Pasta Fagioli is an Italian soup that always satisfies! It’s a pasta and bean soup that’s bursting with savory flavor from pancetta, garlic, tomato paste, parmesan and more. You can call it pasta fazool if you want – I just call it delicious!
Stir up more of the best soup recipes like White Bean Soup with Bacon, Italian Meatball Soup and Sausage Orzo Soup.
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I’m such a sucker for a good bowl of Pasta e Fagioli. It’s smoky, cheesy, hearty… It’s really got so much to offer in every spoonful!
While there is a pretty lengthy list of ingredients that go into this classic Italian soup, have no fear. It’s still incredibly easy to make and everything listed is inexpensive.
Plus, you can change things up in this soup as you see fit! This versatile soup varies all over Italy as well as New York depending on where you buy it, so you can easily add or take away ingredients as needed.
Why we love it:
- One pot: This pasta fagioli recipe is made in just one pot! That means it’s easy to make and clean up is a breeze.
- Hearty: With bacon (or pancetta), white beans and pasta, this soup is sure to fill you up.
- Veggies: Pasta fazool might just be the recipe you need to sneak some veggies into your little one’s tummy! Carrots, celery, tomatoes and spinach create a great medley of fresh flavors and offer some nutrients to the soup.
Pasta Fagioli Ingredients:
- Vegetables – You’ll need fresh spinach, sliced carrots, sliced celery and a can of diced tomatoes for this pasta e fagioli recipe. Feel free to change these up a little as needed!
- Beans – White kidney beans are my bean of choice. Be sure to thoroughly drain and rinse them before adding them to the soup.
- Pancetta – is traditionally used but bacon is a great swap too! We often use bacon because it’s less expensive and easily available.
- Chicken Broth – Use low-sodium broth if possible! There’s already salty meat in the mix, and you can always sprinkle in as much salt at the end if you’d like.
- Garlic – Measure with your heart, garlic lovers!
- Parmesan – You’ll want to use a block of parmesan for this recipe. Freshly grated parm is always preferred, plus you get to use that rind for even more flavor.
- Tomato Paste – This does a fantastic job at creating the best rich tomato flavor.
- Pasta – Use a small pasta like ditalini.
- Salt and Pepper – Adjust to taste!
- Italian Seasoning – This really solidifies that classic herbaceous Italian flavor we all know and love.
How to make Pasta Fagioli
Check out how quick and easy it is to make pasta fazool! Scroll to the bottom of this page for more detail information.
- Cook the pancetta or bacon (keep the fat! We’ll use that to cook our vegetables).
- Stir in the onions, carrots and celery.
- Stir in the seasonings, garlic and tomato paste.
- Pour in the broth. Then, add the diced tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat, covering, and cooking for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Finish it off with spinach and freshly grated parmesan.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use your favorite pasta. Ditalini is the most common pasta to use in pasta fazool. However, you can really use any small pasta you prefer. Orzo would work perfectly as well!
- Swap the greens. Not a spinach fan? Replace it with chopped kale.
- Use the white beans of your choice. Cannellini beans or great northern beans both work well. Just make sure that no matter what, they’re drained and rinsed well.
- Add some spice. If you’d like to heat things up a bit, add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes along with the other seasonings.
How to Store Pasta Fagioli
Pasta e fagioli will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat for 30 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring each time it stops, until warmed all the way through.
If you prefer your pasta perfectly al dente, you may want to cook it separately in a pot of boiling, salted water and just add some to every bowl when serving. This way it does not become bloated when it is stored.
Can I freeze pasta fagioli?
Yes! Let the soup fully cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a zip-top storage bag. Lay it flat on a baking sheet and freeze for about an hour so it’s nice and flat. This makes it easier to store in your freezer! Date, label, and keep frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to slowly thaw in the fridge prior to reheating.
Again, for perfectly al dente pasta, cook it separately and do not freeze it with the soup.
What to serve with Pasta e Fagioli:
Bread with soup is a must have over here! We love to serve this Pasta Fagioli with Homemade Breadsticks, No Knead Artisan Bread, or Mom’s Homemade Buns slathered in Garlic Butter (speaking of Garlic Butter, this Garlic Bread is another solid option!).
More Soup Recipes To Try…
Cozy up with more of my favorite filling soups that require no side dishes! Here are just a few recipes that my family can’t get enough of:
- Slow Cooker Zuppa Toscana — with the perfect amount of spice!
- Sausage Tortellini Soup — soup that eats like a meal.
- Italian Wedding Soup — those homemade meatballs are everything!
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup — creamy and satisfying.
EASY Pasta Fagioli recipe (Pasta Fazool)
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oilive oil
- 100 grams pancetta, chopped (or about 4 slices thick cut bacon)
- 3 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (finely diced)
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth (vegetable for vegetarian)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz or 398 ml) or crushed
- 2 cans white kidney beans (19 oz or 540 ml) drained and rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 parm rind
- 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta (uncooked) about 130 grams
- 2 cups freshly chopped spinach or kale
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add chopped bacon or pancetta. Cook until lightly browned.
- Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until translucent.
- Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes.
- Add broth, diced tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender.
- Stir in uncooked pasta, cover and cook until al dente.
- Just before serving, stir in spinach and Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Notes
- Pancetta or Bacon: either works well, and you can omit for a meatless version of this soup.
- Vegetables: There are lots and lots of variations of Pasta e Fagioli, which means that you can make your own rules and no one can tell you it’s wrong! Feel free to add in extra vegetables that you need to get out of the fridge, or ones your guests enjoy.
- Broth: I always start with low sodium or no salt added broth so that I can control how salty the soup is in the end.
- Pasta: we love ditalini in soup, but any small pasta shape will do. If you are going to be serving it later, you may want to cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of boiling water and just add when serving. This way it won’t get mushy if it sits in the fridge too long.
- Tomatoes: use diced or crushed, or you can swap this for tomato sauce for a thicker soup.
- Beans: I prefer white beans but any kind of beans, even black or red kidney beans will work just as well in here.
Nutrition Information
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CK says
One word yummy!!!!
So good! Made it for the first time and absolutely amazing! Reminds me of what my nonna used to make!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks for your review!
Fabienne says
Soooo good!!
The Recipe Rebel says
Thank you!
Silke says
Hi Ashley, this recipe is awesome! Even my 18-year old daughter loved it.
I am from Germany, following you on Instagram. Today we’ll try your creamy chicken soup with rice, I am very much looking forward to that! Thank you for your recipes!
Clodine demoncheaux says
Pas traduit en français 🥲🥲🥲