Pasta Fagioli
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Teeming with vegetables, beans, and pasta, hearty pasta fagioli soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly night.
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski (Chronicle Books, 2018)
Pasta Fagioli, literally meaning “pasta and beans” (and pronounced “pasta fa-jo-lee” or “pasta fa-zhool,” depending on the region) is a quintessential Italian comfort food, perfect for those chilly nights that call for something cozy and hearty. This particular version, adapted from Joe Cicala, executive chef at Cicala in Philadelphia, and featured in The Washington Post, is truly the best I’ve tried.
The soup begins with a flavorful mix of pancetta and vegetables, simmered in wine and broth, and finishes with pasta and beans. But what really makes the soup special is the way the broth is enriched: a portion of the soup is puréed and stirred back in, lending a satisfying texture and a depth of flavor that makes the soup a meal in itself. Serve it with focaccia and a big Italian salad, and you’ve got a meal that will warm you up and make you happy.
Table of Contents
“AMAZING!! This was an absolute gem of a soup to make, with very rich and complex flavors. Loved the thickening trick as well! I am Italian and have had many versions of pasta fagioli, but this one is my favorite.”
What You’ll Need to Make Pasta Fagioli
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing vegetables, adding a subtle, fruity undertone to the soup’s base.
- Pancetta: Italian cured pork belly, similar to American bacon but not smoked, adds a rich, savory flavor. Available pre-diced near the deli section or at the deli counter for convenience.
- Onion, Carrots, Celery, Garlic: This classic vegetable mix creates a flavorful foundation for the soup, offering sweetness, aroma, and depth.
- White Wine: Adds a hint of acidity and complexity to the soup. Choose an inexpensive bottle that’s still good enough to drink.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base of the soup, contributing both richness and depth.
- Cannellini Beans or Chickpeas (or a Combination): These legumes bring heartiness, texture, and protein to the dish.
- Dried Lentils: Add nutritional value, earthy flavor, and heartiness to the soup. French green lentils (lentilles du Puy) are preferred for their ability to hold their shape, but any brown or green lentils will work.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: Provide acidity and brightness, balancing the soup’s rich flavors.
- Bay Leaves and Fresh Rosemary: These herbs infuse the soup with aromatic and herbal notes.
- Pasta: Small pasta like elbow macaroni, ditalini, or orzo makes the soup more substantial.
- Parmigiano-Reggiano: This cheese lends a nutty, salty flavor to the soup.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by heating the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large pot, then add the pancetta.
Cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions, carrots, and celery.
Cook until the onions become translucent, then add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Pour in the wine and cook until almost evaporated.
Next, add the broth, salt, pepper, beans lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves and rosemary, and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you used. Use a ladle to transfer about one cup of the beans and a little broth to a blender. Remove the center knob so steam can escape. Hold a paper towel or kitchen towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Purée until smooth and set aside.
Meanwhile, add the dried pasta to the simmering broth.
Cook until the pasta is tender, then add the reserved purée back to the pot. The broth will be slightly thickened from both the pasta starch and the purée.
If the soup seems too thick, thin it with a bit of water. Stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it’s best to do so before adding the pasta, as pasta can become mushy when frozen and then thawed. Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. (The beans may have soaked up some of the broth while frozen, so add more broth to thin out the soup, if necessary.)
Yes, you can make this soup vegetarian by substituting the chicken broth with vegetable broth and omitting the pancetta. To maintain the savory depth of flavor in the vegetarian version, consider adding a Parmigiano Reggiano rind while the soup simmers. The rind imparts a rich, umami flavor that enhances the broth beautifully.
This soup will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. However, keep in mind that the pasta and beans will continue to absorb the broth over time, so they may become softer and the soup thicker. If you don’t plan on serving the soup immediately, I recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual servings.
Video Tutorial
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Pasta Fagioli
Teeming with vegetables, beans, and pasta, hearty pasta fagioli soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly night.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 medium ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 6 cups chicken broth
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans cannellini beans or chickpeas (or a combination), drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup dried lentils, rinsed (preferably French green lentils, but any green or brown lentils are fine)
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, with their juices
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- ¾ cup pasta, such as elbow macaroni or ditalini
- ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat. Add the pancetta and cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, carrots and celery and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the onions become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the wine and cook until it has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, salt, pepper, beans, lentils, tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of lentils you used.
- Use a ladle to transfer about 1 cup of the beans and veggies and a little liquid to a blender. Remove the center knob so steam can escape. Hold a paper towel or kitchen towel over the opening to prevent splatters. Purée until smooth and set aside.
- Add the pasta to the pot and stir to incorporate. Turn the heat up to a gentle boil and cook until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the type of pasta you used (follow timing on the package). The soup will thicken a bit by the time the pasta is cooked. Fish out and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir the reserved puréed mixture into the soup. (If you're having a hard time getting the mixture out of the blender, remove as much as you can with a rubber spatula, then add some of the hot soup broth to the blender and swirl around to loosen it up; it should come right out.) Cook briefly, until the soup is heated through.
- Remove the soup from heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano. If the soup seems too thick, gradually add 1 to 2 cups of water or chicken broth and thin to the desired consistency (the longer the soup sits on the stove, the thicker it will get). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with more cheese, if desired. Note that as the finished soup sits on the stove, the pasta and beans will continue to soak up the broth. If it gets too thick, you can thin it with a bit of broth or water.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. However, keep in mind that the pasta and beans will continue to absorb the broth over time, so they may become softer and the soup thicker. If you don't plan on serving the soup immediately, I recommend cooking the pasta separately and adding it to individual servings. The soup can also be frozen, without the pasta, for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering, add the pasta, and cook until the pasta is tender. (The beans may have soaked up some of the broth while refrigerated or frozen, so add more broth to thin out the soup, if desired.)
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Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Serving size: About 2 cups
- Calories: 691
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 81g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 17g
- Protein: 36g
- Sodium: 1214mg
- Cholesterol: 26mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Made this today…..this was excellent!! Loved it. Thanks!
Delish!!! Made with turkey bacon and turn out great. Super easy too!
I love that this recipe uses canned beans!
This was a very hearty soup. I loved the flavors and pancetta added great flavor. Once again another great recipe. I love your website.
Great recipe for Sunday nights and leftovers for weekday lunches. Can’t wait to prepare it this weekend!
Delicious soup! Have made it several times and it comes together easily and tastes great. Could easily be made vegetarian by omitting pancetta and sautéing vegetables only. Love the heartiness that adding lentils brings; I usually add more than amount indicated and enjoy a thicker stew-like consistency or simply add more chicken broth to compensate. Thank you, Jenn, for your wonderful recipes! This is my first and favorite website search when I’m looking to try something new!
This is one of my favorite recipes from your website (and that is saying something as all of the ones I have tried are really good)! I have made this recipe many times and recently made it for my parents. They loved it! My mom is Italian and gave it the thumbs up! She wanted me to make it again. Thanks for all of your great recipes!
Great soup! My daughter the foodie said this is the best soup I have ever made. I also made your blueberry muffins today and they were great! Thanks for sharing your expertise…I am definitely adding your website to my favorites
I made this soup today–substituted prosciutto for pancetta (because that’s what I found at the store) and used gluten-free elbow macaroni. This soup is delicious–very hearty with a great flavor of Tuscany! I’ll definitely make this one again. Thank you, Jenn.
I made this soup recently and it was excellent. My husband recently went gluten free, so I skipped the pasta & made wild rice separately in chicken stock & just ladled the soup over a bit of rice in the bowl. My husband says it reminds him of navy bean soup Italian style. I used cannellini & garbanzo beans. Will definitely make again. Also, I did not puree a portion at the end & used bacon instead of pancetta, because that’s what I had on hand.