By Syed Yasararafat
Pasta e fagioli simply means “pasta and beans”. It is an Italian soup of small pasta and tender beans, and it can be brothy or thick enough to hold a spoon upright. This version uses canned beans and takes about 40 minutes. Mashing some of the beans gives it a creamy body with no cream at all.
Recipe at a Glance
- Serves: 4 to 6
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 30 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Diet: Vegan without the cheese, as long as your pasta contains no egg
What Is Pasta e Fagioli?
The dish was once a staple of poor households and is now eaten across Italy as comfort food. There is no single recipe. The one firm requirement is that it contains both beans and pasta, so the type of bean, the fat and the thickness all change from place to place and from family to family.
In English it is often called “pasta fazool”, a name that comes from the Neapolitan way of saying it.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to finish
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cans (400 g each) borlotti or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1.2 liters vegetable stock or water, plus extra as needed
- 200 g ditalini or other small pasta
- Salt and black pepper
- Grated Parmesan or pecorino, to serve (optional)
Choosing the Beans and Pasta
Beans. Borlotti are earthy and turn creamy when mashed. Cannellini are milder and hold their shape a little better. Either one works, and you can mix them.
Pasta. Choose something small enough to fit on a spoon with a bean. Ditalini are the usual choice, while small shells, elbows or chifferi also work. Broken spaghetti is a good way to use up the ends of old packets.
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli
- Soften the vegetables. Warm the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft but not brown.
- Add the flavorings. Stir in the garlic and rosemary for 1 minute, then add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, until it darkens slightly.
- Simmer the beans. Add the beans and stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary.
- Thicken the soup. Use a potato masher to crush about a third of the beans in the pot, or blend 2 ladlefuls and stir them back in.
- Cook the pasta. Return to a simmer and add the pasta. Cook, stirring often so it does not stick, until just tender. Start tasting 2 minutes before the package time, and add a splash of hot stock or water if the soup gets too thick.
- Rest and serve. Season with salt and pepper, then turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of oil and some cheese, if using.
Tips for a Better Soup
- Do not rush the vegetables. This slow start gives the soup most of its flavor.
- Season at the end. Canned beans and stock vary in salt, so taste before you add more.
- Stir while the pasta cooks. Starch settles on the bottom of a thick soup and can catch.
- Add a Parmesan rind. Simmer one with the beans for extra savory depth, then remove it before serving. This makes the soup no longer vegan.
Using Dried Beans
Replace the canned beans with 250 g of dried beans. Soak them overnight, drain, then simmer in fresh water until completely tender. This usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours, though older beans can take longer. Keep the cooking liquid and use it in place of some of the stock, as it adds body and flavor. Salt the beans toward the end of cooking or when you add them to the soup.
Variations
- With pancetta: Brown 100 g of diced pancetta before adding the vegetables, and reduce the oil.
- Brothier: Add more stock and skip the mashing.
- More tomato: Add 200 g of canned crushed tomatoes with the beans.
- With chickpeas: Swap the beans for chickpeas to make pasta e ceci, which is common in Rome.
- Spicier: Add a pinch of chili flakes with the garlic.
Serving and Storing
This soup is filling enough to be a full meal with crusty bread and a simple green salad.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container and eat them within 3 days. The pasta keeps absorbing liquid, so the soup will be much thicker the next day. Reheat it gently and loosen it with water or stock, then adjust the seasoning.
To freeze it, leave out the pasta and freeze the bean soup for up to 3 months. Thaw it, bring it back to a simmer and cook fresh pasta in it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between pasta e fagioli and minestrone?
Beans and pasta are the main event in pasta e fagioli. Minestrone is built around a wider mix of vegetables, and it may or may not contain beans or pasta.
Why did my soup turn thick and stodgy?
The pasta absorbs liquid as it sits. This is normal, and many people like it that way. Just stir in hot stock or water until it reaches the texture you want.
Can I cook the pasta separately?
Yes, and it is useful if you expect leftovers. The soup will be less starchy, so add a little extra mashed bean to thicken it. Our guide to cooking pasta covers the basics.
Can I use gluten-free pasta?
Yes, but it can soften quickly in soup. Cook it separately and add it to each bowl when you serve.
More to Try
For another tiny shape that suits soup, read our guides to acini di pepe and pastina. If you enjoy simple pantry cooking, try spaghetti aglio e olio next.
Syed Yasar Arafat is the founder of PastaLoverz.com and a food research enthusiast with a focused interest in pasta varieties, traditional Italian cuisine, and balanced eating. Through PastaLoverz.com, he publishes well-researched articles that explain pasta types, cooking methods, and nutritional considerations in clear, practical terms to help readers make informed food choices.
