Pasta e Fagioli Pasta and Beans

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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.

I am updating this recipe from the 6th anniversary of the death of my father-in-law. I still 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!

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.

Recipe Ingredients

Borlotti beans – also known as cranberry beans
Olive oil
Garlic
Onion
Celery stalk
Carrots
Vegetable broth
Oregano
Basil
Salt
Hot pepper flakes
Tomato puree – (passata)
Water
Pasta – small ditaloni, quadrucci

What Is Tomato Passata/Puree?

Tomato puree is a liquid, but dense product, it is obtained by removing the pulp from raw or cooked tomatoes. It is sold worldwide and is available in most supermarkets. Of course it can also be produced at home.

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 part of the ingredients or leave as is. Add more water, taste for salt, then bring the soup to a boil and add the dry pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Serve immediately sprinkled with some freshly grated parmesan cheese.

How To Soak Dry Beans

In a large bowl add the dried beans, (I used cannellini beans although you could also use another type of white bean), cover the beans well with water. Let them sit for about 8 hours or overnight, then drain and cook until tender, but not mushy.

How To Make Homemade Broth

In a large pot add a carrot and an onion peeled and cut in half, a celery stalk cut in two, a bay leaf, 2-3 pepper corns, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 12 cups of water. If you want to make a beef broth then add a few pieces of meat (bone in is a good idea).

Bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally and remove any foam that appears on the top of the broth. Pour the broth through a sieve, place it back in the pot, bring to a boil and cook the pasta or cook the pasta in water and instead of adding water to the bowls add broth.

Any unused broth can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer safe containers and will keep for up to 6 months.

Pasta and beans in a pot and some in a bowl with a spoon.

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.

Recipe FAQs

What is the best pasta to use?

I like to use Ditali, you can also use small shells or elbow macaroni or even broken spaghetti.

What to substitute with Borlotti beans?

If you can’t find borlotti beans (also known as cranberry beans) then you can substitute with Kidney beans or Pinto beans.

How Much Dry Pasta To Cooked Pasta?

Pasta usually doubles in size when cooked, so for the recipe you will need approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups of dried small pasta to make 3 cups cooked.

Can I use canned beans?

Personally I prefer dried beans but if you want you could use canned beans, just be sure to drain and rinse the beans. The cooking time will be approximately half the time.

How To Store Pasta E Fagioli

Any leftover soup should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep for about 3-4 days.

If you plan on freezing the soup, then freeze it in a freezer safe container. But be sure to freeze it without the addition of pasta. The pasta will get too mushy and it won’t be very tasty. It will keep for up to four months in the freezer.

More Italian Soups & Stews

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. Buon Appetito!