the soup is almost done, cook pasta according to the package instructions in a separate pot. You can add pasta to individual bowls if you know there will be leftovers. Store pasta and soup separately. (If you’re planning on serving the whole pot of soup at the same time, you can cook pasta right in the soup.)

Discard the bay leaves and the Parmesan rind before serving.

HOW TO MAKE IT IN INSTANT POT

NOTE: I have not found a need to soak beans before cooking them in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.

Set Instant Pot to saute setting and add oil to the bottom. Add diced onions, celery, and carrots and saute until softened. Stir in garlic and saute until fragrant. Pour in can of diced tomatoes, drained beans, stock, seasoning, and Parmesan rind.

Stir everything together, close the lid and make sure it’s latched. Turn the valve to “SEAL” and set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high pressure cook mode for 30 minutes.

Let it do a natural release for about 10 minutes and then do a quick release. Be careful opening the lid. (Remember to consult the manual for your pressure cooker for specific operating instructions.)

Discard Parmesan rind and bay leaves.

You can mix in cooked pasta in individual bowls if you know there will be leftovers. Store pasta and soup separately.

If you’re planning on serving the whole pot of soup at the same time, you can cook pasta right in the soup. In that case, add pasta to the soup, close the lid and make sure it’s latched. Turn the valve to “seal” and pressure cook on low for 4 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE IT IN A SLOW COOKER

NOTE: I have not found a need to soak beans before cooking them in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.

Use a small pan to cook the vegetables first. Sweat onions, celery, and carrots in some oil until tender over medium-low heat and then raise the heat to medium and let it saute. Add pressed garlic and saute until fragrant. Once vegetables start to brown, transfer it to the slow cooker.

Add tomatoes, drained beans, stock, seasoning, and Parmesan rind. Close the lid and cook on HIGH for 4-5 hours or on LOW for 6-8 hours.

Discard Parmesan rind and bay leaves.

You can mix in cooked pasta in individual bowls if you know there will be leftovers. Store pasta and soup separately.

If you’re planning on serving the whole pot of soup at the same time, you can cook pasta right in the soup. Add pasta to the slow cooker, close the lid, and cook on HIGH until tender.

CAN I FREEZE PASTA E FAGIOLI SOUP?

Yes, but freeze it without pasta. Prepare soup as instructed but do not make the pasta until you defrost the soup and ready to reheat.

When freezing food, it’s best to cool it as quickly as possible before portioning and freezing. To cool the soup, place the pot with soup into a larger container filled with ice and let it cool, stirring occasionally.

Once soup is cooled to room temperature, portion it into freezer zip-lock bags. Get the air out and seal. Label and date each bag and lay them flat on a cutting board. Place it in the freezer. Once the soup is completely frozen, you can stack the bags to save space.

Thaw soup in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a sauce pot. You can add cooked pasta when reheating the soup.

MORE SOUP RECIPES TO TRY

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

Italian Wedding Soup with Meatballs and Orzo

Italian Broccoli Cheese Soup

Creamy Chicken and Bean Soup

Navy White Bean Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

Connect with Will Cook For Smiles!

Be sure to click below and follow me on my social media, so you never miss a recipe.

Don’t forget to sign up for email, so you won’t miss any new recipes.