Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup
Italian Pasta Fagioli Soup is a classic dish loaded with vegetables, creamy white beans, and ditalini pasta, all simmered in a tomato broth. Our pasta fagioli soup features a smoky flavored broth, and it’s ready in 35 minutes! A deliciously thick and hearty meal, this soup is Italian comfort food at its best!
What is Pasta Fagioli Soup?
Pasta Fagioli, also known as “pasta e fagioli,” means pasta and beans. It is a hearty dish that originated in Italy.
It has been around for centuries and it is one of the most beloved dishes today. From Northern Italy to the South, pasta fagioli will always be a popular dish.
It is made up of mainly two ingredients, pasta, and beans and it can be a meal all by itself.
And it is SO YUMMY!
Our Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup…
- The recipe is straightforward and easy to prepare.
- Plus, no fancy equipment is needed either, and you make it with a few easy steps.
- The soup only needs 25 minutes to simmer, then the pasta is tossed in at the very end, for an additional 5 to 7 minutes of cooking, or longer if needed. Then it’s ready to serve.
- However, truth be told! Everyone has a different version of our favorite “pasta fazool.”
- But this recipe has been in our family for as long as we can remember, we can tell you it makes one hearty, flavorful dish.
Perfect!
Ingredients Needed for our Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup…
For my pasta fagioli soup, you will need: ( *Full ingredients listed in our recipe card below!)
- Carrot – one carrot is enough.
- Celery – one celery stalk is used.
- Garlic – you will need 3 whole garlic cloves.
- Onion – one large onion, diced, or 2 medium-sized onions.
- Olive Oil – just enough to sauté the vegetables.
- Beans – organic Northern white beans: 2 cans, drained and rinsed.
- Herbs – lots of fresh basil, fresh parsley and 1 bay leaf.
- Tomatoes –crushed tomatoes: any brand of crushed tomatoes will do.
- Wine – we prefer a good drinking white wine, and don’t leave it out.
- Bacon – use Italian bacon, called pancetta. You may add 2 packages (4 ounces each) of “cubed” pancetta for a more depth of flavor.
- Liquid – some water and vegetable broth. You can also use chicken broth if you prefer.
The secret to making our pasta fagioli soup so flavorful… is in the delicious broth!
The broth is flavored with Italian smoky bacon called pancetta. Its smoky flavors not only get infused with the creamy beans but with the broth as well. YUM! And everyone who tastes this soup goes bananas over it!
How to Make Our Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup? (*full recipe card below!)
Here are a few easy steps to make this delicious soup:
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First, you will need to cook and saute the pancetta with garlic in olive oil.
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Then add in the vegetables, and saute the veggies for a few minutes, until they are softened about 5 minutes.
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Next, add crushed tomatoes and simmer the tomatoes with the mixture for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the wine, water, and all of the beans, along with the broth, and seasonings. Simmer on low heat for about 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Finally, toss in the fresh basil and ditalini pasta and simmer until the pasta is tender. Then serve!
Options to Serve Pasta Fagioli with…
- We enjoy serving it with a grilled cheese and pear sandwich or grilled pimento cheese sandwiches, on the side.
- Sometimes, we’ll just serve it with some crusty bread or cheesy mini biscuits for an easy dinner.
Cook’s Notes and Tips!
- Pasta Fagioli Soup is a hearty soup that’s very adaptable to making your own.
- Be sure to not overcook the pasta, or you will have mushy pasta with this soup. It’s best to undercook the pasta “al-dente” (which means tender to the bite).
- Can We Use Other Kinds of Beans? You can get creative by making it using different kinds of beans, such as red kidney beans, cannellini beans, and Great Northern beans. Black beans are NOT recommended for this recipe.
- May We Use Other Pasta? Yes. Any small pasta would be great with this recipe, such as orzo, elbows, and mini pasta shells. And, of course, use your favorite gluten-free pasta too!
- Can We Make It Ahead? Yes, but hold the pasta for last! Make the soup, turn off the heat, and keep it covered. When you want to serve it, just bring the soup to a boil, toss in the pasta, and follow the directions on our recipe card.
Storing and Reheating…
- TO STORE: It’s best to wait for the soup to cool down before storing it. Then transfer it to a sealed container. Keep the soup chilled for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Reheat soup in a saucepan on the stovetop, and on low heat for a few minutes, then serve.
Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup will make plenty for everyone to have a second serving!
A flavorful hearty soup, and one you should definitely try.
Best of all, you can serve this flavorful soup with some warm, crusty Italian bread, and maybe a green salad as the side, and dinner is done. 😉
Serve this soup with some grated parmesan cheese at the table (it’s the best!).
This is a meal your whole family will love! A GREAT recipe …try it!
ENJOY!!
Don’t forget to PIN this one on your Dinner Board!!
Are you looking for flavorful bean soups? … then try these!
- Classic Italian Minestrone Soup
- Roasted Garlic Parsnip and White Bean Soup
- Tuscan Escarole and Beans Soup
- 15 Bean Soup with Pancetta and Basil
- Baby Lima Bean Soup
Yield: 8 servings
Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup
Easy Pasta Fagioli Soup is an Italian white bean and pasta soup made with vegetables, white beans, pancetta, and ditalini pasta. Delicious, intensely flavored and it's ready in about 35 minutes!
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves- sliced
- 4-ounces pancetta - diced or minced ( I used Citterio)
- 1 large onion - chopped
- 1 carrot (about 1/2 cup)- diced
- 1 stalk of celery (about 1/2 cup)- diced
- 14-ounces can of crushed or chopped tomatoes, about 1.5 cups ( I used Pomi)
- 1 cup white wine
- a dash of crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 4 cups of water, and extra if needed
- 2 cups vegetable broth (or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cans (15-ounces) of organic Northern beans - drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup freshly chopped basil (a generous handful)
- fresh cracked pepper, to taste
- 1 + 1/2 cups of Ditalini pasta
- fresh chopped Italian parsley
- optional: grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil on medium-high heat and add garlic and pancetta. Sauté pancetta and garlic until pancetta is fully cooked, about 2 minutes.
- Add in the chopped onion, and diced carrot and celery. Cover. Sauté to soften the veggies, about 4 minutes.
- Next, add in the crushed tomatoes and simmer for about 2 minutes. Pour in white wine and cover with a lid to simmer for about 2 minutes until the white wine reduces a little.
- Add in 4 cups of water, vegetable broth, salt, bay leaf, all the beans, and fresh basil. HOLD the ditalini pasta, this will be the last step.
- Cover and raise the heat on high, and bring the soup to a full boil. Then reduce to low heat and simmer the soup for about 20 to 25 minutes, occasionally stirring.
- Stir in 1.5 cups (or up to 2 cups) of Ditalini pasta and cover. Stir occasionally. Continue to simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes, or more until the pasta is al-dente. Taste the pasta to see if it's tender to the bite.
- If you need to, season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to your taste. When the pasta is done, turn off the heat, and serve. Here is where you can add more water to give you more broth, Ladle soup into bowls and serve the soup with grated Parmesan cheese at the table.
- Yields: about 8 or more servings
Notes
This soup is best served immediately. Or you can make the soup ahead, but toss in the pasta only when you are planning to serve.
Keep in mind, the longer the pasta sits in the pot, the more the liquid will get absorbed and cook the pasta.
If this happens, you can always add additional water or broth to the soup, to give you more broth.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8 servingsServing Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 303Total Fat: 8gCarbohydrates: 43.9gFiber: 8.3gSugar: 3.9gProtein: 13.8g
Pasta Fagioli is comfort in a bowl and yours looks yummy.
Thanks so much, Karen! Pasta Fagioli happens to be our favorite dish and one we never get tired of making.
I have prepared pasta fazool many different ways, but never using white wine. Until last evening. It was absolutely delicious. Enjoyed by all.
Thank you for this pearl.
Aw, thank you so much Ettore! That means a lot to us and so glad you enjoyed our mom’s recipe. Hope you had a great day!
Hi,
What would be a good substitute for the white wine?
Thanks
Hi Anne!
You can omit the white wine if you don’t have any… it’s not a deal-breaker.
But if you have any leftover Prosecco or champagne on hand, you can use either one.
I hope this helps! 🙂
One of our favorite fall and winter soups. We have been eating very much the same way lately…we had escarole and bean soup last night. 😊
Aw, so glad to hear! Thanks so much Karen! We are trying to eat lighter meals these days. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.
There’s a chill in the air and this classic soup would hit the spot!!
Aw, thanks Liz! This one is a winner, enjoy! 🙂
I agree with you about pasta fagioli being Italian comfort food at its best. It’s often a spur of the moment dinner as I usually have all the ingredients on hand.
And for me as well Karen! Lol…. Thanks so much for your sweet comment! Have a great week!
I love this soup! It’s snowing here tonight and wish I had some simmering on the stove.
I wish you lived next door and I would bring some over !! Thanks for the sweet comment Sue!
Soup is the most comforting and satisfying meal in these cold winter months. This one sounds really good and I’m going to get the ingredients when I do my weekend shopping! Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Thanks so much Sandra!! 🙂