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Pasta E Fagioli Soup in a bowl
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Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Classic Italian Bean & Pasta Soup)

Pasta E Fagioli Soup. This is the best recipe I've ever had for this soup. It's thick, rich, and beyond delicious!
Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bean soup recipes, Italian soup recipes, pasta soup recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 609kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
  • 2 ounces diced pancetta
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
  • 1 rib celery diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 Parmesan rind about 2 ounces
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
  • 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon Better Than Bouillon chicken
  • 2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (mash 1/2 cup separately)
  • 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 6 ounces small pasta ditalini, elbows, or shells
  • fine salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper or to taste
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
  • 1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • fresh parsley finely chopped, for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Render the pancetta. Heat olive oil (3 tablespoons) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add pancetta (2 ounces) and cook until the fat renders and the pieces are golden and crisp, about 5–7 minutes. Spoon off excess fat if needed, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pot.
  • Build the soffritto. Add onion (1), carrots (2), and celery (1 rib). Season lightly with salt and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft and lightly golden, about 6–8 minutes. Add garlic (1 tablespoon) and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
  • Deglaze. Pour in the white wine (1/2 cup), scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, until reduced by about half.
  • Caramelize the tomato paste. Stir in tomato paste (2 tablespoons) and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
  • Add tomatoes, broth, and aromatics. Add crushed tomatoes (1 can), bay leaves (2), rosemary (1 sprig), thyme (2 sprigs), Parmesan rind (1), and red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon) (if using). In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk the Better Than Bouillon (1 tablespoon) into a splash of the chicken broth until smooth, then add it to the pot along with the remaining chicken broth (8 cups). Bring to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
  • Add beans and thicken. Mash 1/2 cup cannellini beans with a ladle of hot broth until smooth. Stir the mashed beans, remaining cannellini beans, and kidney beans (1 can) into the soup. Simmer for another 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Season the broth before the pasta. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (this helps season the pasta as it cooks). Simmer 1 minute, then taste—remember you’ll add Parmesan later, so keep it lightly seasoned for now.
  • Cook the pasta. Stir in pasta (6 ounces) and simmer until just tender, 8–10 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
  • Finish and rest. Remove and discard bay leaves, herb stems, and Parmesan rind. Remove from heat and let the soup rest for 10 minutes to settle and thicken naturally.
  • Final seasoning. Stir in Parmesan cheese (1 cup). Season it with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add red wine vinegar, starting with 1 teaspoon, to brighten and balance.
  • Serve. Ladle into bowls and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, extra Parmesan, chopped parsley, and black pepper.

Notes

  1. Don’t rush the soffritto. Let the onion, carrot, and celery cook until soft and lightly golden — those extra minutes build sweetness and depth that carry through the whole pot.
  2. Whisk the BTB smooth first. Stir the Better Than Bouillon into a splash of warm broth before adding it to the pot so it dissolves evenly (no salty clumps).
  3. Mash some beans for natural thickness. That ½ cup of mashed cannellini releases starch and gives you a hearty, lightly creamy broth without cream or flour — classic Pasta e Fagioli texture.
  4. Season before the pasta goes in. Pasta absorbs broth as it cooks, so lightly salting the soup right before adding pasta helps prevent bland noodles later. (You’ll fine-tune at the end after Parmesan.)
  5. Stop cooking the pasta at “just tender.” Pull it as soon as it’s al dente — it will keep softening as the soup rests.
  6. Let the soup rest 10 minutes. This gives the broth time to settle and thicken naturally, and the flavors taste more balanced.
  7. Brighten at the end (don’t skip the vinegar). A small splash of red wine vinegar wakes up the tomatoes + beans and keeps the soup from tasting flat, especially on day two.
  8. Leftovers will thicken — that’s normal. Beans and pasta keep soaking up broth overnight. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water until it’s back to your perfect consistency.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 609kcal | Carbohydrates: 79g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 903mg | Potassium: 1647mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3854IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 8mg