Ultimate Pasta Fagioli Soup

5 from 3 votes
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This pasta Fagioli soup is a classic Italian recipe. Pasta e Fagioli translates in English to pasta and beans. It’s made with crushed tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, beans, and ditalini pasta.

Serve it with crusty Italian bread and a vegetable salad for a complete meal!

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pasta fagioli soup in a bowl with a pot on the side.

Why You’ll Love This Soup

  • It’s hearty, delicious, and super easy to make.
  • Makes the best leftovers.
  • Although it’s vegetarian, you can include sausage or beef.
  • It’s super versatile, feel free to adjust it any way you want. Want to add spinach and mushrooms? Go for it!
  • Cooks in under 45 minutes.
  • Feeds a large crowd.

Ingredient Notes

  • Beans – I only used canned cannellini beans but feel free to include canned red kidney beans. Just make sure to drain and rinse them.
  • Broth – Chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water works for this recipe.
  • Crushed Tomatoes – I like using canned crushed tomatoes but feel free to use marinara sauce instead.
  • Herbs – I used a combination of dried and fresh herbs. It adds so much flavor!
  • Pasta – Although ditalini pasta is what’s traditionally used in pasta Fagioli, you may use any type of short-shaped pasta.
  • Parmesan Cheese Rind – It’s the rind from a round of parmesan cheese. It adds a lot of flavor.
measured and labeled ingredients.

Top Tips For The Ultimate Pasta Fagioli Soup

  • Add both dried and fresh herbs for extra flavor. Although this soup doesn’t contain spices, it includes a lot of ingredients that add amazing flavor!
  • I highly recommend adding a parmesan rind to the soup but if you don’t have it on hand, just make sure to serve it with lots of fresh parmesan cheese.
  • Don’t be alarmed if there’s a lot of broth and you don’t see enough beans and pasta. The longer the soup sits, the more it will thicken! Avoid adding more pasta than suggested.
  • If you plan on having leftovers, cook the pasta separately and add it to the soup when you’re ready to serve otherwise, the pasta will become soggy.
a ladle full of homemade pasta fagioli soup lifting it from the soup pot.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

If you want to make this soup ahead of time, I highly recommend cooking the noodles separately. Follow steps 1-3 and then add the noodles and beans the day you plan on serving it.

To Store: allow the soup to cool completely then transfer it to a container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating. To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan and cook on the stovetop until warm.

pasta fagioli soup in a bowl with a pot on the side.
5 from 3 votes

Ultimate Pasta Fagioli Soup

This pasta Fagioli soup is a classic Italian recipe. Pasta e Fagioli translates in English to pasta and beans. It's made with crushed tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, beans, and ditalini pasta.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 10
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup ditalini pasta
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 30 ounces canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 carrots , grated or blended in a food processor.
  • 1 large onion , finely diced or minced
  • 1 parmesan cheese rind
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely minced
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme , finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil
  • ½ teaspoon sugar, optional
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Add olive oil, carrots, and onions to a large pot over medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes, while stirring frequently. 
  • Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the chicken stock, basil, and parmesan cheese rind and bring to a boil. 
  • Season the broth with salt and pepper and add a pinch of sugar if it's too acidic. 
  • Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes are up, add the beans and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. 
  • Make sure to stir the soup every 2-3 minutes so the pasta and beans don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Check for seasoning and enjoy! 

Notes

If you want to make this soup ahead of time, I highly recommend cooking the noodles separately. Follow steps 1-3 and then add the noodles and beans the day you plan on serving it.
To Store: allow the soup to cool completely then transfer it to a container with a lid and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before reheating. To reheat, place the soup in a saucepan and cook on the stovetop until warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 327mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2231IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Italian American
Servings: 10
Calories: 275
Keyword: how to make pasta fagioli soup, pasta e fagioli, pasta fagioli
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How To Make Pasta Fagioli Step-By-Step

  1. Add olive oil, carrots, and onions to a large pot over medium-high heat and cook for 4 minutes, while stirring frequently.
  2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 20 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the chicken stock, basil, and parmesan cheese rind and bring to a boil.
  3. Season the broth with salt and pepper and add a pinch of sugar if it’s too acidic.
  4. Add the pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Once the 5 minutes are up, add the beans and cook for an additional 4 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
  5. Make sure to stir the soup every 2-3 minutes so the pasta and beans don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Check for seasoning and enjoy!
four photo collage showing how to make pasta fagioli soup.

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5 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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