Pasta Fagioli is an Italian soup that always satisfies! It's a pasta and bean soup that's bursting with savory flavor from pancetta, garlic, tomato paste, parmesan and more. You can call it pasta fazool if you want - I just call it delicious!
100gramspancetta, chopped(or about 4 slices thick cut bacon)
3large carrots(peeled and chopped)
2ribscelery(finely diced)
1medium onion(finely diced)
4clovesgarlic(minced)
1tablespoontomato paste
1tablespoonItalian seasoning
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonblack pepper
5cupslow sodium chicken broth(vegetable for vegetarian)
1candiced tomatoes(14 oz or 398 ml) or crushed
2canswhite kidney beans(19 oz or 540 ml) drained and rinsed
1bay leaf
1parm rind
1cupditalini or other small pasta(uncooked) about 130 grams
2cupsfreshly chopped spinach or kale
¼cupgrated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
In a large dutch oven or soup pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and add chopped bacon or pancetta. Cook until lightly browned.
Add carrots, celery and onion and cook until translucent.
Stir in garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and cook 1-2 minutes.
Add broth, diced tomatoes, beans, bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and cover. Cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are nearly tender.
Stir in uncooked pasta, cover and cook until al dente.
Just before serving, stir in spinach and Parmesan. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
Video
Notes
Ingredients and Substitutions:
Pancetta or Bacon: either works well, and you can omit for a meatless version of this soup.
Vegetables: There are lots and lots of variations of Pasta e Fagioli, which means that you can make your own rules and no one can tell you it's wrong! Feel free to add in extra vegetables that you need to get out of the fridge, or ones your guests enjoy.
Broth: I always start with low sodium or no salt added broth so that I can control how salty the soup is in the end.
Pasta: we love ditalini in soup, but any small pasta shape will do. If you are going to be serving it later, you may want to cook the pasta to al dente in a pot of boiling water and just add when serving. This way it won't get mushy if it sits in the fridge too long.
Tomatoes: use diced or crushed, or you can swap this for tomato sauce for a thicker soup.
Beans: I prefer white beans but any kind of beans, even black or red kidney beans will work just as well in here.