Pasta e Fagioli

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Today I want to share with you a traditional Italian recipe; pasta e fagioli which translates to pasta and beans.

Perfect for those chilly nights, this soup is a very simple and humble recipe only requiring basic ingredients and one large pot. It’s the love and care that goes into this dish that makes it taste extra special.

Just like pizza and spaghetti bolognese pasta fagioli is a classic Italian dish and every family has their own variation of the recipe.

All three of my kids love this soup which is another reason why I love making it. The dish is packed with nutritional value and there’s no complaints. Thats the biggest battle at dinnertime right!

Pasta e Fagioli

Like so many Italian dishes, pasta e fagioli started out as a peasant dish. Pasta and dried beans was inexpensive and readily available.

Pasta fagioli is part soup, part stew and although beans might not seem like a dish to get excited about, once you have it you just keep coming back for more.

This recipe is vegetarian but you can add bacon and pancetta to the soup for extra flavour. In my pinion this is not necessary as the pasta and beans shine on their own. Its perfect for meat free Mondays!

This soup also freezes really well so I always make a big batch and then freeze any leftover. It’s a life line on a busy week night when the kids just want to eat like right now.

Just like the song

Listen carefully next time you hear the song “Thats Amore” Dean Martin drops in this delicious soup!

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie That’s amore!

When the stars make you drool just like a pasta fazool That’s amore”

Pasta Fazool is a dilect for Pasta e fagioli! It’s so good that theres even a song about the dish!

Which beans do you use for pasta e fagioli

In this recipe I use borlotti beans but Iv’e also made pasta e fagioli with cannelloni beans and it was equally as good.

Make sure you soak the beans in cold water overnight before cooking. This not only speeds up the cooking process but it also helps make the beans more digestible.

How to make the most amazing pasta e fagioli

• Dried borlotti beans
• Bay leaves
• Onion
• Carrot
• Celery
• Garlic
• Zucchini
• pumpkin
• Crushed tomatoes
• beef stock
• Small Pasta such as elbows or ditalini
• Parmesan cheese to serve

How to Make Pasta e Fagioli

Start the recipe one day ahead by soaking the beans in water overnight. Drain and refresh under cold water. (If you are short on time you can use canned beans this will also reduce the cooking time)

When the beans are soaked and you are ready to start cooking you are going to do what the Italians call a soffritto. Sweating out the onion and the vegetables to set the foundation of the soup. Rather than just throwing everything in the pot and hoping for the best, this step releases all the flavours from the bay leaves and the vegetables and gives it more depth.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Next, add the onion and bay leaf and cook until soft around 2-3 minutes.

Then add remaining vegetables and allow the vegetables to sweat until they are soft (around 10 minutes) season with salt and pepper.

Next, add beans, crushed tomatoes and stock to pot and raise heat to high.

Bring soup to the boil and then reduce the heat to medium and cook soup for 40 minutes stirring occasionally,

Once the beans are almost cooked bring the soup to the boil once again and add your pasta. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. You may need to add extra water at this point as the pasta will soak up the water.

Allow soup to rest and to cool slightly for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls.

Drizzle with olive oil and top with lots of grated cheese. Serve with crusty bread

I hope you enjoy this heartwarming dish. I’m sure It’s going to become a regular at your house just like it is at mine. 🙂

If you have made this recipe be sure to leave a comment below. I love hearing your feedback.

You may also enjoy these other Italian Classic Recipes:

• Chicken cacciatore
• Italian meatball soup
• Osso Buco
• Creamy garlic polenta
• Spaghetti and meatballs

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5 from 2 votes

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and beans)

This delicious Italian soup of pasta and beans is a family favourite recipe.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Italian Recipes,, soup, vegetarian

Servings: 4

Author: Marie Muccio

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried borlotti beans
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 onion diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 zucchini diced
• 1 cup pumpkin diced
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• 400 g crushed tomatoes
• 1 litre beef stock
• 1 ½ cups small pasta such as elbows or ditalini
• parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

• Soak beans in water overnight. Drain and refresh under cold water. (If your short on time use canned beans this will also reduce the cooking time)
• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat .

  Add the onion and bay leaf and cook until soft around 2-3 minutes before adding the remaining vegetables. Sweat the vegetables out for 10 minutes or until soft. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add beans, tomatoes and stock to pot and raise heat to high. Bring soup to the boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Once the beans are almost cooked bring the soup to the boil once again and add your pasta. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. You may need to add extra water at this point as the pasta will soak up the water.
• Allow soup to rest and to cool for a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and top with lots of grated cheese. Serve with crusty bread

Notes

Have you made this recipe? Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @mrsfoodiemumma and use the hashtag #mrsfoodiemumma 

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