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Creamy Pasta Fagioli Soup needs little introduction! It’s one of those cozy, homemade recipes with simple ingredients, comforting texture and nostalgia overload. Satisfying, filling, nutritious and delicious, pasta fazool is also very easy and made in one pot!
Pasta Fazool is what mom often made on meatless Fridays or anytime we needed a meal quickly. I like to think of it as part of a category of Italian and Italian-American dishes that I refer to as “soupy pastas”. In fact, like Pasta with Peas, Pasta with Potatoes, Minestrone and Pasta with Chickpeas, it can be as liquid-y or as dry as you want, depending on your mood. It definitely straddles the line between “pasta” and “soup”.
Quite honestly, it’s one of the most simple, Italian comfort recipes that you can make.
Your favorite beans and small pasta are combined with onions, garlic, fragrant fresh herbs, a little tomato paste and white wine with a savory pecorino or parmesan cheese rind then simmered into perfection. Here, I used a combination of cannellini and borlotti (a.k.a., cranberry) beans for maximum creaminess and classic, tubular ditalini pasta.
What sets this recipe apart from many others is that it calls for pureeing the veggies and half the beans with an immersion (hand) blender into a thick creamy broth, giving this soup recipe the ultimate in comfort food texture and mouthfeel (a bit stew-like). (Or you can just mash some of the beans like I do in Sausage White Bean Soup.) Plus, the whole recipe is made in one pot!
But, you can just as easily leave this pasta fazool brothy, more soup-like and unpureed with the same delicious flavor! Your choice.
Either way, there is one thing for certain—this recipe is ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD through and through. A humble, yet beautiful, combination of pasta and beans in a very cucina povera sort of way.
Be sure to include the savory cheese rind when making creamy pasta fagioli soup as it makes all the difference, not to mention a sprinkling of sharp pecorino cheese and drizzle of your best extra-virgin olive oil over your piping hot bowl!
I hope you enjoy this easy, heartwarming recipe as much as I do and make it over and over again! Mangia bene!
Table of Contents
Pasta Fazool vs. Pasta Fagioli
It’s all the same! Pasta e Fagioli (this recipe’s proper name) literally translates from Italian to “pasta and beans”. Sometimes this is shortened colloquially to “pasta fagioli”.
Or, as many descendants of southern Italian immigrants in the US (like my family) called it–pasta fazool or pasta fasul. “Fazool/fasul” is derived from the Neapolitan and Sicilian dialects’ word for beans (fasuli).
By the way, “pasta fazool” has made an appearance in several song lyrics over the years, the most well-known being crooner Dean Martin’s famous song, “That’s Amore”, cementing this recipe as an iconic Italian-American dish!
If you enjoy recipes with beans, also check out Escarole and Beans, Tuna Chickpea Pasta with Pesto and Escarole White Bean Soup.
How to Make Pasta Fazool
- Prep all ingredients: dice onions, chop garlic and herbs. Cook beans if using dried.
- Heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes and cook until onions start to soften.
- Add tomato paste, caramelizing it for 2-3 minutes.
- Add wine and deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add half the beans and a few cups broth and, using immersion blender, puree until smooth.
- After pureeing, add remaining broth, cheese rind, bay leaves and black pepper. Stir well and simmer about 15 minutes.
- Next, increase heat to bring the mixture to a light boil.
- Stir in remaining beans and pasta simmer until pasta is 1 to 2 minutes less than al dente, stirring so that pasta doesn’t stick or get clumpy. Add salt to taste.
- Serve soup piping hot with a generous sprinkle of grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Enjoy!
Pro-Tips
- The pasta will continue to cook and soften once the heat is turned off.
- Add additional liquid if you want a brothier soup.
More Italian Soups
If you love soup as much as I do, check out these other recipes:
- Wedding Soup–a hearty meatball and escarole soup in meat broth
- Ribollita–a classic Tuscan vegetable and bean soup thickened with bread and served on day 2
- Lentil Soup with Sausage–a delicious pairing of lentils with Italian sausage and lots of veggies
- Tortellini Soup with Chicken or Turkey–brothy and soul-satisfying
- Zucchini Soup with Chickpeas–a year-round favorite
- Split Pea Soup with Ham and Potatoes and Smoky Lentil and Ham Soup–got ham leftovers???
- Easy Sweet Potato, Kale and Red Lentil Soup–the first soup I make every fall!
For even more soup recipes, check out my cookbook, SOUPified, Soups Inspired by Your Favorite Dishes, which is filled with hearty soup versions of classic, comfort food recipes like Chicken Piccata Soup, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage Soup, Eggplant Parm Soup, Shrimp Scampi Soup, Spinach Quiche Soup and Cavatelli with Broccoli Soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pasta e fagioli, or pasta fazool, is almost entirely centered on beans and pasta, with vegetables (mostly aromatics like onions and garlic) playing a supporting role. Often, a portion of the beans is pureed creating a very thick and hearty texture (as in the recipe below). And, there is generally less ingredient variance in different pasta and beans recipes.
Minestrone, on the other hand, is a vegetable-forward soup with beans pasta or grains, but its defining characteristic is a variety of seasonal vegetables with recipes differing in each season and area based on what’s available at that time.
– Add pasta to the pot at the very end and pull the soup off the heat when the pasta is about 2 minutes less than al dente, accounting for the carryover cooking. (This is the technique used in the recipe below.)
– Use small, sturdy pasta shapes that hold up well, such as elbows, small shells, tubetti or ditalini).
– You can also cook the pasta separately and keep it separate from the pot of soup, only combining the two in the serving bowl or just before serving.
—– This would be the best technique if you plan on freezing the soup. Keep the pasta out of the soup entirely and just add it when reheating.
Recipe Substitutions and Variations
Creamy pasta e fagioli is a fairly basic bean soup with few ingredients and most recipes out there have lots of common elements. With a few different techniques and ingredients, though, you can certainly customize this humble recipe to your liking!
- Add More Vegetables: Some like to make pasta e fagioli more akin to a minestrone with added veggies. This is definitely a great idea and so many different vegetables would work, like peas, green beans, corn, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, kale, carrots, celery, etc.
- Pork it up!
- Brown one pound of Italian sausage (out of its casings) as the first step, then proceed with the recipe, for lots of additional flavor and richness.Similarly, you can add pancetta (use about 4 ounces for the recipe below), as in this pasta with peas recipe. Leftover diced ham can also be added to this homemade soup like this smoky lentil soup with ham.
- And, if you can your hands on some ‘nduja (Calabrian spicy spreadable salami), add up to 2 ounes to the pot along with the onions for amazing flavo!
- Add Chicken or Turkey: Add some pulled roasted chicken or turkey meat towards the end, along with the pasta, for increased protein.
- Make it Vegan: Just be sure to use vegetable broth and leave out the cheese rind.
- Keep It Brothier and omit the pureeing step.
- Add canned tomatoes if you prefer a “red” version of pasta fazool.
- Puree ALL the beans: You can add all of the beans (use a bit more broth) at one time and puree the lot. The consistencey will definitely be thicker. In this scenario, only the pasta would remain “chunky”.
Best Beans for Creamy Pasta Fagioli Soup
Lots of different types of beans work well in Italian grandma pasta fagioli. It really depends on your preference for texture and taste (and what you have on hand!)
- Cannellini (white kidney beans): creamy classic and most common
- Borlotti (cranberry beans): earthy and very traditional in northern Italy
- Chickpeas: firm texture, very common in southern Italian versions
- Red Kidney Beans: often used in this recipe
- Lentils: lighter and cook quickly
TIP: As in escarole and white bean soup, we effectively thicken the soup by pureeing some of the beans with an immersion blender.
TOP TIPS for Pasta e Fagioli
- Beans: Either canned cooked beans (or jarred) or dried beans that have been cooked at home can be used in this recipe. (See more about beans in the recipe notes below.)
- Broth, Beans and Salt: The amount of salt in this recipe is “to taste” as it really depends on the sodium- level in both the broth and (canned) beans. The cheese rinds also contribute salt. Use your judgment and adjust seasonings at the very end, if necessary. Also, it’s always best to use no- or low-sodium broths and stocks if possible so you have more control over the dish’s saltiness.
- Thickness:Like other soups with pasta, pasta e fagioli becomes thicker (and very stew-like) as it sits. If you prefer a thinner soup, increase the broth.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat it slowly over medium low heat while stirring, adding additional broth or water if needed.
- NOTE: If freezing, know that the pasta portion of the soup may become a bit mushy after thawing, but it will still be so delicious.
Serving Suggestions
Creamy Pasta Fagioli Soup is a hearty, entree soup that could easily be a meal in and of itself in a larger portion. A light green salad and some crusty bread are classic accompaniments.
Alternatively, this soup could be served as a first course in a smaller portion and be followed by chicken cutlets, a simple Roast Chicken or plate of roasted vegetables. And, don’t forget to serve it with a little homemade Italian chili oil for a final kick of heat!
Creamy Pasta Fagioli Soup ~ “Pasta Fazool” (Italian Pasta with Beans)
Equipment
- Large pot OR
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 cups small diced yellow onions
- 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic
- 1½ Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
- 1½ Tbsp chopped fresh sage
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper, (optional)
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup white wine
- 9 cups low- or no-sodium vegetable/chicken broth or bean cooking liquid, divided
- 4 (15-ounces) cans cooked beans, strained and rinsed (about 6 cups beans; dried beans can be used-see Notes.), divided
- 1-2 pieces parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind
- 2-3 bay leaves
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, (add more to taste)
- About 1½ cups small pasta, (about 8 ounces pasta)
- To taste salt, (See Notes.)
- Grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese, for serving
- Extra virgin olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- Prep all ingredients according to specifications above. Cook the beans if using dried. (See Notes about beans below.)(Please see the section above in the blog post for Step-By-Step instructions with photos.)
- Heat 3 Tbsp olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, chopped herbs and crushed red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions begin to soften. Cover the pot to speed up this process if you’d like.2 cups small diced yellow onions, 3 Tbsp chopped or thinly-sliced garlic, 1½ Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 1½ Tbsp chopped fresh sage, ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- Next, move mixture to one side of pot and add the tomato paste, caramelizing it for 2-3 minutes.¼ cup tomato paste
- Add wine and deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot.1 cup white wine
- Then, add roughly 3 cups broth (or bean cooking liquid and half (3 cups) the cooked beans and stir well.With the heat on low, use an immersion blender to puree the beans and onion mixture until smooth.NOTE: This acts as a thickener for the soup and gives it body. But, if you prefer a brothy soup, you can skip this pureeing step. (The beans should be tender enough to puree, but if they aren’t, simmer as needed, then puree.)
- After pureeing, add the rest of the broth to the pot along with the cheese rind, bay leaves and black pepper. Stir well.1-2 pieces parmigiano or pecorino cheese rind, 2-3 bay leaves, ½ tsp ground black pepper
- Cover and bring mixture up to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer and simmer, mostly covered, about 15 minutes. Stir the soup occasionally, ensuring that the cheese rind does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Next, increase heat to bring the mixture to a light boil. Remove and discard the bay leaves and any remaining cheese rind.
- Stir in the remaining 3 cups cooked beans, pasta and remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil.About 1½ cups small pasta
- Simmer, uncovered, until pasta is about 1 to 2 minutes less than al dente, using instructions on pasta package as a guideline, stirring continuously so that pasta doesn’t stick or get clumpy. Taste pasta along the way to monitor its doneness.(NOTE: The pasta will continue to cook and soften once the heat is turned off.)
- Add additional liquid if you want a brothier soup. Add salt to taste, then turn off heat.
- Serve the soup piping hot with a generous sprinkle of grated pecorino or parmigiano cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Buon Appetito!
Notes
- I used half (canned) cannellini beans and half (cooked from dried) borlotti beans here, but almost any bean can be used in this recipe. Chickpeas, red kidney, navy and black beans are all great alternatives.
- Either canned/jarred cooked beans or dried beans that have been cooked at home can be used in this recipe.
- Be sure to strain and rinse pre-cooked beans well before adding them to the soup.
- If you’re starting with dried beans, pick through them for stones and rinse them. Then you can either:
- Soak them overnight: Place beans in a large bowl covered with four times the amount of water and let them soak for several hours or overnight. After soaking, drain the beans.
- OR,
- Alternatively, bring the dried beans to a boil in a large pot of unsalted water, then turn off the heat and let them sit, covered, for one hour. At this point, it will be as if they were soaked for several hours. Discard this soaking water, then proceed as if they had been soaked overnight.
- Then, cooked the soaked beans in a new pot of unsalted water until tender. Ideally, add aromatics like bay leaves, carrots, onions, celery and garlic to the bean boiling liquid for increased flavor.
- The beans can be cooked in advance and held, covered, in the refrigerator for two to three days until you are ready to use them.
- The soup gets better as it sits, so it is a great option to make ahead of time. It does, however, tend to get thicker as it sits, so, you may want to add some water when reheating.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat it slowly over medium low heat while stirring, adding additional broth or water if needed.
- NOTE: If freezing, know that the pasta portion of the soup may become a bit mushy after thawing, but it will still be so delicious.
- Immerse blender in the liquid before turning it on.
- Keep it moving for best results and do not hold it steady in one place. Immersion blenders do their best work when moved around and tilted while blending. This helps the blender to pick up all ingredients and purée evenly.
- Some people prefer to let hot dishes cool completely before blending (due to the fear of occasional hot splatters). This is up to you, but I promise that your comfort blending with the immersion blender will grow with each use.
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