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Home » Recipe Type » Soups / Stews » Pasta e Fagioli / Pasta and Beans

Pasta e Fagioli / Pasta and Beans

Last Updated October 20, 2020. Published October 20, 2020 By Rosemary 24 Comments

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Whatever you call this dish Pasta e Fagioli, Pasta and Beans or even Pasta Fazool it is a Hearty Italian Comfort soup/stew at it’s best. Filled with pasta and beans in a deliciously spiced Tomato broth. Make it thick like a stew or thinner like a soup.

pasta e fagioli in a silver pot

Sometimes when I update recipes, as blogger we have to update them for google, meaning no long drawn out stories, which have nothing to do with the recipe, just good tips on how to make the recipe, usually I like to add a paragraph about the recipe, because I think my blogging circumstances are a bit different than most but with this post I decided to leave it mostly intact. It’s been almost 3 years since I posted this recipe.

Yesterday was a sad day for my the family, my father-in-law was buried. He passed away early Wednesday morning after being quite sick. I remember long ago days of tying up the vineyard. Just the three of us, the Italian, his father and me. He would tell us stories or more like horror stories of growing up during the war.

His family’s move from Northern Italy to Rome. He was a hard and sometimes hard to get along with man but he was very proud and loved his family dearly. And to be honest we didn’t always see eye to eye, we shared our differences to say the least,  but I did respect him and of course thanks to him I married his awesome son. We did have a couple of things in common though. One being spaghetti! It was both  our favourite type of pasta.

He preferred his spaghetti with his wife Maria’s homemade ricotta and I like mine with a Simple Tomato Sauce. But this was his absolute no doubt about it favourite dish. He would probably choose a bean dish over a meat dish every single time!

How to make the Best Pasta and Beans

In a large pot add the olive oil, chopped, garlic, onion, celery and carrots, cook until transparent.

adding the oil and chopped vegetables to the pot

Then add the vegetable broth, spices, puree and beans bring to a boil, cover and cook until the beans are tender. Stirring occasionally.

adding the ingredients to the vegetables

At this point you can blend 1/3-1/2 the ingredients or leave as is. Add more water, taste for salt, then bring the soup to a boil add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately sprinkled with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

cooking the soup until thickened

Where did it originate

This recipe originated in Northern and Central Italy, it is made differently in each region.There are those that add pancetta or lardo, yes lard, pig fat to be precise, it is sold in grocery stores and sometimes cut into very thin slices , usually eaten with a slice of bread and sometimes cooked. Loved by many Italians, including my father-in-law.

Some regions cook the pasta with the beans, others cook the pasta separately. Some use Borlotti beans some Cannellini beans, some add tomatoes others do not. Some will even blend a portion of the beans to make a creamier soup. Which is how we love it and without adding cream! The Pasta e Fagioli I make for my family is one I learned from my mother-in-law and is therefore from the Central Region of Lazio.

pasta and beans in a silver pot and in a bowl with a spoon

Pretty basic and easy to make and really comforting and delicious. It’s best if you use dried beans and soak them over night. That way when the soup is cooking you get all the delicious ingredients cooking together, and trust me, the taste is amazing.

My mother-in-law would sometimes cook her pasta separately then add it to the pot once the beans were cooked, I like to make clean up easier so cooking the dried pasta with the beans is what I do and it works out perfectly.

More Italian Soups & Stews

Classic Italian Minestrone

Hearty Chickpea Soup

Italian Beef & Potato Stew

Hearty Italian Meatball Stew

So not only did I make this soup today in remembrance, but also knowing that this is a soup that truly is comforting. And what better way to be comforted then by a classic Italian Pasta e Fagioli soup. And don’t forget to serve it with a big slice of Italian crusty bread. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. RIP Antonio.

pasta e fagioli in a gray bowl

pasta e fagioli in a silver pot

Pasta e Fagioli / Pasta and Beans

Rosemary Molloy
Pasta e Fagioli Pasta and Beans, an Italian classic the perfect comfort dish. Healthy, filling and absolutely delicious. Just what you need.
4.75 from 12 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course Main Dish, Soup
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 servings
Calories 210 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¼ cups dried Borlotti beans* (soaked 8-12 hours in a bowl of water drained and rinsed) (225 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic (minced)
  • ½-1 onion chopped
  • 1 celery stalk chopped
  • 2 carrots chopped
  • 4 cups vegetable broth** (1 litre)
  • ¾ teaspoon oregano
  • ¾ teaspoon basil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • pinch or 2 of hot pepper flakes if desired
  • ¾ cup tomato puree (passata) 170 grams)
  • 2 cups water (480 grams)
  • 1 ¼ cup dried pasta (small ditaloni, quadrucci etc) (250 grams)

*The cooked beans should equal about 2 ½ cups, if you use canned beans then be sure to drain them.

    **Vegetable broth can be homemade or store bought.

      Instructions
       

      • In a large pot add the olive oil, minced garlic, chopped onion, celery and carrots, cook until transparent. 
      • Then add the vegetable broth, spices, puree and beans bring to a boil, cover with a slight opening and continue to simmer over low/medium heat for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the beans are tender and the soup has thickened. Stirring occasionally.
      • Once they are cooked and tender, then you can blend 1/3-1/2 the ingredients or leave as is. Add the water (taste for salt) and bring the soup to a boil then add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. If you find it too thick then add a little more water or broth, too thin then add less water before adding the pasta. Serve immediately sprinkled with some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

      Notes

      Canned or frozen beans will also work. Although if you really want the best tasting Pasta e Fagioli I recommend using dried beans. If Using canned then do not add with the puree and broth, add after the soup has thickened and blend part of the soup if desired, then continue with the recipe.  

      Nutrition

      Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 7gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 540mgPotassium: 447mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3761IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 2mg
      Keyword past and beans, pasta e fagioli
      Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

      Updated from January 26, 2018.

       

       

       

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        Filed Under: Fall/Winter, Main Dish, Most Posts, Soups / Stews, Vegetables

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        1. Paola Carini says

          January 24, 2022 at 6:24 pm

          5 stars
          Hi
          I am a fanatic of “pasta e fagioli”and make it the same way you do.
          Just a few tips:
          You don’t need to prepare the “brodo vegetale”: it will be created by the vegetables cooking in the pot together with water (and salt toward the end).
          Use a dry bay leave (to be removed) or (still better) bay powder instead of oregano.
          Always use abundant freshly ground pepper and also peperoncino (if you like it).
          Leave the soup cook (at a low fire) very long (much longer than just when the beans are well cooked) and you will obtain an amazing “cream” without blending or any addition . At the end add boiling water if necessary (before cooking the pasta).
          For the best “pasta e fagioli” use dry Borlotti or similar dry beans . Even fresh beans do not make it as good as dry ones.
          Paola

          Reply
        2. Dennis c Salvatore says

          December 25, 2020 at 9:08 pm

          5 stars
          great, just like mama made.

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            December 27, 2020 at 6:50 pm

            Hi Dennis thanks so much. Happy New Year.

            Reply
        3. Joan says

          November 4, 2020 at 9:37 pm

          5 stars
          Rosemary , another winner! It was worth seeking out Borlotti Beans just for the heck of it! They require at least an hour of simmering on their own I found. Another trick I learned recently is to save cheese rinds (like (Parmigiano / Reggiano) ) and add them to the broth while cooking. What rich flavor! I also shopped for the pasta you recommended – such fun! And, if your readers want to go full bore I found an really exceptional vegetable broth recipe to share from “Inspired Taste” https://www.inspiredtaste.net/34272/homemade-vegetable-broth-recipe/. I so enjoy your posts! Thank you!

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            November 6, 2020 at 8:34 pm

            Hi Joan, thanks so much, and yes my MIL would do that all the time too with the rind. So glad you enjoy the recipes. Have a great weekend.

            Reply
        4. EM says

          October 25, 2020 at 12:42 pm

          5 stars
          I reduced the amount of beans (black-eyed because that’s all I had :)) and pasta to just 1cup each. Personal preference.
          Excellent soup. Thank you so much

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            October 25, 2020 at 2:29 pm

            Hi EM, thanks so much, glad you enjoyed it.

            Reply
        5. Ellie says

          October 24, 2020 at 8:26 pm

          Mmmm, one of my favorites. We had this every meatless Friday night for dinner. My grandparents were from Sicily and my mom would make it pretty much the same as your recipe, except she didn’t add carrots. A liberal drizzle of olive oil in each bowl elevated it to Nirvana. Thank for bringing back a wonderful memory.

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            October 24, 2020 at 8:54 pm

            Hi Ellie, thanks so much, so glad I could bring back some nice memories. Take care.

            Reply
        6. Cheri says

          October 21, 2020 at 4:52 pm

          5 stars
          Delicious!!! My family loved it!!!
          Thanks so much for sharing!

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            October 22, 2020 at 11:36 am

            Hi Cheri, thanks so much, glad everyone enjoyed it. Take care.

            Reply
        7. Amanda says

          January 30, 2018 at 9:07 pm

          Sorry to hear about your father-in-law, thanks for posting this, can’t wait to make it!

          Reply
          • Rosemary says

            February 2, 2018 at 8:01 pm

            Thanks so much Amanda, I hope you enjoy it. Have a great weekend.

            Reply
        8. Jackie says

          March 28, 2015 at 4:43 pm

          My family loves Pasta-e fagiol1,I make a big kettle full in the winter months,I cut up small hunks of pepperoni and use diced tomatoes in mine we eat it with garlic bread toasted,Yum.My husband love
          Italian food

          Reply
          • Rose says

            March 29, 2015 at 4:51 pm

            Hi Jackie, I agree this is one of the best soups for cold winter months. Thanks for stopping by.

            Reply
        9. Veronica@downcakerylane says

          March 1, 2015 at 10:33 pm

          5 stars
          I love this soup and love saying the name, lol! I’ve never tried making it though…I’m definitely inspired- I love soup!

          Reply
          • Rose says

            March 4, 2015 at 6:01 pm

            Hi Veroncia, haha I know there are some Italian words I just love to say too.

            Reply
        10. Diane P. says

          February 28, 2015 at 5:29 am

          A true Italian comfort food–just like your meatloaf. Will be making this tomorrow! Thanks, Rose.

          Reply
          • Rose says

            February 28, 2015 at 11:43 pm

            Hi Diane, Hope you enjoy it, let me know. Have a great weekend!

            Reply
        11. Annamaria @ Bakewell Junction says

          February 25, 2015 at 2:06 am

          My Dad would eat this every week. Although yours looks more like soup than ours did. Since today was the coldest day this winter (-13 in front of my house and -16 at the stop and ride where I meet my car pool buddies) and with the snow piled up from all the snow falls, this would be a great meal.
          Annamaria

          Reply
        12. April @ Girl Gone Gourmet says

          February 24, 2015 at 1:44 pm

          I could use a bowl of this — it’s snowing, AGAIN, here in North Carolina! I love how every region does things just a little bit different – your version sounds delicious!

          Reply
          • Rose says

            February 25, 2015 at 6:20 pm

            Hi April, oh my gosh you poor people and all that snow and cold. Thanks and stay warm!

            Reply
        13. Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says

          February 24, 2015 at 1:28 pm

          This is one of my mamma’s favorite soups. And you’re right every region has it’s own special way of preparing it. Our weather is getting cooler again and I am in need of some comfort food – thank you for sharing!!

          Reply
          • Rose says

            February 25, 2015 at 6:21 pm

            Hi Marisa, thanks, I love comfort food, cold not so much, kind of cool for us too and lots of rain. Have a great day!

            Reply

        Hi, I'm Rosemary.

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