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A bowl of pasta fagioli with a spoon beside it and parlsey to the right.
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Pasta Fagioli

Who needs Olive Garden when you have my easy recipe for Pasta Fagioli? Get ready to savor this classic comfort food loaded with pasta, beans, and veggies in just 30 minutes.
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 309kcal
Author John Kanell

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large pot

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1 large celery stalk sliced
  • 6 garlic cloves peeled and minced
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes (794g)
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 6 to 8 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup ditalini pasta (130g)
  • 1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15.5-ounce/439g) can great northern or cannellini beans drained and rinsed
  • ¼ cup chopped parsley

Instructions

  • In a large Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until starting to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, and black pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Pour in the stock. Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Taste and add more salt if needed. (I like to salt the broth well before adding the pasta so it seasons the pasta while it cooks.) Add the pasta and continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the beans. Simmer for a few minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed. Stir in the parsley just before serving.

Video

Notes

  • Thicken It Up. To add a little more body to the pasta e fagioli soup’s broth, don’t drain or rinse the beans before adding them to the pot. Their viscous liquid is protein-rich and will thicken the soup as it simmers.
  • Add Meat. My recipe makes a delicious vegetarian soup, but sometimes you want some added protein! Feel free to brown some pancetta, ground beef, or Italian sausage in the oil with the onions if you’d like.
  • Make Ahead. I like to mix up a batch of pasta fazool, then divvy it up into individual portions for easy grab-and-go lunches throughout the week. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
  • Make it in a slow cooker. Cook the vegetables stove-top as directed, then add them to a slow cooker along with the tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and stock. Cook on low heat for 4 hours or high heat for 2 hours. Stir in the pasta about 30 minutes before you're ready to serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 1164mg | Potassium: 813mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 5193IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 5mg