Description
Pasta Fagioli is a hearty Italian soup featuring cannellini beans, ditalini pasta, and a medley of savory herbs simmered in a tomato and vegetable broth. Perfect as a comforting main dish or lunch, this recipe offers rich flavors and wholesome ingredients, made best on the stovetop to ensure perfectly cooked pasta and a satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 cup diced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup quartered carrots
Liquids and Sauces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
Beans and Pasta
- 2 15 oz cans cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat Oil and Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot over medium heat, warm the extra virgin olive oil. Add diced onions, minced garlic, and quartered carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions become translucent and the carrots soften.
- Add Beans, Tomato Sauce, and Seasonings: Stir in the rinsed and drained cannellini beans, tomato sauce, dried basil, dried parsley, dried oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, vegetable broth, water, and the dried bay leaf. Mix everything together thoroughly.
- Bring Soup to a Boil: Cover the pot and increase the heat to high. Allow the soup to come to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Simmer and Add Pasta: Once boiling, remove the lid and reduce heat to medium. Stir in the dry ditalini pasta and cook uncovered for approximately half the cooking time indicated on the pasta package to ensure the pasta remains undercooked.
- Finish and Serve: Remove and discard the bay leaf. Serve the soup hot, enjoying the tender pasta and flavorful broth.
Notes
- Prep vegetables ahead of time and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours to save cooking time. Using a food processor can speed up chopping carrots, onions, and garlic.
- Use low sodium canned beans and rinse them well to reduce excess salt.
- For enhanced flavor, add a parmesan cheese rind to the soup while cooking, removing it before serving.
- Cooking on the stovetop is recommended as the pasta can easily overcook in the Instant Pot or crockpot methods.
- If using a crockpot or Instant Pot, consider cooking pasta separately and adding it later to prevent overcooking.
- If the soup becomes too thick, feel free to add extra vegetable broth or water to reach desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
