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Hearty Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe

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4.2 from 3 reviews

This hearty and comforting Pasta Fagioli recipe combines tender ditalini pasta, creamy cannellini beans, and a flavorful tomato-based broth packed with aromatic herbs and vegetables. Perfect for a cozy meal, it’s easy to prepare on the stovetop with optional methods for Instant Pot or crockpot cooking. The recipe emphasizes undercooking the pasta to prevent mushiness and maximize texture and flavor.

Ingredients

Vegetables & Aromatics

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 cup quartered carrots

Beans & Pasta

  • 2 (15 oz) cans cooked cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup dry ditalini pasta

Liquids & Sauces

  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 cups water

Herbs & Spices

  • 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

  1. Heat Olive Oil: In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.
  2. Sauté Vegetables: Add diced onion, minced garlic, and quartered carrots. Sauté for 5 minutes or until onions become translucent and the carrots soften slightly.
  3. Add Beans and Seasonings: Stir in the rinsed cannellini beans, tomato sauce, dried basil, parsley, oregano, black pepper, red pepper flakes, vegetable broth, water, and bay leaf. Combine everything well.
  4. Bring Soup to Boil: Cover the pot and increase heat to high. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. It will take about 10 minutes to reach a boil.
  5. Simmer and Add Pasta: Once boiling, remove the lid and reduce heat to medium. Add dry ditalini pasta and stir. Cook the pasta for half of the recommended package time to ensure it remains slightly undercooked.
  6. Finish Cooking: Discard the bay leaf. Serve the soup warm, allowing the pasta to continue softening slightly in the broth.
  7. Instant Pot Option (Not Recommended): Using sauté mode, heat olive oil and sauté onions, garlic, and carrots for 5 minutes. Add pasta, beans, seasonings, vegetable broth, water, and tomatoes (do not stir). Seal and cook at high pressure for 2 minutes. Quick release pressure, discard bay leaf, and serve. To avoid overcooked pasta, consider cooking pasta separately.
  8. Crockpot Option (Not Recommended): Sauté onions, garlic, and carrots in olive oil on the stovetop until softened. Transfer to crockpot. Add tomato sauce, beans, herbs, broth, and water (no pasta). Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add pasta during the last hour, stirring to combine. Discard bay leaf before serving. Pasta should remain slightly undercooked to prevent mushiness.

Notes

  • Under-cook the pasta to prevent it from becoming mushy as it will continue to soften in the soup.
  • This recipe is best made on the stovetop to maintain ideal pasta texture.
  • If using Instant Pot or crockpot, cook pasta separately or only add towards the end to avoid overcooking.
  • Feel free to add extra broth or water if the soup thickens too much.
  • Discard the bay leaf before serving for optimal flavor.
  • Fresh herbs can be substituted for dried if preferred, but adjust quantity accordingly.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/hearty-pasta-e-fagioli-soup-recipe/