Pasta e Fagioli is a classic Italian soup that combines simple ingredients to create a flavorful meal. This hearty soup recipe features a blend of vegetables, beans, pasta, and a rich tomato base. It is not only a delicious recipe but also packed with nutrition.
This traditional Italian recipe started as a peasant dish. It is made with inexpensive ingredients which make an economical yet tasty meal. Pasta e Fagioli is an easy to make, vegan soup. This is a comforting recipe that you can make ahead of time as it will actually taste better the next day.
If you would like to try some other traditional hearty Italian soup recipes check out Tortellini Soup, Tuscan Sausage Soup, Sausage Minestrone, Sausage Tortellini Soup and Sun Dried Tomato Tortellini Soup. They are all tasty soups that are easy to make. Serve them with some crusty bread and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
If you want to try some other vegan soups, check out 10 Simple Vegan Soups. If you want to try a bean soup check out Tuscan Bean Soup.
If you want to try some other Italian recipes check out Arancini, Chicken Marsala, Lasagna Soup, Spaghetti Meatball Soup and Meatball Parmesan.
SOME THINGS TO KNOW:FAQ’S
INGREDEIENT TIPS:
- While canned diced tomatoes work well, you can also try using fresh tomatoes, when they are in season. San Marzano tomatoes which are known for their sweetness and low acidity, are an excellent choice for Italian dishes. Read What’s So Special About San Marzano Tomatoes?
- The choice of white wine can influence the depth of flavor. A dry white wine, like a Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay, usually works best.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Large Soup Pot or Dutch Oven: A large pot or Dutch oven is essential for cooking the soup. It should be big enough to hold all the ingredients comfortably, allowing enough space for stirring and simmering.
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife: A durable cutting board and a sharp knife are necessary for chopping the vegetables and herbs.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: These are crucial for measuring ingredients like olive oil, diced tomatoes, pasta, and spices accurately.
- Can Opener: To open the cans of diced tomatoes and cannellini beans.
- Wooden Spoon or Heat-Resistant Spatula: For stirring the ingredients while sautéing and simmering.
- Colander: Needed to drain the pasta after it’s cooked, unless you’re cooking it directly in the soup.
- Ladle: For serving the Pasta e Fagioli into bowls.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, substitute with vegetable broth or additional water with a squeeze of lemon juice to replace the wine.
- If you do not have olive oil, you can use another vegetable oil like canola or sunflower oil.
- Leeks or shallots can be a good substitute for onions. You could also use white onion or red onion.
- Great Northern beans, navy beans, or chickpeas are white beans that can be good substitutes for the cannellini beans. You could also use red kidney beans or a combination of beans.
- Leafy greens like kale, Swiss chard, or escarole can replace the spinach for a different flavor and texture.
- Any small Italian pasta like ditalini pasta, orzo, or even broken pieces of spaghetti or fettuccine can be used in place of the small shell pasta.
- For less heat, you can omit the red pepper flakes or use a pinch of black pepper. For more heat, add more flakes or a dash of cayenne pepper.
- For more flavor, you can use vegetable broth , chicken broth, or beef broth instead of water.
- Rosemary and parsley can be substituted with other herbs like thyme, basil, or oregano. Dried herbs like Italian seasoning can be used if fresh herbs are not available.
HOW TO STORE PASTA E FAGIOLI:
- Pasta Fagioli soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow the soup to cool to room temperature after cooking. Transfer the soup into an airtight container.
- Pasta e Fagioli can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.Make sure the soup is completely cool before freezing. This prevents the formation of ice crystals and helps maintain the quality of the soup.Freeze the soup in portion sized containers or use freezer bags.
- Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight.
HOW TO REHEAT PASTA E FAGIOLI:
- For reheating the soup on the stovetop, transfer the soup into a pot and reheat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. If the soup seems too thick, add a bit of water or broth to reach your desired consistency.
- To reheat the soup in the microwave, use a microwave-safe container and cover it loosely. Heat on high for 2-3 minutes, stir, and then continue heating in 30-second intervals until hot.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the diced tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, water, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While the stock is simmering, bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high heat and cook the the shell pasta.
Stir in the cannellini beans and parsley.
Add the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes until everything is heated through.
Add the spinach. Simmer and stir until the spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes.
Pasta e Fagioli
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, cut into slices
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups water
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ crushed red pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1 cup small shell pasta
- 2 cups baby spinach, stems removed and chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium low heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes until they start to soften.
Add the diced tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, water, rosemary, salt, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf. Turn the heat up to high to bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to the low setting, cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
While the stock is simmering, bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high heat and cook the the shell pasta, slightly less than the directions for al dente on the package. The pasta will cook a bit more when added to the soup. Drain the pasta.
Stir in the cannellini beans and parsley.
Add the pasta and simmer for 5 minutes until everything is heated through.
Add the spinach.Simmer and stir until the spinach wilts, 1-2 minutes.
Serve the bowl of soup with some bread and parmesan cheese.
