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Pasta Fagioli Recipe

by Katerina

5 from 16 votes

Sep 07, 2021, Updated Jan 05, 2024

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Pasta Fagioli is a classic Italian soup that’s perfect for getting into the Fall spirit! Tender white beans, wholesome pasta, a medley of fragrant diced veggies, and a flavorful tomato broth make this delicious soup a definite keeper.

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It’s soup weather, you guys! Or at least it’s getting there, you know? I love this time of year when we can all start to look forward to pulling out the sweaters, scarves, and, of course, the soup recipes!

Why I Love Pasta Fagioli Soup

• Seasonal Comfort: Perfect for cooler weather, pairing well with cozy sweaters and scarves.
• Italian Favorite: If you love minestrone, you’ll adore Pasta Fagioli, a classic Italian soup.
• Hearty Ingredients: Features a blend of white beans, small pasta, and the traditional mix of carrots, celery, and onion.
• Restaurant-Quality: Enjoy a high-quality, old-fashioned soup right at home.

Ingredients Needed

The basic ingredients in this recipe include beans, pasta, and veggies. I also like to put Italian sausage in mine for extra flavor and a bit of hearty protein. However, you could use a ham bone, some smoked diced bacon, or just leave out the sausage and make a vegetarian version.

• Olive Oil: You’ll need two tablespoons of olive oil, divided, for sauteing.
• Sausage: Both spicy and sweet Italian sausage work in this recipe.
• Onion: A small onion, finely chopped, gives this recipe sweet and savory veggie flavor.
• Celery: Thinly slice up some celery to add to the veggies.
• Carrots: Dice up some carrots, or use carrot slices or matchsticks. 
• Garlic: I like to use four cloves of fresh garlic, but you can also substitute about a teaspoon and a half of garlic powder.
• Tomato Paste: Tomato paste packs a lot of savory veggie goodness into a small space.
• Tomatoes & Tomato Sauce: To build on the tomato-veggie base of the soup.
• Beans: You’ll need canned great northern beans, drained and rinsed.
• Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth in this soup, but you can substitute vegetable broth or even water.
• Sugar: A couple of teaspoons of sugar brings out the flavor of the sausage, onion, and beans.
• Herbs: This soup is great with Italian seasonings, or use 1 teaspoon each of dried crushed rosemary, dried basil, dried oregano, and dried thyme.
• Pasta: I use this small ring pasta or ditalini, but any small pasta shapes will work.
• Parmesan and Parsley: To garnish this soup, I like to sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan and fresh, chopped parsley over each serving.

How to Make Pasta Fagioli Soup

1. Cook the Sausage. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven, or a large deep pot, set over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer it to a plate and set it aside.
2. Cook the Aromatics and Tomato Paste. In the same pot, cook the onions, celery, and carrots, then add garlic and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add Remaining Ingredients. Combine the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, sugar, rosemary, herbs, and cooked sausage in the pot. Bring to a boil, add pasta, and simmer until pasta is al dente.
4. Finish and Serve. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust to your liking. Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with parmesan and parsley.

Recipe Variations

• Make it creamy: If you want a thicker, creamier base to your soup, you can simply remove a cup or so of the soup and blend it up in a blender, then, stir the blended soup back into the pot.
• Parmesan: If you have any Parmesan rind on hand, toss some into the simmering soup for extra flavor. This is a great trick that works with a lot of soups.
• Use dried beans: Soak half a pound of dried great northern beans overnight (at least 8 hours), then rinse and drain before cooking. Note that soaked beans may take longer to cook and might need extra water. Expect a minimum cooking time of 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add veggies: Feel free to toss leftover spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, or other veggies into your pasta fagioli for extra nutrition and to avoid wasting leftovers.

What To Serve With Soup

I like to have these soft Butter Swim Biscuits with pasta fagioli, but for a quicker option, try these easy Air Fryer Red Lobster Biscuits. For a refreshingly crisp serving, try my recipe for Air Fryer Zucchini Fries. Also, Caprese salad is my go-to when I need the perfect side dish. To up the ante, make this Creamy Caprese Stuffed Avocado recipe.

How to Store Leftovers

• To store leftover soup, place into airtight containers and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• To reheat, place the desired portion in a saucepan (add water if it is too thick) and heat on medium-low until the soup is hot, stirring occasionally. 

More Hearty Soup Recipes

• Hearty Guinness Beef Stew
• Italian Sausage Butternut Squash Soup
• French Onion Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup
• Quick and Easy Instant Pot Corn Chowder

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5 from 16 votes

Pasta Fagioli Soup

by Katerina | Easy Weeknight Recipes

Tender white beans, wholesome pasta, flavorful smoked sausage, and a savory broth make this classic Italian soup a family favorite.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil,, divided
• ▢ 1 pound spicy or sweet Italian sausage,, removed from casings
• ▢ 1 small yellow onion,, finely chopped
• ▢ 3 celery ribs,, thinly sliced
• ▢ 2 carrots,, diced
• ▢ 4 cloves garlic,, minced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans,, drained and rinsed
• ▢ 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
• ▢ 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• ▢ 6 to 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ 1-½ cups ditalini pasta,, or any other small shaped pasta
• ▢ Freshly grated Parmesan,, for garnish
• ▢ Freshly chopped parsley,, for garnish

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Instructions 

• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven or a large deep pot set over medium heat.
• Add sausage and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon; cook for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through.
• Transfer cooked sausage to a plate and set aside.
• Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in the same pot.
• Stir in the onions, celery, and carrots; cook for 5 minutes.
• Add garlic and cook for 20 seconds, or until fragrant.
• Stir in the tomato paste.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add in beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and chicken broth.
• Stir in the sugar, rosemary, basil, oregano, thyme, and previously cooked sausage; increase heat and bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, stir in the pasta and reduce heat to medium.
• Cook for 8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.
• Taste soup for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
• Remove from heat.
• Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with freshly grated parmesan and parsley.

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 447mg | Potassium: 735mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1875IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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