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Traditional Italian Pasta e fagioli with bean, tomato and parmesan cheese.
The Staple Kitchen

Pasta e Fagioli

A hearty and traditional Italian soup featuring ditalini pasta and creamy beans in a savory tomato and herb broth. Perfect for a cozy family dinner.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
5 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g ditalini or rigatoni pasta or any small soup pasta
  • 2 cans total 800g Borlotti or Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 2 medium carrots finely diced
  • 2 stalks celery finely diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 50 g tomato paste
  • 1 L vegetable stock
  • 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary whole
  • 5 g salt adjust to taste
  • 2 g black pepper
  • 10 g fresh parsley chopped
  • 20 g Parmesan cheese grated (optional for serving)

Method
 

  1. Heat 30ml of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
  2. Add the diced yellow onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks to the pot. Sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.
    Mirepoix, onion, carrot, celery
  3. Stir in 2 cloves of minced garlic and 50g of tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and becomes fragrant.
    A saute pan of cooked carrots, celery and onions with tomato paste and veggie stock being added
  4. Add 800g of drained beans to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to slightly mash about 100g of the beans against the side of the pot to help thicken the soup later.
  5. Pour in 1L of vegetable stock and add the sprig of rosemary. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil.
  6. Add 200g of ditalini or rigatoni pasta along with 5g of salt and 2g of black pepper.
  7. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.
  8. Remove the rosemary sprig and take the pot off the heat.
  9. Stir in 10g of chopped fresh parsley.
    Chopped parsley on a wooden chopping board. greenery
  10. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the starch to set. Top each bowl with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.
    Traditional Italian Pasta e fagioli with bean, tomato and parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you find the soup becomes too thick as it sits, simply stir in a little bit of hot water or extra stock to reach your desired consistency. This dish is even better the next day! If you are vegan, you can easily omit the Parmesan cheese or swap it for a nutritional yeast sprinkle. I love serving this with a thick slice of crusty sourdough bread to soak up every last bit of the broth.
Hope you enjoy this cozy classic! :)