Yummy Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe (Pasta and Bean Soup)

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This pasta fagioli soup recipe is a thick, stew-like Italian soup of small pasta and white beans simmered in a tomato broth on the stovetop. It's vegetarian, cheap to put together, and gets its creamy body from a scoop of pureed beans instead of cream or cheese.

I make this pasta fagioli recipe in one pot on a chilly evening, and it feeds a crowd with very little fuss. If you enjoyed my 31 Winter Soups And Stews, this bowl belongs in the same rotation. Keep reading to see how the pot comes together step by step.

Try This Stovetop Pasta e Fagioli

If you can't get enough of Olive Garden's warm, filling soup, you will love this soup because everything happens in one heavy pot, perfect for December, January, and February! The vegetables soften in olive oil, the tomatoes and stock go in, and the pasta cooks right in the broth so it picks up all the flavor.

My favorite trick is blending about a third of the beans with a cup of the hot broth and stirring it back in. That one step turns a thin soup into something thick and creamy without any dairy.

Why You'll Love It

One pot: Vegetables, beans, and pasta all cook in the same pot, so there is very little washing up.
Pantry friendly: Canned beans, canned tomatoes, dried pasta, and a few vegetables are all you need for this ultimate comfort food.
Creamy without cream: Pureed beans give the broth body, so the soup is rich but still light.
Feeds eight: It stretches a small amount of pasta into dinner for a big table.
Vegan friendly: Nothing in the pot comes from an animal, so it suits most guests.

Ingredients

Onion, carrots, and celery: Chopped small and cooked slowly in the olive oil, they build the savory base the broth is made of. Skipping the celery is the most common shortcut, and the soup loses the background flavor that makes it taste slow-cooked.
Elbow macaroni: Small shapes cook evenly in the broth and fit on a spoon with the beans. Long pasta such as spaghetti clumps together while it cooks in a thick soup.
Cannellini beans: Canned white beans are soft enough to blend smoothly and firm enough to hold their shape in the pot. Kidney beans work in a pinch, though their skins are tougher and the blended puree comes out grainy and pink.
Crushed tomatoes: They melt into the broth in minutes and give it colour and gentle acidity. Diced tomatoes tend to stay in firm cubes instead of thickening the soup, and tomato sauce doesn't give the same taste.
Tuscan kale: The dark leaves soften in the simmering broth without turning to mush or going slimy. Spinach can go in instead, but it collapses almost immediately and disappears into the pot.
Lemon juice: A tablespoon stirred in at the end lifts the beans and tomatoes so the soup does not taste heavy. Vinegar is sharper and pushes the flavor toward pickled rather than fresh.

How to Make Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe

1. Chop the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and kale before you turn on the heat. This soup moves quickly once the pot is hot, so have everything ready.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with the teaspoon of salt, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring a few times, until the vegetables have softened.

onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and kale chopped and onion, carrots, and celery added to a deep pot with olive oil

3. Add the garlic, black pepper, chili flakes, and Italian mixed herbs. Stir for about 1 minute, just until you can smell the garlic, and don't let it brown.

4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, so they lose their raw edge and darken slightly.

5. Add the roasted red pepper strips, the chopped kale, and most of the beans, holding back about a third of the beans in a bowl for later.

6. Pour in the vegetable stock and the 3 cups of water. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon so nothing is stuck, then bring everything to a boil.

roasted red pepper strips, the chopped kale, and most of the beans added and bottom of pot scraped with a wooden spoon

7. Reduce the heat to a steady simmer and cover the pot partially. Let it cook for 10 minutes so the flavors come together and the kale turns tender.

8. Stir in the elbow macaroni and raise the heat slightly to keep a lively simmer. Cook uncovered for the time on the pasta package, usually 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often so the pasta doesn't settle and stick to the bottom.

9. While the pasta cooks, ladle about a cup of the hot broth into a jug or bowl. Add the reserved beans and blend until completely smooth with an immersion blender, or a regular blender with the lid vented.

10. Pour the bean puree back into the pot and stir it through. Simmer for another minute or two, and the soup will thicken noticeably.

hot broth removed from the soup and bean puree added back to the pot

11. Taste the pasta; it should be tender with a slight bite. Give it another minute or two if it isn't there yet, and add a splash of water if the pot looks too thick.

12. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the lemon juice and most of the chopped parsley. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust.

13. Let the soup stand for about 5 minutes so it settles and thickens, then ladle into bowls and top with the remaining parsley and some parmesan cheese if you like.

Cooking Tips

Use a wide, heavy pot so the vegetables cook evenly and the pasta has room to move.
Chop the onion, carrots, and celery small so they soften in the time given.
Cook the tomatoes for a couple of minutes before adding liquid, which takes away their tinny taste.
Stir the pot often once the pasta goes in because starch settles and scorches on the bottom.
Hold back a third of the beans before the liquid goes in so you have some to blend later.
Add water a little at a time if the soup thickens more than you like; the pasta keeps drinking it up.
Stir the lemon juice in off the heat so it tastes fresh rather than cooked.

What Can You Serve With This?

pasta fagioli soup recipe serving suggestions

Crusty bread
Garlic bread
Green salad
Grated Parmesan
Herb croutons
Roasted broccoli or other veggies

FAQs

Why is my pasta e fagioli so thick the next day?

The pasta keeps absorbing broth in the fridge, so the soup sets almost like a stew. Stir in a splash of water or stock while reheating, and it loosens right back up.

Can I cook the pasta separately?

Yes, and it helps if you want leftovers to stay firm. Boil it in salted water, drain, and stir it in just before serving, though you lose some of the starch that thickens the broth.

Do I have to blend some of the beans?

No, the soup is still good without it. Blending a third of the beans with a cup of broth is what makes it creamy without any cream, so I never skip it.

Can I use dried beans instead of canned?

You can, but cook them fully first. Simmer soaked beans for about an hour until tender, then measure out roughly 3 cups and use them as you would the canned beans.