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Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients

Cannellini Beans
 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
rinsed, divided
Water
 1 cup Water
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
plus extra for drizzling
Onion
 2 Onion
chopped fine
Carrot
 2 Carrot
peeled and chopped fine
Celery Rib
 1 Celery Rib
chopped fine
Pancetta
 2 ounces Pancetta
chopped fine
Salt
 0.75 teaspoon Salt
Pepper
 0.5 teaspoon Pepper
Tomato Paste
 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
Garlic Clove
 4 Garlic Clove
minced
Red Pepper Flakes
 0.25 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
optional
Chicken Broth
 4 cups Chicken Broth
Ditalini
 4 ounces Ditalini
Parmesan Cheese
 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese
grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving
Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
 0.5 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil

Pasta e Fagioli

Katie Leaird (Katie Leaird)

ServesTotalShares
675 min2

This hearty pasta and bean soup is Italian American comfort food at its best. From type of bean to shape of pasta—and even whether or not it contains meat—the iterations of this Italian American pasta-and-bean soup are endless. One version from a restaurant in northern New Jersey, which was deeply but gently savory, thick and hearty, and studded with creamy beans and soft little pieces of pasta, was the inspiration for our version. Starting with a base of pancetta, finely chopped vegetables, plenty of garlic, and a small but powerful punch from tomato paste, we built a rich and flavorful broth as a backdrop for our soup. To thicken it, we pureed half the cannellini beans that we were adding to the soup. For ease, rather than boiling the pasta in a separate pot, we added little ditalini right into the simmering soup to cook in the last moments before serving. Some grated Parmesan cheese for extra richness and seasoning and a big handful of fresh basil for a blast of fragrant freshness was all that was needed to finish the dish.

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Instructions

Note: You can use any small pasta shape, such as tubettini, elbow macaroni, or small shells, in place of the ditalini. To make this soup vegetarian, omit the pancetta and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a blender to process the beans and water in step 1.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 ounces Pancetta
    chopped fine
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 4 ounces Ditalini
Process 1 can of beans and water in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 1 cup Water
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, celery, pancetta, salt, and pepper and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
    plus extra for drizzling
  • 2 Onion
    chopped fine
  • 2 Carrot
    peeled and chopped fine
  • 1 Celery Rib
    chopped fine
  • 2 ounces Pancetta
    chopped fine
  • 0.75 teaspoon Salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon Pepper
Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, remaining can of beans, and pureed bean mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 4 Garlic Clove
    minced
  • 0.25 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    optional
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
Increase heat to medium and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and basil. Serve, drizzled with extra oil and passing extra Parmesan separately.
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
    plus extra for drizzling
  • 4 ounces Ditalini
  • 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese
    grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving
  • 0.5 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, let soup cool completely. Refrigerate soup for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Let frozen soup thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating. To serve, bring soup to boil and continue with step four.
Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta e Fagioli

Katie Leaird (Katie Leaird)

ServesTotalShares
675 min2

This hearty pasta and bean soup is Italian American comfort food at its best. From type of bean to shape of pasta—and even whether or not it contains meat—the iterations of this Italian American pasta-and-bean soup are endless. One version from a restaurant in northern New Jersey, which was deeply but gently savory, thick and hearty, and studded with creamy beans and soft little pieces of pasta, was the inspiration for our version. Starting with a base of pancetta, finely chopped vegetables, plenty of garlic, and a small but powerful punch from tomato paste, we built a rich and flavorful broth as a backdrop for our soup. To thicken it, we pureed half the cannellini beans that we were adding to the soup. For ease, rather than boiling the pasta in a separate pot, we added little ditalini right into the simmering soup to cook in the last moments before serving. Some grated Parmesan cheese for extra richness and seasoning and a big handful of fresh basil for a blast of fragrant freshness was all that was needed to finish the dish.

soupappetizersmain course
Save this recipe to your personal collection, manage your grocery lists and access the step-by-step cooking assistant with the TastyBites app.
Login to Continue

Ingredients

Cannellini Beans
 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
rinsed, divided
Water
 1 cup Water
Extra-virgin Olive Oil
 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
plus extra for drizzling
Onion
 2 Onion
chopped fine
Carrot
 2 Carrot
peeled and chopped fine
Celery Rib
 1 Celery Rib
chopped fine
Pancetta
 2 ounces Pancetta
chopped fine
Salt
 0.75 teaspoon Salt
Pepper
 0.5 teaspoon Pepper
Tomato Paste
 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
Garlic Clove
 4 Garlic Clove
minced
Red Pepper Flakes
 0.25 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
optional
Chicken Broth
 4 cups Chicken Broth
Ditalini
 4 ounces Ditalini
Parmesan Cheese
 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese
grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving
Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
 0.5 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil

Instructions

Note: You can use any small pasta shape, such as tubettini, elbow macaroni, or small shells, in place of the ditalini. To make this soup vegetarian, omit the pancetta and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. If you do not have a food processor, you can use a blender to process the beans and water in step 1.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 1 cup Water
  • 2 ounces Pancetta
    chopped fine
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 4 ounces Ditalini
Process 1 can of beans and water in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 1 cup Water
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, celery, pancetta, salt, and pepper and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
    plus extra for drizzling
  • 2 Onion
    chopped fine
  • 2 Carrot
    peeled and chopped fine
  • 1 Celery Rib
    chopped fine
  • 2 ounces Pancetta
    chopped fine
  • 0.75 teaspoon Salt
  • 0.5 teaspoon Pepper
Add tomato paste, garlic, and pepper flakes, if using, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, remaining can of beans, and pureed bean mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
  • 2 15-ounce Cannellini Beans
    rinsed, divided
  • 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
  • 4 Garlic Clove
    minced
  • 0.25 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
    optional
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
Increase heat to medium and bring to boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente, about 12 minutes. Off heat, stir in Parmesan and basil. Serve, drizzled with extra oil and passing extra Parmesan separately.
  • 2 tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil
    plus extra for drizzling
  • 4 ounces Ditalini
  • 2 ounces Parmesan Cheese
    grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving
  • 0.5 cup Finely Chopped Fresh Basil
TO MAKE AHEAD: At end of step 3, let soup cool completely. Refrigerate soup for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Let frozen soup thaw completely in refrigerator before reheating. To serve, bring soup to boil and continue with step four.