Authentic Pasta Fagioli Recipe

Name: Authentic Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 12 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 4 oz pancetta; 1 white onion (diced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); Fresh rosemary sprigs (plus more for serving); 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes; 2 cans cannellini beans (drained and rinsed); 3 cups chicken stock; 1/2 lb small pasta (cooked very al dente); Parmesan cheese (for serving)

This authentic pasta fagioli recipe is the only one you'll ever need! This super easy soup recipe is done in 30 minutes and only has four steps.

Recipe Inspiration

If you've ever been to Olive Garden or any other Italian-American restaurant, you've probably had pasta fagioli. It was probably full of short pasta, beans, veggies, and a tomato broth.

Often, restaurants use leftover vegetables about to go bad in their soups, making restaurant pasta fagioli not as authentic as the homemade version.

A traditional pasta e fagioli recipe starts with pancetta - fried in olive oil to create a delicious, deep flavor base for the classic Italian soup. The pancetta, onion, garlic, and rosemary make the most flavorful tomato broth that is delicious! Plus, the wholesome pasta and tender white beans make this the most comforting soup!

This recipe is super delicious soup that is great for leftovers the next day! I love serving this soup recipe with crusty bread and a big salad.

If you're looking for more soup recipes, check out our Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Wild Rice Mushroom Soup, Butternut Squash Soup.

Jump to:

Recipe Inspiration
Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredients
Directions
Expert Tips and Tricks
Kitchen Equipment
Recipe Substitutions/Variations
What To Serve With
Frequently Asked Questions
Recipe Storage and Reheating
Other Recipes to Try
Authentic Pasta Fagioli Recipe

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Delicious - This pasta fagioli soup recipe is so delicious. Each bite is packed with flavor that your family will truly love! It's really a perfect dish for the whole family. Great for entertaining too!

Approachable - This pasta dish is approachable and is easy to make. You only need a few kitchen tools and basic pantry items to make this great recipe

Kid Friendly - This is a great recipe for adults and children! This is a great recipe to add protein and fiber to and meal!

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Olive oil - Use regular olive oil, not extra virgin olive oil
Pancetta - Diced. You can also use bacon as a substitute
White onion - Diced
Garlic cloves - Mined
Rosemary sprigs - Use fresh rosemary in the soup and some for serving!
Crushed tomatoes - If you like chunkier soups, you can use diced tomatoes instead
Cannellini beans - You can also use any other white beans you have on hand
Chicken stock - Or use vegetable broth or chicken broth as a substitute
Small Pasta - Any small pasta shape such as ditalini pasta or small shells is great. Cook very al dente prior to making the soup
Parmesan cheese - For serving

Directions

Let's make this recipe together!

Step 1

Heat olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned.

Step 2

Add white onion and rosemary and sauté until translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and and sauté an additional two minutes.

Step 3

Add crushed tomatoes, cannellini beans, and chicken stock. Scrape any bits on the bottom of the pot and bring to a simmer. Gently crush cannellini beans with a wooden spoon to thicken the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Add pasta and stir. Top with parmesan cheese and fresh rosemary and serve. Buon appetito!

Expert Tips and Tricks

Here are some expert tips to make this delicious easy dinner recipe perfect.

Broth - Everyone like different levels of broth in their soup. If you like a more broth soup, feel free to add extra broth. Or, if you like creamier soup, you can blend some of the cannellini beans in the food processor to give the soup a creamier texture.

Complete the Meal - Complete the meal with a salad, garlic bread and a glass of white wine!

Utilize Leftovers - Use leftovers for meal prep. This soup recipe makes a great meal prep option! It might even be better the next day.

Kitchen Equipment

Here is some kitchen equipment you will need for this authentic pasta e fagioli recipe. You can find all of these products on Amazon.

Large Dutch Oven - I love making soup in a Dutch oven. I absolutely love this one! Alternatively, you can also make this in a large soup pot.

Soup Bowl - These soup bowls are great for any soup. I use them all the time during the fall and winter soup season!

Wooden Spoon - Need some new wooden spoons? Check these out for an upgrade.

Recipe Substitutions/Variations

Here are some common recipe substitutions and variations for this easy recipe.

Protein - You can use bacon instead of pancetta in this recipe. Or, change it up and use Italian sausage!

Spice level - If you want to make this recipe spicy, you can add red pepper flakes to kick up the spice level.

Vegetables - You can definitely add in any vegetables you have on hand if you want a veggie-packed soup. Kale, spinach, or carrots are some ideas of veggie additions!

What To Serve With

Here are some suggestion on what to serve this recipe with:

Frequently Asked Questions

Does pasta fagioli contain meat?

Yes, pasta fagioli contains meat. This soup is traditionally made with pancetta - it gives the soup a hearty flavor and is delicious! Sometimes, bacon is used instead of pancetta.

What are the ingredients for pasta fagioli?

Pancetta, cannellini beans, small pasta, garlic, rosemary, crushed tomatoes, and broth are the main ingredients for pasta fagioli. Sometimes the soup is made with different beans, such as borlotti beans, or cranberry beans. The soup can also be made with added vegetables.

Is pasta fagioli the same as minestrone?

Both soups are very similar. The difference is that pasta e fagioli emphasizes the main ingredients of pasta and beans, while minestrone often has a wide variety of vegetables in the soup.

Recipe Storage and Reheating

Here are storage and reheating instructions for this recipe.

Refrigerator Storage: Store in an airtight continuer and eat leftovers within 4-5 days.

Freezer Storage: Freeze in a freezer-safe, airtight container and keep for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and reheat as instructed below.

Reheating Instructions: The best way to reheat this recipe is to heat in a skillet with a little olive oil over low heat until warm.

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