Italian peasants created pasta e fagioli by cooking dried beans for 3+ hours until they naturally thickened into sauce.
Pasta e Fagioli
Dive into a warm bowl of Pasta e Fagioli, a beloved Italian comfort dish that's ideal for cozy autumn days! This hearty soup combines tender pasta with creamy cannellini beans and a burst of flavor from fresh herbs and tomatoes. Get ready to savor each spoonful of this delightful blend that will have you dreaming of Italy!
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(8)
- Fresh basil (optional for garnish)optional
- 1/2 tbsp Calabrian chilies or red pepper flakes, to taste (optional) (7.5 ml)optional
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced (to taste)
- 1 bunch kale or escarole, chopped, stems removed
- Juice from 1/2 lemon, to taste
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb ground beef (optional, but recommended for heartiness) (454 g)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional, but highly recommended)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(7)
- 6 cups beef broth (or chicken/vegetable broth) (1.44 L)chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (mash half of one can for creaminess)
- Crusty bread, for serving
- 24 oz marinara or crushed tomatoes (680 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 cup ditalini or tubetti pasta (240 ml)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste (45 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)optional
- 1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)optional
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp dried thyme (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional) (120 ml)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with the mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) in a pot with olive oil.
- 2
Add minced garlic, dried oregano, and dried thyme, and cook until fragrant.
- 3
If using, add ground beef and cook until browned.
- 4
Stir in tomato paste and let it caramelize.
- 5
Deglaze with white wine, if using.
- 6
Add beef broth, marinara or crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, and optional ingredients like Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and rosemary.
- 7
Bring to a simmer and add pasta and chopped kale or escarole.
- 8
Cook until pasta is al dente and kale is wilted.
- 9
Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
- 10
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook your mirepoix over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until onions are translucent but not browned - this develops sweet, complex flavors through slow caramelization without bitter compounds from high-heat browning.technique8-10 minutes, medium heat
- ✓Caramelize tomato paste for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and becomes fragrant because this concentrates umami compounds and eliminates raw metallic flavors through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Add pasta directly to the simmering soup with 2-3 minutes less cooking time than package directions since it will continue cooking in the hot broth and absorb liquid, preventing mushy texture.timing2-3 minutes less than package time
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of bean liquid when draining canned cannellini beans - this starchy, protein-rich liquid acts as a natural thickener and adds body without flour or cream.ingredient1 cup bean liquid
- ✓Add leafy greens in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking because their cell walls break down rapidly above 160°F, and overcooking destroys both texture and water-soluble vitamins.timing2-3 minutes, 160°F
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
30
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Italian peasants created pasta e fagioli by cooking dried beans for 3+ hours until they naturally thickened into sauce.
Pasta e Fagioli
Dive into a warm bowl of Pasta e Fagioli, a beloved Italian comfort dish that's ideal for cozy autumn days! This hearty soup combines tender pasta with creamy cannellini beans and a burst of flavor from fresh herbs and tomatoes. Get ready to savor each spoonful of this delightful blend that will have you dreaming of Italy!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(8)
- Fresh basil (optional for garnish)optional
- 1/2 tbsp Calabrian chilies or red pepper flakes, to taste (optional) (7.5 ml)optional
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced
- 6–8 cloves garlic, minced (to taste)
- 1 bunch kale or escarole, chopped, stems removed
- Juice from 1/2 lemon, to taste
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(1)
- 1 lb ground beef (optional, but recommended for heartiness) (454 g)optional
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional, but highly recommended)optional
🫙Pantry Staples(7)
- 6 cups beef broth (or chicken/vegetable broth) (1.44 L)chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (mash half of one can for creaminess)
- Crusty bread, for serving
- 24 oz marinara or crushed tomatoes (680 g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- 1 cup ditalini or tubetti pasta (240 ml)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste (45 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(5)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)optional
- 1 tsp dried oregano (5 ml)
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)optional
- Salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tsp dried thyme (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional) (120 ml)optional
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Start with the mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) in a pot with olive oil.
- 2
Add minced garlic, dried oregano, and dried thyme, and cook until fragrant.
- 3
If using, add ground beef and cook until browned.
- 4
Stir in tomato paste and let it caramelize.
- 5
Deglaze with white wine, if using.
- 6
Add beef broth, marinara or crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, and optional ingredients like Parmesan rind, bay leaf, and rosemary.
- 7
Bring to a simmer and add pasta and chopped kale or escarole.
- 8
Cook until pasta is al dente and kale is wilted.
- 9
Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.
- 10
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook your mirepoix over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until onions are translucent but not browned - this develops sweet, complex flavors through slow caramelization without bitter compounds from high-heat browning.technique8-10 minutes, medium heat
- ✓Caramelize tomato paste for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and becomes fragrant because this concentrates umami compounds and eliminates raw metallic flavors through the Maillard reaction.timing2-3 minutes
- ✓Add pasta directly to the simmering soup with 2-3 minutes less cooking time than package directions since it will continue cooking in the hot broth and absorb liquid, preventing mushy texture.timing2-3 minutes less than package time
- ✓Reserve 1 cup of bean liquid when draining canned cannellini beans - this starchy, protein-rich liquid acts as a natural thickener and adds body without flour or cream.ingredient1 cup bean liquid
- ✓Add leafy greens in the final 2-3 minutes of cooking because their cell walls break down rapidly above 160°F, and overcooking destroys both texture and water-soluble vitamins.timing2-3 minutes, 160°F