Pasta E Fagioli Soup

What Makes This Pasta e Fagioli So Good

• Parmesan rind is the secret ingredient! It slowly melts into the broth as the soup simmers, adding a deep, savory richness you simply can’t replicate any other way. Don’t skip it!
• Every detail is intentional. I always take extra time developing my recipes, and this soup went through many rounds of testing before landing on what works best. From ingredient selection, to drawing out the most flavor from each one, to keeping the best texture, every step is done with care and intention.
• The right beans matter. Great northern white beans are smaller and more delicate, so they hold their shape without turning mushy. These beans would be great in my Tuscan white bean soup too.
• Pasta cooked separately keeps it perfect. Pasta soaks up broth fast and hard to store in the soup. To prevent pasta from getting mushy and soaking all liquids when stored, cook the ditalini in its own pot and add it bowl by bowl.

Key Ingredient Notes and Substations

• Dry great northern beans: I prefer great northern beans here because they are smaller and more delicate, holding their shape beautifully without turning mushy. Soak them overnight in salted water before cooking.
  • You can substitute two 15 oz cans of drained white beans for a faster version.
• Fire roasted crushed tomatoes: One of the two flavor secrets in this soup. The smoky, charred sweetness adds depth that regular crushed tomatoes just can’t match.
• A proper soffritto foundation. Onion, carrot, and celery sweated and then browned before anything else goes in. That’s where the depth comes from.
• Parmesan cheese rind: The other secret ingredient. Save your rinds in the freezer whenever you finish a block of Parmesan, they are liquid gold in soups. It melts slowly into the broth and adds a deep, savory richness you can’t replicate any other way. Discard before serving OR chop it up and use in soups. Many people note that it’s really tasty!
• Stock: Vegetable or chicken stock both work well. Use a good quality or homemade chicken stock since it makes up most of the broth.
• Ditalini pasta: Small tube-shaped pasta is the traditional choice. Any small pasta like elbow macaroni or small shells will work. Do cook it separately so it doesn’t soak up all the broth.

Why Cook Pasta Separate?

• I often refer to pasta as a “sponge” ingredient. It will soak up all the liquid in soup, sauce, and pasta salads. Any time I make a big batch of soup that I know we will not eat right away, I always cook pasta separate. If you cook pasta in the soup and leave it in the fridge for a prolonged period of time, it will soak up all the broth. That’s why I recommend cooking pasta separately and adding it when you’re ready to serve the soup. 
• If you will be eating the whole batch of soup right away, you can cook pasta right in the soup. Just add another cup or so of broth when preparing soup. 

How to Make Pasta e Fagioli: Expert Tips

Soak your beans overnight. Add your dry beans to a bowl, cover with 2 inches of water above the beans, mix in salt, and let them soak for 6-8 hours (or overnight). This cuts down on cook time and gives you the best texture. If you forget, just add an extra couple of hours of cook time and a little more stock.

Brown your soffritto, don’t just soften it. It’s a one pot soup, so it’s built in the same pot, in stages. Start to sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until they are completely tender, translucent, and start to get golden brown. Move veggies aside and add garlic to sauté just until fragrant and starts to brown. Don’t brown garlic too much or it can easily burn without supervision.

Build the broth. Add in your canned tomatoes, broth, seasoning, and beans all into the pot. Make sure to taste to make sure you have enough salt!

Don’t skip the Parmesan rind. Drop it in when you add your stock and let it simmer the whole time. It quietly builds richness into the broth as the soup cooks. By the time the soup is done, the rind will be soft and swollen. Discard the bay leaves but you can choose to discard the parmesan rind of chop it up and serve with soup (reader tip!).

Simmer low and slow. Once everything is in the pot, turn the heat to low and cover with a small opening for steam to escape. The soup is ready when the beans are completely tender and the broth smells deeply savory and fragrant, about 3 hours. Stir occasionally and scrape the bottom of the pot.

Add pasta to individual bowls. Ladle the soup first, then add a scoop of cooked ditalini to each bowl at serving time.

Pasta E Fagioli Variations

• Add meat. Pancetta or Italian sausage both work beautifully here. Brown either one first before you build your soffritto, and let the fat render into the base for extra flavor.
• Use canned beans. Swap the dry beans for two 15 oz cans of drained great northern or cannellini beans. Your cook time drops to about an hour.
• Make it spicy. Add a generous pinch of red pepper flakes when you sauté the garlic. Start small and taste as you go.
• Swap the beans. Cannellini beans are a great alternative to great northern. They’re slightly larger and creamier but work just as well in this soup.
• Add spinach. You can add chopped up fresh spinach during the last 5 minutes of cook time. Kale or Swiss chard is another option for adding leafy greens.
• Gluten free. Use gluten free pasta if needed, rest of ingredients should be safe.

What to Serve with Pasta e Fagioli Soup?

This soup is hearty enough to be a full meal on its own, but a little something on the side takes it to the next level.

• For the full Italian experience, serve it with my homemade Parmesan garlic and herb breadsticks. They are perfect for soaking up every last drop of that rich broth.
• A crisp homemade Caesar salad is a classic pairing and balances the heartiness of the soup beautifully.
• For a lighter starter, my bruschetta recipe is a fresh, bright contrast to the deep, savory flavors of the soup.
• A simple side of crusty bread and good olive oil for dipping is always a welcome addition.

Freezing Pasta e Fagioli Soup

• Yes! This soup freezes beautifully for up to 2-3 months. The key is to freeze it without pasta since pasta turns mushy after freezing and thawing.
• Make the full batch of soup, let it cool completely, then portion and freeze.
• When you’re ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat on the stovetop, and cook a fresh batch of pasta to add to your bowls.

Pasta e Fagioli Soup Recipe FAQs

More Soup Recipes To Try

• Olive Garden Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Cacio e Pepe (Pasta in Black Pepper Parmesan Sauce)
• Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup
• Italian Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe
• White Bean Soup Recipe
• Vegetable Soup Recipe

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Originally Published on Will Cook For Smiles January 27, 2012.