If you’re looking for a super cozy and hearty soup to get you through ’til spring, you’ve got to try this easy Pasta e Fagioli recipe. I was lucky enough to eat pasta e fagioli for the first time in Italy, and it was so good—I wanted to lick the bowl clean after finishing the last spoonful! I’ve tweaked my homemade version over the years, combining techniques from traditional Italian and Americanized versions, finally arriving at a soup that’s easy to prepare, insanely nostalgic, and is a ridiculously comforting dinner recipe.
What is Pasta e Fagioli Soup?
Pasta e Fagioli (pronounced “paa·stuh ee faa·jow·lee”) simply means “pasta and beans” in Italian. More often, though, the dish is referred to as “Pasta Fagioli” (without the e) or “Pasta Fazool” in Italian-American slang. This Italian staple is a hearty soup that many of us may recognize from the menu at Olive Garden. My homemade recipe skips the ground beef and feels indulgent thanks to a whisper of bacon and a handful of pasta—but since the soup is mostly vegetables and beans, it’s a dinner worthy of a second helping (without a second thought!)
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this pasta e fagioli ricetta (recipe):
- Bacon: Most recipes use pancetta as the pork element. But since it’s harder to find in most U.S. grocery stores and tends to be more pricey, I opted for bacon. It still adds the same smoky, salty flavor we’re looking for.
- Olive Oil: For cooking the bacon and sauteing the veggies.
- Vegetables: I use the classic onion, carrot, and celery combination found in many soup recipes.
- Garlic: Mince 4 gloves of garlic to infuse the tomato broth with flavor.
- Dried Herbs & Spices: Red pepper flakes add a subtle heat, and salt and pepper round out the other flavors. I also add some dried oregano, as it’s less overwhelming than rosemary (which is commonly found in pasta e fagioli) and is something I always have to hand.
- Cannelini Beans: Any white bean will work, but I love the creaminess of cannellini.
- Crushed Tomatoes: The base of our soup.
- Water: Adds just enough moisture to cook the pasta.
- Vegetable Broth: Adds flavor and depth to the broth. I use Better Than Bouillon, so you might need to add more salt to taste if you use a low-sodium vegetable broth.
- Ditalini: Any small pasta, like acini di pepe, will also work.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: I use grated Parmesan, the most cost-conscious option, but reaching for shredded Parmesan—or the real thing! —will take this soup to the next level.
- Flat-Leaf Italian Parsley: Mix in some chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
Minestrone Soup vs Pasta Fagioli
Both minestrone and pasta fagioli are classic Italian soups with pasta and beans in their ingredients. Traditionally, minestrone includes a medley of vegetables and a thinner broth, while pasta e fagioli combines pasta and beans with a thicker, heartier broth. Minestrone also doesn’t usually contain meat, while pasta fagioli can include ground beef or pancetta (or bacon, as in this recipe!) Both are delicious, but if you’re in the mood for a slightly more filling soup, then pasta e fagioli is the way to go.
Time Saving Tips
This recipe is already a pretty quick and easy to make, but if I can save you even more time, I’m all for it. Here are some weeknight shortcuts to help you make this recipe in just 30 minutes:
- Skip the herbs, spices, oil, and crushed tomatoes, and grab a jar of pre-made marinara or another tomato-based pasta sauce. (Since most store-bought sauces are sold in 24-25 oz. jars, you can make up the remaining 3-4oz of liquid called for in the recipe with an equal amount of water or broth.) Or, if you have any homemade marinara in your freezer, use that!
- Use a Mirepoix-Style frozen vegetable blend to cut down on prep time.
What To Serve With Pasta Fagioli
Pasta e fagioli is best topped with lots of chopped parsley, fresh-cracked black pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Round out the meal with a Simple Side Salad and, most importantly, some bread to help soak up every drop! It doesn’t matter what kind — anything from super-simple Homemade Garlic Bread, a from-scratch bread recipe like our No-Knead Focaccia, Ciabatta, or Easy Soda Bread to a store-bought loaf — just make sure to serve it with bread!
Pasta e Fagioli
Servings 6 servings, 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 4 oz. bacon ($1.20)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.13)
- 1 onion ($0.37)
- 2 carrots ($0.29)
- 3 stalks celery ($0.32)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.08)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ($0.04)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp pepper ($0.02)
- 1 15oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed ($0.89)
- 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes, with juices ($1.69)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups vegetable broth* ($0.24)
- 1 cup ditalini (uncooked)** ($0.39)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese ($0.36)
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf Italian parsley, roughly chopped ($0.35)
Instructions
- Chop the bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with the olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes).
- While the bacon is frying, finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery.
- Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot.
- Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the pot. Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes).
- Add the white beans, canned tomatoes (with juices), water, and vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.
- Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the pasta to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions, stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed.
- Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Pasta E Fagioli – Step by Step Photos
Chop 4 oz. bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes). While the bacon is frying, finely dice 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 3 stalks celery.
Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot. Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to the pot. Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes).
Add a 15 oz. can of white beans (drained and rinsed), a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (with juices), 1 1/2 cups of water, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.
Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
Add 1 cup of ditalini to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions (approx. 7 minutes), stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Skip this step if you plan to keep leftovers or freeze this soup for later. Instead, cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup chopped parsley. If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed.
Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread.
This easy soup recipe is the only comfort food you need this winter! Buon appetito!
Delicious hearty soup I’m loving these cold winter days! I made it without bacon and used some herbed chicken instead, and it still yielded delicious flavors. A little sweetness, just a bit of heat and goes perfectly with some sourdough bread. Will definitely make again!!
This was so good and easy! I added more bacon and a few more herbs and it was so tasty.
Is this meant to call for a 28oz can of diced tomatoes? I followed the recipe exactly with crushed tomatoes it ended up wayyy too thick & like tomato sauce instead of broth. I used Unico brand, maybe it’s thicker than other brands?
This recipe is amazing, we made it the other night and it was so tasty. Added extra noodles, otherwise no changes made. Will make again soon!
Delicious and filling! Can’t wait for supper tomorrow night now. We used the wedge of Parmesan that we had, because we always have that in the house. Also used elbow macaroni because that is what we had too.
This was spectacular. I doubled the cannellini beans and added more broth so I could feed a bigger group! I also added a parmesan rind during the simmering. Great Recipe, will make again. YUM.
forgot to leave a rating!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was SO good! The only change I made was using elbow macaroni because it’s what I had on hand. I’m definitely adding this to the regular rotation.
I’ve been using the recipe from the book (Budget Bytes) and it’s been a staple in my home for years. Can’t wait to try this version! ☺️
We use this recipe a ton but substitute ground Italian sausage for the bacon. My kids love it and eat it up! The noodles can definitely turn to mush if you freeze or keep it in the fridge very long, so if that’s your plan you almost need to undercook the noodles. But it’s still delicious even with mushy noodles!
Thank you, Marion! I like this recipe & look forward to using it
So good on this dreary night! I used canned Lima beans and it was a great substitute. We gobbled it and went back for seconds 🥰
This is one of my favourite soups, but never made it with bacon before. Thanks for the tip, this will make it even more delicious.
Love the clarity and simplicity of this delicious recipe. May I respectfully recommend updating the costs on this recipe (and perhaps others)? I feel that the costs are quite out-dated. Just one example: In my area (not a high cost-of-living area), bacon costs $4-6 per pound, which is nearly twice as much as this recipe would indicate.
Hi, B! Thanks for reaching out. I’m glad you like the recipe! This is a new recipe, and the prices are up-to-date based on the grocery store prices where our studio is located –in Nashville. I’m specifically referencing the cost of Kroger brand bacon, which, as of today, costs $4.79 for a 16 oz./1 lb. package. And since I am only calling for 4 oz (or 1/4 of the package) in this recipe, the bacon needed for this recipe costs roughly $1.20. ($4.79 / 4 = $1.1975)
This recipe happens to be new, but there are plenty on the site (published many years ago) that show prices much lower than current grocery store prices. Since we can’t update them all, we’ve created a step-by-step tutorial on how to re-calculate recipe costs yourself. Here’s the link: https://www.budgetbytes.com/how-to-calculate-recipe-costs/
I hope that helps! ~Marion :)
Pasta fazool! Made some two days ago before I saw this recipe. Mine was vegetarian and I used tubetti, which also worked fine. With the grated cheese, this is such a dish of comfort and warmth!
I Iove tomato flavor, but don’t like the texture of tomatoes. Would it be possible to purée the tomatoes?
Hi, Amanda! Totally understand! You could definitely puree the tomatoes or substitute the canned crushed tomatoes with a can of tomato puree that’s the same size! ~Marion :)