Pasta e Fagioli

I was lucky enough to eat it for the first time in Italy, and it was so good—I wanted to lick the bowl clean after finishing the last spoonful! I’ve tweaked my homemade version over the years, combining techniques from traditional Italian and Americanized versions, finally arriving at a soup that’s easy to prepare, insanely nostalgic, and is a ridiculously comforting dinner recipe.

All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.

Budget-Friendly Pasta e Fagioli Soup

This Italian staple is a hearty soup that many of us may recognize from the menu at Olive Garden.

My homemade recipe skips the ground beef and feels indulgent thanks to a whisper of bacon and a handful of pasta—but since the soup is mostly vegetables and beans, it’s a dinner worthy of a second helping (without a second thought!) Most recipes use pancetta as the pork element.

But since it’s harder to find in most U.S. grocery stores and tends to be more pricey, I opted for bacon. It still adds the same smoky, salty flavor we’re looking for.

“Great recipe! I followed the instructions exactly and it came out excellent — super creamy and flavorful.

Next time I might do half parm half nutritional yeast, to mix it up a little bit!”

Nutrition Information

How to Make Pasta E Fagioli – Step by Step Photos Chop 4 oz. bacon into smaller pieces and add them to a large pot with 1 Tbsp olive oil.

Fry on medium heat until the bacon is brown and crispy (around 10 minutes). While the bacon is frying, finely dice 1 onion, 2 carrots, and 3 stalks celery. Remove half of the cooked bacon from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Leave behind the rest of the meat and any rendered fat in the pot. Add the finely diced onions, carrots, celery, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper to the pot.

Saute the vegetables on medium-high heat until they are softened (around 6 minutes). Add a 15 oz. can of white beans (drained and rinsed), a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes (with juices), 1 1/2 cups of water, and 2 cups of vegetable broth to the pot. Stir everything to combine, then bring the soup up to a boil.

Once boiling, let it cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened. Add 1 cup of ditalini to the soup and cook, uncovered, according to the package directions (approx. 7 minutes), stirring frequently to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Skip this step if you plan to keep leftovers or freeze this soup for later. Instead, cook the pasta in a separate pot according to package directions. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.

If the broth has reduced too much (the pasta will absorb a lot of the flavorful broth as it cooks), add another ½ cup of water, taste it, and adjust the seasonings again if needed. Serve in bowls topped with the reserved bacon, any left over chopped parsley, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh-cracked black pepper, and a side of warm, crusty bread. This easy soup recipe is the only comfort food you need this winter!

Buon appetito!

Time Saving Tips

This recipe is already a pretty quick and easy to make, but if I can save you even more time, I’m all for it. Here are some weeknight shortcuts to help you make this recipe in just 30 minutes:

• Skip the herbs, spices, oil, and crushed tomatoes, and grab a jar of pre-made marinara or another tomato-based pasta sauce. (Since most store-bought sauces are sold in 24-25 oz. jars, you can make up the remaining 3-4oz of liquid called for in the recipe with an equal amount of water or broth.) Or, if you have any homemade marinara in your freezer, use that!
• Use a Mirepoix-Style frozen vegetable blend to cut down on prep time.

Did you Know? Pasta e Fagioli (pronounced “paa·stuh ee faa·jow·lee”) simply means “pasta and beans” in Italian.

More often, though, the dish is referred to as “Pasta Fagioli” (without the e) or “Pasta Fazool” in Italian-American slang.

Minestrone Soup vs Pasta Fagioli

Both minestrone and pasta fagioli are classic Italian soups with pasta and beans in their ingredients. Traditionally, minestrone includes a medley of vegetables and a thinner broth, while pasta e fagioli combines pasta and beans with a thicker, heartier broth.

Minestrone also doesn’t usually contain meat, while pasta fagioli can include ground beef or pancetta (or bacon, as in this recipe!) Both are delicious, but if you’re in the mood for a slightly more filling soup, then pasta e fagioli is the way to go.

Serving Suggestions

Pasta e fagioli is best topped with lots of chopped parsley, fresh-cracked black pepper, and Parmesan cheese.

Round out the meal with a Simple Side Salad and, most importantly, some bread to help soak up every drop! It doesn’t matter what kind — anything from super-simple Homemade Garlic Bread, a from-scratch bread recipe like our No-Knead Focaccia, Ciabatta, or Easy Soda Bread to a store-bought loaf — just make sure to serve it with bread!