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.

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

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.

How To Make

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!

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.

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.

More Recipes You Might Enjoy

• Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – Tomatoes pureed with onions, garlic, and cream.
• French Onion Soup – Made with made with caramelized onions, wine-beef broth, and lots of cheese.
• Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup – Bone-in chicken, pasta, and veggies, simmered in a delicious broth.
• Cabbage Roll Soup – Made with ground beef, rice, spices, and cabbage.

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