Pasta e Fagioli
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Pasta e Fagioli is a hearty, one pot soup that works just as well on a busy weeknight as it does on a lazy Sunday. It’s filling, flexible, and made with ingredients you probably already have. No soaking beans, no long simmer, no drama.
Weeknight Pasta e Fagioli
I didn’t grow up with Pasta e Fagioli in the traditional Italian sense, but I did grow up eating versions of it. Beans, pasta, vegetables, broth, that kind of soup showed up often in my mom’s kitchen because it was filling, affordable, and fed everyone without a fuss.
Over the years, I learned how the Italian version comes together and started making my own, somewhere between what I grew up with and what I’ve cooked since. This weeknight Pasta e Fagioli is my everyday take on it. Familiar, hearty, and simple enough to make without turning it into a whole production. It’s simple, flexible, and very forgiving if you’re missing an ingredient or two.
Why You’ll Love My Pasta e Fagioli
- It’s made for weeknights. No soaking beans, no long simmer, and no specialty ingredients. Everything comes together in one pot without a lot of babysitting.
- It’s hearty enough to be dinner. Between the beans and pasta, this isn’t a light soup that leaves everyone hungry an hour later.
- It uses pantry ingredients. Canned beans, pasta, broth, and basic vegetables do all the work, which makes this easy to throw together on short notice.
- It’s flexible. Skip the bacon, change up the beans, or use whatever small pasta you have. This soup is forgiving and still tastes good.
- Leftovers hold up. If you plan ahead and cook the pasta separately, it reheats well and makes lunch the next day very easy.
Key Ingredients & Tips
- Onion, carrots, and celery: This is the base of the soup, so don’t rush it. Let the vegetables soften properly at the start so the soup has good flavor from the beginning.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic makes a difference here. It adds depth without making the soup heavy.
- Bacon (optional, but recommended): You can skip it, but a little bacon adds a savory note that makes the soup taste like it’s been simmering longer than it has. If you want to keep it vegetarian, just leave it out and add a bit more seasoning.
- Canned beans: Cannellini and kidney beans are classic and work well. Rinse them first so the broth doesn’t turn cloudy and overly salty.
- Bouillon cube: This is a quiet shortcut that adds a lot of flavor. It helps give the soup that rich, well seasoned taste without a long simmer.
- Ditalini pasta: Small pasta works best. If you plan on leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl so it doesn’t soak up all the broth overnight.
- Seasoning: Taste as you go. Between the bacon, bouillon, and Parmesan at the end, this soup builds flavor quickly, so adjust salt near the end, not at the start.
- Parmesan rind (if you have one): Toss it in while the soup simmers and pull it out before serving. It adds depth without changing the texture.
- Mash a few beans if you want it thicker. You don’t need cream. Just mash some of the beans against the side of the pot and stir them back in.
- Soup thickens as it sits. If you’re reheating leftovers, expect to add a bit of broth or water to loosen it up.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, then cook until everything softens and smells good, about 5–7 minutes. This is not the step to rush if you want the soup to taste like something.
Stir in the bacon and cook until it renders some fat and gets lightly crispy. If you’re skipping the bacon, just keep going, no drama.
Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth, then bring everything to a boil. Stir in the beans, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes if using, and the bouillon cube. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes so the flavors come together.
Stir in the ditalini and cook until it’s just tender, about 8–10 minutes. Keep an eye on it and give it a stir now and then so nothing sticks. If the soup starts getting too thick, add a little more broth or water. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls. Top with grated Parmesan and parsley and call it dinner.
How To Serve
While Pasta e Fagioli is hearty enough to stand on its own, I often like to pair it with something simple to round out the meal. Here are some ideas you might enjoy serving alongside:
Easy Garlic Bread
Mini Caprese Salad Bites
Easy Focaccia
Garlic Knots
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pasta e Fagioli supposed to be thick or brothy?
Somewhere in between. It should be hearty and spoonable, not watery, but not so thick it turns into stew. If it gets thicker than you like, just add a bit more broth.
Why did my pasta soak up all the broth?
Pasta keeps absorbing liquid as it sits. If you’re planning on leftovers, cooking the pasta separately and adding it to each bowl is the easiest fix.
Why does my soup taste bland?
It usually needs more salt, not more herbs. Beans and pasta soak up seasoning, so taste near the end and adjust then.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yes. Skip the bacon, use vegetable broth, and swap the chicken bouillon for vegetable bouillon. Finish with plenty of Parmesan.
Does this soup freeze well?
It does, but it’s best frozen without the pasta. Add freshly cooked pasta when reheating so it doesn’t turn mushy.
Is this like Olive Garden’s Pasta e Fagioli?
It’s in the same family, but my version is simpler and more flexible. Less copycat, more everyday soup you can actually make on a weeknight.
More Delicious Italian Soups
- Zuppa Toscana
- Instant Pot Pasta e Fagioli
- Italian Wedding Soup
- Lasagna Soup
- Tuscan Bean Soup
- Taco Soup
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Pasta e Fagioli
Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 4 ounces bacon (diced (optional))
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
- 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 15 ounces cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)
- 15 ounces red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 1 cup ditalini pasta (or other small pasta)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- Parmesan cheese (freshly grated, for serving)
- fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the chopped bacon to the pot and cook for 3-4 minutes until it's crispy and the fat has rendered.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the cannellini beans, red kidney beans, dried oregano, dried basil, red pepper flakes (if using) and chicken bouillon cube. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat to low and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the ditalini pasta and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. If the soup becomes too thick as the pasta cooks, you can add a bit more chicken broth or water to reach your desired consistency.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley or basil.
Equipment
Notes
- Don’t rush the vegetables. Letting the onion, carrots, and celery soften properly at the start makes a big difference in flavor.
- The bacon is optional, but helpful. It adds depth and makes the soup taste like it cooked longer than it did. If you skip it, you may want to bump up the seasoning a bit.
- Bouillon is doing quiet work here. One cube adds richness without turning this into an all day soup.
- Pasta keeps absorbing broth. If you’re planning for leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to each bowl.
- Adjust the thickness to your liking. This soup should be hearty but still spoonable. Add more broth or water if it thickens too much.
- Don’t skip the Parmesan. Even a little makes the whole bowl better, so don’t skip it.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
