Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Pasta and Bean Soup) is one of those amazing soup recipes where you just throw everything in. A hearty classic Italian soup that is easy to adapt and you can use pretty much anything you have leftover in your fridge and freezer. Not only is it vegan, but it's low in calories and fat too.
This might just be the most filling and comforting soup there is. It is packed with vegetables, but also bursting with pasta and beans to make it filling. Italians aren't just famous for pizza and pasta, and this is an Italian classic. A delicious tomato based soup that is easy to adapt.
Looking for some other hearty and filling recipes? Why not try our Sausage and Mash Pie, Stuffed Butternut Squash, Chorizo Mac and Cheese or Healthy Fish Pie.
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What is Pasta e Fagioli Soup?
Pasta e Fagioli translates to "pasta and beans" and that is pretty much the base of this soup, with a few other nutritious ingredients thrown in to make this a hearty and healthy vegan soup. Like most other classic Italian dishes, this started out as a peasant dish that used only cheap ingredients.
Chunky vegetables in a tomato broth - this is total comfort food that will keep you warm through the winter.
The soup is often called 'Pasta Fazool' where the word fazool is derived from the Sicilian or Neapolitan dialect for beans.
Why should you try it?
- Great vegan meal
- Protein packed with beans
- You can use any ingredients that you have
- Low in calories
- Virtually fat free
What you will need
- Olive oil - You could swap with for sunflower or vegetable oil, but olive oil is always our base for cooking a recipe.
- Onion, carrots and celery - The holy trinity of Italian cooking, not only does this add so much flavour to the soup, but it gives it a nice chunky texture.
- Canned Tomatoes - Try to use the best quality tomatoes you can buy, as you really can tell the difference. Cheap tomatoes are really watery, and don't have much flavour.
- Stock - Like the tomatoes, try to use the best quality stock you can - homemade is always best. If you are making this Pasta e Fagioli for young children, then use a low salt stock.
- Beans - We used cannellini beans to keep it traditional, however if you wanted to make this a budget friendly soup then you could use whatever tinned beans you ha.
- Dried herbs
- Pasta - Like the beans, you can use any dried pasta shapes to keep this a budget friendly dish.
- Cheese - Some freshly grated parmesan really finishes this soup off.
Step by step
One: Put a little oil in to a large pan and add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and gently sweat for 5 minutes.
Two: Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
Three: Divide between 4 bowls and serve.
What vegetables to add
For this we used onion, celery, carrot and kale, but you can literally use anything. Some recipes use (courgette) zucchini, potatoes or green beans. Other recipes use peas or even root vegetables. It is entirely up to you. As long as you have the pasta and bean base, use any vegetables you have in the kitchen or garden.
Variations
For this we used onion, celery, carrot and kale, but you can literally use anything. Some recipes use (courgette) zucchini, potatoes or green beans. Other recipes use peas or even root vegetables. It is entirely up to you. As long as you have the pasta and bean base, use any vegetables you have in the kitchen or garden.
What to serve with Pasta e Fagioli
This soup has pretty much everything you could want in it. It has pasta and bans and plenty of vegetables, so it is super filling and you don't really need anything else with it.
If you did want something on this side, then just serve this with a French baguette that has been warmed up in the oven, or with some croutons on top. Or both. You could even go all out and make your own bread. Why not try our Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia?
FAQs
The main difference between pasta e fagioli and minestrone and is the variety of vegetables used in a minestrone. Fagioli is made up mostly of pasta and beans in a broth.
You really can use any pasta shapes in this soup. We prefer smaller pasta shapes, as they are easier to scoop up with a spoon, but there is no need to use anything fancy, as you can use up whatever you have.
You really can use any pasta shapes in this soup. We prefer smaller pasta shapes, as they are easier to scoop up with a spoon, but there is no need to use anything fancy, as you can use up whatever you have.
We haven't put meat in ours, as we think it's a nice vegetarian dish. However you could add ground beef, sausage or bacon at the same time as the onions and carrots.
You can store this in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 2 days, but because the pasta will continue to absorb the liquid, it will be thicker when reheated. But it will still be delicious. Reheat in the microwave or on the hob (stove top) for a few minutes, until heated through.
This soup freezes really well, making it great for batch cooking. It will keep for up to 3 months in an air tight container. Be sure not to fill the container to the top, as the liquid will expand to the top of the container.
Yes, this soup can be made in the slow cooker. Still follow step one in the recipe below to sweat the harder vegetables and then put everything in the slow cooker (except the pasta) and cook for 4 hours on high. 20 minutes before it is finished, stir in the pasta.
Extra tips
- You can use any vegetables that you have.
- Add a bit of a spice kick by adding some chili flakes when cooking.
- If you want to add some meat to this, add some chopped bacon, ground sausage or pancetta when cooking the vegetables
- This is supposed to be quite "brothy". If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of water.
- Add a little extra depth of flavour to the broth by swapping 100ml of it for white wine.
- You can add some extra protein by adding half a can of drained green lentils.
- The beans can be swapped for chickpeas.
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Recipe
Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Pasta and Bean Soup)
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 large carrot diced
- 2 celery ribs diced
- 240 g cannellini beans
- 100 g pasta shapes
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 400 g chopped tomatoes canned
- 240 g kale chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Put a little oil in to a large pan and add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and gently sweat for 5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Divide between 4 bowls and serve.
Notes
- You can use any vegetables that you have.
- Add a bit of a spice kick by adding some chili flakes when cooking.
- If you want to add some meat to this, add some chopped bacon, ground sausage or pancetta when cooking the vegetables
- This is supposed to be quite "brothy". If you prefer a thicker soup, reduce the amount of water.
- Add a little extra depth of flavour to the broth by swapping 100ml of it for white wine.
- You can add some extra protein by adding half a can of drained green lentils.
- The beans can be swapped for chickpeas.
joe dell
Soouper soupy ! ! ! !
Donah @ SJB
I seriously could do with one serving of this right about now. It looks absolutely delicious!
Dannii
Get making some :D
hena tayeb
that soup looks delicious.
Dannii
Thank you! It's really filling too.
Candace
I'm a big fan of adding pasta to soups especially this time of year as it makes it so filling. Really love kale too and don't use it enough in my cooking
Dannii
It makes them so much more comforting, doesn't it.
Life as Mum
I love pasta meals. This looks so delicious
Dannii
They are so easy to put together, aren't they.
Phi @ The Sweetphi Blog
This soup looks incredible! One of my employees used to go on and on about a faioli soup and I never really knew what is was - now that I do, I totally want some of this - so comforting during the winter!
Dannii
It's pasta and beans! It's the way forward, especially with some Iceland frozen kale thrown in too.