A Simple Nourishing Soup Made with Pantry Staples
This classic pasta e fagioli recipe is a cozy, one-pot pasta and beans dish made with simple pantry staples and ready in about 30–40 minutes 🍲. It’s hearty, budget-friendly, and perfect when you want something warm and filling without spending hours in the kitchen.
Here in our hilltop town in Umbria, Italy, this Italian bean soup is the kind of meal everyone loves. Louise and I make it often on quiet evenings, when we want real comfort food that still feels light and balanced 🌿. Beans, vegetables, olive oil, and pasta come together in a humble way that feels comforting and very Italian.
This soup is fiber-rich and protein-rich, naturally low in saturated fats, and a pillar of the Mediterranean diet 🥣. It also keeps very well, tastes delicious the next day, and reheats easily on the stove or in the microwave. Simple, cozy, and full of flavor, it’s the kind of healthy Italian soup you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Extra virgin olive oil: adds flavor and richness. Substitute regular olive oil or avocado oil.
- Onion: builds a sweet, savory base. Substitute shallots or leeks.
- Carrot: adds natural sweetness and color. Substitute more celery or a small zucchini.
- Celery: gives depth and balance. Substitute fennel or skip if needed.
- Garlic: adds bold flavor. Substitute garlic powder in a pinch.
- Sage: a classic herb in traditional pasta e fagioli that adds a gentle, earthy flavor. You can use dried sage or fresh sage leaves. Substitute thyme, oregano, Italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence.
- Rosemary: adds a warm, cozy aroma and depth to the soup. Fresh or dried rosemary both work well. Substitute Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, thyme, or a small pinch of oregano.
- Bay leaves: give the soup a slow-cooked, cozy flavor. Use dried or fresh bay leaves. Substitute thyme, a small pinch of Italian seasoning, or simply leave them out if you don’t have any.
- Tomato paste: adds richness and color. Substitute crushed tomatoes, simmered a little longer.
- Beans: kidney, pinto, or borlotti work best for pasta e fagioli soup. You can use canned beans or dried beans cooked at home. Substitute cannellini beans or chickpeas.
- Vegetable broth: keeps this a classic Italian soup recipe. Substitute water with a pinch of salt.
- Crushed tomatoes: add gentle acidity. Substitute diced tomatoes.
- Small pasta: ditalini is traditional. Substitute orzo, small shells, or gluten-free pasta.
How to Make Pasta e Fagioli
Step 1: Build the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring now and then, until the veggies start to soften.
Add the grated garlic, sage, rosemary, bay leaves, and tomato paste. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes so the tomato paste turns a little darker and smells sweet and toasty.
Step 2: Simmer the soup
Add the drained beans, vegetable broth, and crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. If you like a creamier soup, blend a small part of it right in the pot with an immersion blender. This is an easy trick that makes homemade pasta e fagioli taste extra rich.
Step 3: Cook the pasta in the pot
Stir in the pasta and keep simmering for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Stir often so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom. If the soup gets too thick, add a splash more broth. This is an easy pasta e fagioli recipe, and you can make it as brothy or as thick as you like.
Step 4: Serve and enjoy
Turn off the heat and taste one last time. Add more salt, pepper, or a pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat. Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil. Parmesan on top is optional.
Tips
- Start with a gentle heat, not high. In Italian cooking, vegetables are softened slowly so they become sweet, not browned.
- Let the soffritto melt. Onion, carrot, and celery should look soft and shiny, almost creamy, before moving on. This is the heart of the soup.
- Toast the tomato paste until it turns brick red. If it still looks bright, it’s not ready. This step gives depth without adding more tomatoes.
- Use two textures of beans. Keep most whole, but blend a small scoop into the broth. This is how many Italian nonnas make the soup naturally creamy.
- Cook the pasta directly in the soup so it absorbs flavor, not just water. Stir often and stay nearby.
- Let it rest off the heat for 5–10 minutes before serving. Italian soups always settle and improve with a short rest.
- Finish with raw extra virgin olive oil, never cooked. A drizzle at the end adds aroma and richness you can taste.
- Season in layers, not all at once. Add a little salt early, then adjust at the end when flavors are fully developed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. This homemade pasta e fagioli actually tastes better the next day as the flavors come together. Just add a splash of water or broth when reheating.
Will the pasta soak up too much liquid?
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
How thick should it be?
Can I freeze it?
What’s the best pot to use?
Easy Pasta e Fagioli Recipe
This easy pasta e fagioli recipe is a creamy, one-pot Italian bean soup made with pantry staples. It’s hearty, fiber-rich, budget-friendly, and perfect for a cozy, nourishing meal any night of the week.
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Total Time: 40 minutes mins
Servings: –+ people (up to 6)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Video
Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)
Instructions
- Cook the veggies: Heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a big pot over medium heat. Add 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 1 rib celery (all chopped or pulsed in a food processor). Stir and cook for about 3 minutes, until they start to soften.Add 2 cloves garlic (grated), 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon sage, 2 bay leaves, and 3 tablespoons tomato paste. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes, until it smells warm and a little sweet.
- Make it soupy: Add 2 cans beans (drained and rinsed), 5 cups vegetable broth, and 1 can crushed tomatoes. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer (small bubbles) and cook for 15 minutes.For a creamier soup, carefully blend a small part of the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender.
- Cook the pasta: Stir in 1½ cups ditalini pasta and simmer for 10–12 minutes, stirring often so it doesn’t stick. If the soup gets too thick, add a little more broth.
- Finish and serve: Turn off the heat and taste. Add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes if you like. Serve warm with a drizzle of olive oil and optional Parmesan on top.
Notes
Substitutions
- Extra virgin olive oil → Regular olive oil or avocado oil
- Onion → Shallots or leeks
- Carrot → Extra celery or a small zucchini
- Celery → Fennel or skip it
- Garlic → Garlic powder (in a pinch)
- Sage → Thyme, oregano, Italian seasoning, or herbs de Provence
- Rosemary → Italian seasoning, herbs de Provence, thyme, or a tiny pinch of oregano
- Bay leaves → Thyme, a small pinch of Italian seasoning, or leave out
- Tomato paste → Crushed tomatoes (simmer a little longer)
- Beans → Cannellini beans or chickpeas
- Vegetable broth → Water with a pinch of salt
- Crushed tomatoes → Diced tomatoes
- Small pasta → Orzo, small shells, or gluten-free pasta
Tips
- Keep the heat gentle – Soft cooking makes veggies sweet, not brown
- Let the soffritto melt – Onion, carrot, and celery should look soft, shiny, and creamy
- Toast the tomato paste well – It should turn brick red, not stay bright
- Use two bean textures – Leave most whole, blend a small scoop for creaminess
- Cook pasta in the soup – It soaks up flavor, so stir often and stay close
- Let the soup rest – 5–10 minutes off heat makes it taste better
- Finish with raw olive oil – Drizzle at the end for real flavor
- Season in layers – Add a little salt early, then adjust at the end
- Store pasta e fagioli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months, then reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.
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