Pasta e Fagioli is the kind of soup that makes a weeknight feel sorted. Tender cannellini beans, small pasta, and a tomato broth built on slowly softened onion, carrot, and celery. A parmesan rind melts into the pot while it simmers and gives the broth a depth that tastes like it cooked for hours, though the whole thing is done in about fifty minutes. It is thick enough to eat with a spoon and filling enough to count as dinner. This pasta e fagioli recipe uses pantry staples, one pot, and no fancy technique. Serve it with crusty bread and extra grated parmesan on top.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , Extra virgin if you have it.
- 1 medium yellow onion , Finely diced.
- 2 medium carrots , Peeled and diced small.
- 2 stalks celery , Diced small.
- 4 cloves garlic , Minced.
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary , Or 1 tablespoon fresh, finely chopped.
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 0.25 teaspoon red pepper flakes , Optional. Adds gentle heat.
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth , Chicken broth works too.
- 1 piece parmesan rind , Optional but strongly recommended. Save rinds in the freezer for this.
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans , Drained and rinsed. Great Northern beans work as a swap.
- 1 cup ditalini pasta , Uncooked. Any small pasta shape works.
- 1 teaspoon salt , Adjust to taste at the end.
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper , Freshly ground if possible.
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley , Chopped, for stirring in and garnish.
- 0.5 cup grated parmesan cheese , For serving, plus more at the table.
- Large heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven (5 to 6 quart)
- Wooden spoon
- Cutting board
- Sharp chef knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle
- Cheese grater
- Potato masher or the back of a spoon (optional, for thickening)
- Soften onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil, then add garlic and herbs.
- Add crushed tomatoes, broth, and the parmesan rind. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Stir in the beans and mash a few to thicken the broth.
- Add the ditalini and cook until just tender.
- Rest 5 minutes, season, and serve with parsley and parmesan.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery.
- Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables are soft and the onion looks translucent.
- Add the minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, and red pepper flakes.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant. Do not let it brown.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot.
- Add the broth and the parmesan rind.
- Raise the heat and bring the pot to a gentle boil.
- Lower the heat to a steady simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes so the flavors come together and the broth picks up body.
- Stir in the drained cannellini beans.
- Scoop out about half a cup of beans with some broth, mash them with a fork or potato masher, and stir the mash back into the pot. This thickens the soup naturally.
- Add the ditalini pasta and stir so nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes, until the pasta is just tender.
- Pull out the parmesan rind and discard it.
- Taste the soup and season with salt and black pepper.
- Stir in most of the chopped parsley.
- Take the pot off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. The soup will thicken slightly as it sits.
- Ladle into bowls and top with grated parmesan and the remaining parsley.
- Cook the pasta directly in the soup. The starch it releases thickens the broth and gives it that classic silky texture.
- Mash a small portion of the beans and stir them back in. It makes the soup creamy without any cream.
- Never skip the parmesan rind if you have one. It adds a savory depth you cannot get from salt alone.
- Keep the simmer gentle after adding the pasta. A hard boil breaks the beans apart and turns the pasta mushy.
- The soup thickens a lot as it sits. If you are serving it later, keep a cup of warm broth nearby to loosen each bowl.
- Use low sodium broth. Between the beans, tomatoes, parmesan, and added salt, regular broth can push the whole pot too salty.
- Dice the vegetables small and even. Small pieces soften fully and melt into the soup instead of standing out as chunks.
- Adding the pasta too early. It keeps drinking up broth and turns soft and blown out. Add it only for the last 8 to 10 minutes.
- Browning the garlic. Burnt garlic makes the whole pot bitter. One minute over medium heat is enough.
- Skipping the bean mash. Without it the broth stays thin and watery instead of coating the spoon.
- Using a hard rolling boil. It breaks the beans down into mush and clouds the broth.
- Salting heavily at the start. The parmesan rind and broth both add salt as they cook. Season properly at the end.
- Cooking pasta separately and adding it dry. You lose the starch that gives the soup its body.
- Leaving the rind in the bowl. Fish it out before serving. Someone will bite into it otherwise.
- Meat version: Brown 4 ounces of diced pancetta or Italian sausage in the pot first, then cook the vegetables in the rendered fat.
- Vegetarian and vegan: Use vegetable broth and skip the parmesan rind and cheese, or use a vegetarian hard cheese. The soup is still rich from the beans.
- Different beans: Great Northern beans, borlotti beans, or chickpeas all work in place of cannellini.
- Different pasta: Elbow macaroni, small shells, or broken spaghetti all work. Keep the shape small.
- Greens: Stir in 2 cups of chopped spinach or kale during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
- Thicker, stew style: Cut the broth to 4 cups for a version closer to the olive garden style, more stew than soup.
- Gluten free: Swap in your favorite small gluten free pasta and check it a minute or two early, since it softens faster.
- Crusty Italian bread or a warm baguette for dipping
- Garlic bread
- Simple green salad with lemon vinaigrette
- Roasted broccoli or green beans
- Focaccia
- Grilled cheese sandwiches for a bigger meal
- Extra grated parmesan and good olive oil at the table
- Refrigerator: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Expect the pasta to soak up broth overnight. Add a splash of water or broth when reheating to bring back the right consistency.
- Freezer: For best results, freeze the soup before adding the pasta. It keeps for up to 3 months. Cook fresh pasta when you reheat.
- Freezing with pasta: Still fine, but the pasta softens after thawing. Freeze in portion sized containers for easy lunches.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stove over medium low heat, stirring often. Microwave works too, in 60 second bursts, stirring between each.
- Do not boil hard when reheating. Gentle heat keeps the beans intact.
Minestrone is a vegetable soup with many different vegetables and often some pasta. Pasta e fagioli focuses on beans and pasta as the two main ingredients, with a thicker, more stew like broth.
Yes. Soak 1 cup of dried cannellini beans overnight, then simmer them until tender before starting the recipe. You will need about 3 cups of cooked beans to replace the two cans.
The pasta keeps absorbing broth as it sits. It is completely normal. Stir in warm water or broth when you reheat until it loosens back to a soup consistency.
Yes. Add everything except the pasta and parsley to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Stir in the pasta for the last 30 minutes on high.
It is a solid, balanced meal. Beans bring fiber and protein, the vegetables add nutrients, and the broth keeps it lighter than cream based soups. One bowl is filling without being heavy.
Ditalini is the classic choice. Any small shape that fits on a spoon works, like small shells or elbow macaroni. In Italy the shape changes by region, so there is room to use what you have.
- Soup thickens as it rests. This is normal and expected. Thin with broth when serving leftovers.
- The parmesan rind is optional but it is the single easiest way to deepen the flavor. Freeze rinds as you use parmesan so you always have one.
- If you plan to freeze the soup, leave the pasta out and cook it fresh when you reheat.
- Low sodium broth gives you control over the final salt level.
- For a creamier bowl, blend one cup of the soup and stir it back in instead of mashing the beans by hand.
- Taste before adding salt at the end. Between the broth, rind, and parmesan topping, the pot may need less than you think.
A good pasta e fagioli recipe earns a permanent spot in your dinner rotation. One pot, pantry ingredients, under an hour, and a bowl that actually fills you up. The broth turns rich from the beans and the parmesan rind, and the pasta gives it real substance. Make a big pot on Sunday and lunch is handled for days. Once you cook it this way, with the beans mashed into the broth and the pasta cooked right in the pot, you will not go back to thinner versions. Keep bread nearby. You will want it.