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Pasta Fagioli

This thick, hearty Italian soup combines pasta and beans in a rich tomato broth, providing comfort and warmth, perfect for cold nights.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Base
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound Italian sausage (or ground beef)
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
For the Soup
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, drained Cannellini or Great Northern recommended.
  • 1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Now For Finishing
  • 1 cup small pasta (ditalini or small shells) Choose shapes that fit comfortably on a spoon.
  • 2 cups fresh spinach or kale
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Parmesan cheese for serving Freshly grated is best.
  • Crusty bread for serving Soaking bread in the soup is recommended.

Method
 

Building the Flavor Base
  1. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
  2. Add Italian sausage and break it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
  3. If using ground beef, drain excess fat after browning.
Sautéing the Vegetables
  1. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the browned meat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until vegetables soften.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Adding Liquids and Beans
  1. Pour in crushed tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits from the pot.
  2. Add chicken or vegetable broth and both types of beans.
  3. Stir in Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes.
Cooking the Pasta
  1. Cook pasta directly in the soup or separately. If cooking in soup, add dry pasta to simmering soup.
  2. If cooking separately, boil pasta in salted water, drain, and add to bowls before pouring soup over top.
Adding Fresh Greens
  1. Stir in fresh spinach or chopped kale in the last 5 minutes until wilted.
Finishing Touches
  1. Remove bay leaf and stir in parsley.
  2. Ladle into bowls and top with Parmesan.

Notes

This soup is perfect for meal prep. Store soup and pasta separately to prevent mushiness. Freezing is also an option, just add fresh pasta upon reheating.