Authentic pasta e fagioli is an Italian soup known for its hearty and robust flavor. It's made with savory pancetta, hearty borlotti and cannellini beans, and al dente pasta in a rich broth. Comforting and easy to prepare, it's guaranteed to warm your heart and table all year round!
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Pasta e fagioli, which translates to "pasta and beans," is a classic Italian soup with a rich and savory broth. Originating as a modest peasant dish, it's celebrated for it's rustic flavor and simple, wholesome ingredients. Also known as "pasta fazool" to Italian Americans, it's the ultimate comfort food that is easy to make any night of the week.
Pasta e fagioli has a special place in many of our hearts, with different families and regions of Italy putting a unique spin on it. This is how my family loves to make it – thick and hearty, with tender beans, al dente pasta, and fragrant vegetables. To enhance the authenticity, I use chicken bone broth, a secret ingredient that builds incredible flavor. Whether you prefer your pasta e fagioli thick like a stew, or more brothy like a soup, my recipe includes a guide to help you achieve the perfect consistency.
I love to serve this pasta e fagioli with a fresh salad to balance the richness. It goes great with arugula and spinach salad and burrata caprese. I always have it with a slice of stirato, a crusty Italian bread that soaks up the extra sauce. For more hearty Italian soups, check out this one-pot vegetable orzo soup, Italian beef soup and minestrone soup with chicken. They are both satisfying and bursting with flavor. If you're looking for more authentic Italian dishes, you will love this tagliatelle bolognese, rigatoni al forno, and bucatini pomodoro!
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Cannellini and borlotti beans: a mix of canned cannellini and borlotti beans is convenient, with great flavor and a variety in texture. Cannellini beans are smooth and creamy, while borlotti beans are nutty with a firmer bite. If you can't find borlotti beans, try searching for them under alternative names like cranberry beans or Roman beans. When choosing canned products, I ensure that beans are the only ingredient to avoid additives and artificial preservatives.
- Ditalini rigati: a small, tube shaped pasta traditionally used in pasta e fagioli, it captures the sauce and is easy to eat with a spoon. Ditalini comes in two versions: ditalini rigati (with small ridges), and regular ditalini (with a smooth surface). I prefer ditalini rigati because the small ridges grab the sauce, packing flavor into each bite.
- Chicken bone broth: this is my secret to the most flavorful and hearty pasta e fagioli. Bone broth is simmered longer than regular broth, giving it a complex, robust flavor. It also has more collagen that thickens the soup. Adding bone broth is a trusted approach I use for building flavorful Italian dishes, like this mushroom pappardelle and chicken limone.
- San Marzano tomatoes: these tomatoes are slightly sweet, complementing the rich soup. They come whole in a can, so I crush them with my hands before cooking. I prefer DOP certified tomatoes imported from Italy, a designation that attests to their quality. To verify a product's certification, look for two items on the label: the red and yellow DOP stamp and the colorful seal of Agro Sarnese-Nocerino Consorzio. If unavailable, you can use San Marzano-style tomatoes (grown with the same seeds but in a different region) or a different variety of canned tomato.
- Pancetta: this adds an incredible depth of flavor. I choose my pancetta carefully because cured meats can contain unwanted artificial ingredients. I like the only ingredients to be "pork, salt, and spices." I prefer pasture-raised pork because it's flavorful and may be more nutritious than conventionally-raised pork.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Make vegetarian: omit the pancetta and use a vegetable broth.
- Substitute the bone broth: you can substitute with a regular chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. The soup may be a bit thinner since regular broth contains less collagen.
- Use different beans: if unable to find borlotti beans, you can double up on the cannellini beans. You can also use navy beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans. If using dried beans instead of canned, soak them for at least 8 hours beforehand, draining and rinsing before use. Then follow the recipe, allowing for a longer simmer time, as the beans will need around 30 minutes to become tender.
- Use a different pasta: the ditalini rigati can be substituted with regular, smooth ditalini. You can also use tubetti, a small, tube shaped pasta that is longer and larger. Orzo, stelline (small star-shaped pasta), or farfalline (mini butterfly shape) are delicious. I've even had this dish with broken up spaghetti!
- Use bacon instead: you can substitute the pancetta with chopped bacon. Adjust the cook time accordingly, as bacon is thinner and may need less time. It's also fattier, so you may need to drain the grease before cooking the vegetables.
Instructions
Step 1: heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes until crispy and the fat has rendered, or melted out (image 1).
Step 2: add the carrot, celery, and onion. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes stirring often until the vegetables are softened. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant (image 2).
Step 3: stir in the San Marzano tomatoes, cannellini beans, and borlotti beans (image 3).
Step 4: stir in the chicken bone broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in the fresh rosemary and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as the flavors develop (image 4).
Step 5: add the ditalini rigati to the pot of soup. Continue to simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until al dente (image 5). Stir often to prevent the pasta from sticking.
Step 6: season with kosher salt to taste as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano (image 6). Serve immediately and enjoy!
Storage & Make Ahead
- Storage: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. The pasta will soften upon reheating, but I don't mind this in a leftover soup.
- Reheating: add a bit of water or bone broth to the leftovers to loosen them up. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat or in a microwave safe bowl, using 30-second increments in the microwave. Leftovers should reach a temperature of 165°F (74°C) throughout.
- Make ahead: follow the recipe as directed, but do not cook the pasta. Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, heat the thawed broth in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once simmering, add the pasta and cook as directed in the recipe.
For more helpful tips on how to handle leftovers safely, check out this USDA Leftovers and Food Safety guide.
Expert Tips
- Cook the pasta in the same pot as the soup. As the pasta cooks, it releases starches that thicken the broth. The pasta also absorbs the flavors of the broth, enhancing the overall taste.
- Use bone broth for a hearty texture and rich flavor. Since bone broth is higher in collagen, it naturally creates a thicker broth. While some recipes suggest blending a portion of the beans to thicken the soup, using bone broth can eliminate this step, effortlessly yielding a rich and robust broth.
- Season the soup towards the end, after the pasta has cooked. This prevents you from oversalting. As the soup simmers, the flavors develop and become more concentrated. Also the pasta absorbs a lot of liquid as it cooks.
FAQ
This recipe yields a thick and hearty pasta e fagioli soup. If you prefer very little broth, you can start off using 5 cups of bone broth instead of 6. Watch very carefully as you cook the pasta, adding more as needed to prevent sticking. Keep in mind that the pasta will continue to soak up the soup as it sits and cools. For even more thickness, you could use a blender to purée half the beans before cooking them. However, I find that the extra collagen in the bone broth produces a beautifully thick soup without the added step of blending.
If you prefer a thin soup, you can add more bone broth as the pasta cooks. Do so gradually to avoid adding too much.
Related
Looking for more hearty Italian soup recipes? Try these favorites:
Pairing
Here are my favorite dishes to serve with pasta e fagioli:
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Recipe
Authentic Pasta e Fagioli
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta (diced)*
- 1 carrot (peeled and finely diced)
- 1 stalk celery (one rib; finely diced)
- 1 medium yellow onion (finely diced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 14 ounces San Marzano tomatoes (crushed)*
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans (drained and rinsed)*
- 1 (15-ounce) can borlotti beans (drained and rinsed)*
- 6 cups chicken bone broth (plus more as needed)*
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (chopped)*
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)*
- 2 cups ditalini rigati (8 ounces)*
- kosher salt (to taste)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
- Parmigiano Reggiano (grated, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the pancetta: heat the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for about 5 minutes until crispy and the fat has rendered, or melted out.
- Cook the vegetables: add the carrot, celery, and onion to the pot with the pancetta. Cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and the onion is translucent. Then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add the tomato and beans: stir in the San Marzano tomatoes, cannellini beans, and borlotti beans.
- Add the bone broth, herbs, and simmer: pour in the chicken bone broth, stirring until combined. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir in the fresh rosemary and thyme. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to let the flavors develop.
- Cook the pasta: add the ditalini rigati to the pot of soup. Continue to simmer uncovered for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Stir often to prevent sticking.
- Season, garnish, and serve: add kosher salt to taste as needed. Then ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Pancetta: you can use chopped bacon instead, adjusting the cook time accordingly. Since bacon is fattier, you may need to drain the grease before cooking the vegetables.
- San Marzano tomatoes: these come whole in a can, so I crush them with my hands before cooking. If you don't have certified San Marzano tomatoes, you can use San Marzano-style tomatoes, or a different variety of canned tomato.
- Beans: borlotti beans can be labeled "cranberry beans" or "Roman beans." If unable to find them, you can double up on the cannellini beans or use a different kind, like kidney, navy, or pinto beans. If using dried beans instead, soak them for at least 8 hours beforehand, draining and rinsing before use. Then follow the recipe, allowing for a longer simmer time, as the beans will need around 30 minutes to become tender.
- Chicken bone broth: you can use regular chicken, beef, or vegetable broth instead. The soup may be a bit thinner without the added collagen in the bone broth.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme: you can use 1 teaspoon each of dried rosemary and thyme instead.
- Ditalini rigati: you can substitute with other small pasta shapes like smooth ditalini, tubetti, stelline, farfalline, orzo, or broken up spaghetti.
- Adjust the thickness: for a thinner soup, gradually add more broth as the pasta cooks. If you prefer it very thick with minimal broth, start off with 5 cups of bone broth instead of 6. Watch very carefully as the pasta cooks to prevent sticking, adding more broth as needed. You could also use a blender to purée half of the beans before cooking them for extra thickness.
- Make vegetarian: omit the pancetta and use vegetable broth instead.
- Storage: leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: add a bit of water or bone broth to the leftovers to loosen them up. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat or a microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between. Leftovers should reach a temperature of 165°F (74°C) throughout.
- Make Ahead: follow the recipe as directed, but do not cook the pasta. Store the soup in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, heat the thawed broth in a large pot or Dutch oven. Once simmering, add the pasta and cook as directed in the recipe.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition and storage information is estimated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Maria D'Errico says
I hope you love my recipe as much as I did in sharing it with you. I love this recipe because it's comforting, nostalgic, and full of flavor. I'd love to hear your thoughts!