Italian Pasta Fagioli (Pasta and Beans) is a flavorful, hearty, vegetarian pasta and bean soup – the perfect vegetarian dinner for a cold night.
Pasta Fagioli
This Pasta Fagioli, usually pronounced Noodles fazool is a wonderful and filling meal that will keep you warm and satisfied all winter long. The combination of beans, veggies, and pasta makes for a balanced and nutritious meal, and the tomato broth is packed with flavor. It’s so easy to customize and make your own. So feel free to add any additional veggies or spices that suit your taste. Some of my other favorite soups like these are minestrone, turkey meatball soup, and beef and acini di pepe soup.
If you’re looking for a comforting and filling meal, you’ll love this soup. This classic Italian soup is made with simple, inexpensive ingredients like pasta, beans, and vegetables, all simmered together in a flavorful tomato broth. It’s the perfect meal to warm you up on a chilly day, and it’s a great way to use up leftovers or pantry staples. It is usually pronounced Noodles fazool here in the US, derived from its Neapolitan name, pasta e fasule.
My secret to getting my kids to like this soup…
When I was little, I didn’t eat beans unless my mom mashed them. It’s something I still make to this day to get my picky kids to eat them, which also thickens the soup nicely.
Is pasta fagioli healthy?
Pasta Fagioli is a nutritious and filling meal that is easy to incorporate into a healthy diet. It consists of ingredients like beans, vegetables, pasta, and broth, which are a good source of fiber, protein, and nutrients.
How to make Pasta Fagioli
To prepare pasta fagioli, I heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the diced carrots and celery and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in canned diced tomatoes, broth, water, mashed or whole canned beans, basil and oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped basil or parsley.
Tips and Variations
If you prefer your beans whole, you can skip this step. If you want more beans, add an extra can.
- Gluten free: Make it gluten-free with your favorite brand of gluten-free pasta.
- Non dairy: The cheese in this soup is optional, making this soup naturally dairy-free.
- Vegan and Vegetarian: You can use vegetable broth to keep it vegan or vegetarian.
- Serve ideas: Serve this with some crusty Italian bread on the side and top with your favorite grated cheese.
- Make it cheesy! For an extra special treat, top this with a slice of melted Alpine Lace Swiss or Mozzarella cheese, delicious!
storage and freezing
If you want to make a meal, make the soup without the noodles. When ready to eat, cook and mix the noodles. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Freeze them and reheat them later for pre-made meals. To freeze, allow the soup to cool, then transfer to freezer-safe containers. Freeze up to 3 months. Transfer from the freezer to the microwave to reheat or thaw in the fridge overnight.
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Yield: 5 portions
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
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In a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat.
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Blend the beans with a can of water in an electric blender until almost smooth.
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Add the blended beans to the pan, then add the can of tomato sauce, celery, carrots, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.
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Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, until pasta is al dente according to pasta directions.
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Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with grated cheese (extra) if you like.
Last step:
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Meal Prep Tip: Cook the pasta separately if you want to prepare this ahead of time. If you keep the noodles together in the fridge, they will soak up the liquid.
Portion: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 262.5 kcal, Carbohydrates: 46 G, Protein: 10 G, Fat: 4 G, Saturated Fatty Acids: 0.5 G, Cholesterol: 46 mg, Sodium: 623 mg, Fiber: 5.5 G, Sugar: 6 G