Authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe
This Authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli Recipe (pasta and beans) is the ultimate comfort food and a staple in all Italian homes.
This classic recipe features tender borlotti beans, perfectly cooked pasta, and humble vegetables that are simmered together to create a dish that is sure to warm the soul. It is creamy, satisfying and so very tasty!
Just like Pangrattato and Cavatelli, this authentic Italian pasta e fagioli recipe was born from the cucina povera (the kitchen of the poor) but has lived on in modern times because it is so flavorful and wholesome. Essentially, a bean stew, this Italian dish is flavored with onion, carrots, celery, rosemary, and pancetta.
While I like to serve this recipe as a pasta dish, you can easily serve it as a bean soup by adding more liquid. It’s so versatile, that you could also use cannellini or pinto beans instead and change the herbs to suit your tastes. However, you choose to make this traditional Pasta e Fagioli recipe, rest assured it will warm your soul!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Comforting – my authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli recipe is a hearty and satisfying dish. The combination of beans and pasta makes it the perfect warming bowl of food on chilly nights.
- Versatile – whether you want to make it more soupy, change the pasta shape, or use another legume, this pasta recipe is so versatile! I love that no matter what I have in the pantry, I can always make a version of this recipe.
- Authentic Italian – the aromas of this authentic Italian pasta e fagioli recipe will transport you straight to an Italian nonna’s kitchen! Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese for the full Italian experience.
- Easy – despite the robust flavors, Pasta e Fagioli is such an easy recipe to bring together! And don’t worry if you’ve never cooked with dried beans before, I’ve included all the steps to guide you.
Ingredients
- Dried beans – I recommend using Borlotti beans which are in the traditional Italian recipe.
- Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil is best for this Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
- Vegetables – onion, carrot, and celery are the holy trinity of Italian cooking known as a “soffritto”. These are easy to find ingredients that you may have in your fridge already.
- Pancetta – available in most Italian delis and good grocery stores.
- Tomato puree – also known as tomato paste.
- Ditalini pasta – sometimes referred to as tubettini because of its small tube-like shape or any small pasta.
- Rosemary – I prefer fresh rosemary because I have it growing in the garden.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions
Rinse borlotti beans, soak 8-12 hours, then drain. Simmer in water over medium heat, reduce to low, and cook for 30 minutes. Add 1 tsp salt and simmer until tender.
When the beans are almost tender, sauté onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil until softened.
Add finely chopped pancetta and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the drained beans, keeping the cooking water aside.
Stir well, then add a ladle of bean cooking water, tomato purée, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Blend a portion of the soup until smooth and set aside.
Blend a portion of the soup until smooth and set aside.
Add ditalini and 2 cups of reserved bean water to the soup. Stir often and cook until al dente.
To finish, stir in the blended soup and fresh rosemary. Cover and let rest for 3 minutes.
Serve hot in bowls, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and a generous amount of finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Marcellina’s Hint: This recipe varies from region to region, town to town, and family to family. You can adjust the quantities as you prefer. Add more beans or add more cooking liquid to make it more like a soup. Remember to taste and adjust the salt if needed. To serve, garlic-infused oil is wonderful!
Substitutions
- Borlotti beans – you could use cannellini, kidney, or pinto dried beans instead.
- Ditalini pasta – try using another small pasta shape like small shells, orecchiette or pasta mista.
- Tomato paste – you could use tomato passata instead, however, you would have to adjust the amount of reserved bean cooking liquid added.
Variations
- Greens – add some chopped Swiss chard or spinach at the end for extra goodness.
- Red pepper flakes – do you like your pasta dishes a little spicy? Add a sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes.
- Canned beans – if you’re short on time, you can use canned beans however be sure to drain the beans and use some chicken or vegetable stock in place of the bean cooking water.
Equipment
You don’t need any fancy kitchen equipment to make my authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli recipe. It’s just important you have a medium-sized saucepan to cook the beans and a large skillet for cooking the beans and pasta.
Storage
Leftover Pasta e Fagioli can be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for around 3-4 days.
If you want to freeze the soup, you can do so, however, the texture of the pasta will be different once frozen. If you are preparing this recipe purposely for freezing, I recommend freezing the soup before the pasta has been added. Once you have defrosted the soup, you can add the pasta and finish cooking this authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli recipe.
Top tip
- Don’t skip soaking the beans. It is important and gives the beans a creamy texture. Also, it may help with digestion.
- Cook the dried beans over low heat so that the water is barely simmering to prevent the beans from bursting. This still might happen but it’s no problem for this recipe.
- Take care to chop the onions, carrots, and celery into tiny chunks similar in size so that they cook evenly.
- The amount of bean cooking liquid required to cook the pasta will vary from time to time. I find it is best to add a little at a time so that I’m not stuck with too much liquid. Of course, if it looks dry, add another ladle.
- Fresh rosemary is best for this dish, however, if you only have dried rosemary it will be fine.
- This is such a versatile recipe and is made to be experimented with. Try different pasta shapes, try different beans, or try different vegetables – I love adding diced potatoes or chopped greens.
FAQ
There is no difference! Pasta e Fagioli literally translates to pasta and beans in the Italian language. Pasta Fazool is the same dish and is influenced by the southern Italian dialects used by many Italian Americans, where fazool translates to beans
There is no clear origin of Pasta e Fagioli. Versions of the dish can be found all over Italy but the basics of the dish remain the same. It is always a hearty dish, where pasta and beans are cooked together (often in the cooking juices of the beans).
No. Pasta e Fagioli is more of a pasta recipe whereas minestrone is a vegetable-based soup (often containing beans and pasta). Of course, you can make this Pasta e Fagioli recipe a little more like minestrone by adding more liquid. But then, it wouldn’t be Pasta e Fagioli.
Serving Suggestions
I love making this authentic Italian Pasta e Fagioli recipe on chilly nights and serving it with either a side of my Italian Cheese and Herb Bread or Semolina Bread for mopping up all the goodness. My husband’s favorite addition is a drizzle of garlic-infused olive oil plus a generous amount of grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Of course, for something sweet, you should finish the meal with a cup of my Italian Hot Chocolate!
Related
Instant Pot Bean Soup
Mediterranean Lentil Soup
Traditional Italian Pasta Fagioli Recipe
Ingredients
For the beans
- 1 ¼ cups (200 grams) dried borlotti beans
- 1 teaspoon salt
For pasta fagioli
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup (30 grams) finely chopped onion
- ⅓ cup peeled and finely chopped carrot
- ⅓ cup chopped celery
- 2 ounces (60 grams) finely chopped pancetta
- 1 cup tomato puree or tomato passata
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 ⅔ cup (200 grams)ditalini pasta (or other short pasta)
- A sprig of fresh rosemary leaves (finely chopped)
To serve
- freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil (I like garlic infused olive oil)
- finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
Cook the Borlotti Beans
- Place the borlotti beans in a sieve. Check for dirt or debris, then rinse thoroughly under water.
- Transfer the beans to a medium bowl and cover them with plenty of water, at least 3 inches above the beans. Cover the bowl and soak for 8-12 hours.
- After soaking, drain and rinse the beans. Place them in a large saucepan and cover them generously with water. Heat over medium heat until the water reaches a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, then add 1 teaspoon of salt. Continue cooking until the beans are just tender, which could take an additional 5-30 minutes depending on their freshness.
Make Authentic Italian Pasta Fagioli
- When the beans are nearly tender, heat extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, and celery, cooking until softened.
- Stir in finely chopped pancetta and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the drained beans, reserving the cooking water. Stir well, then add ½ cup (or one ladleful) of the bean cooking water, tomato purée, 1 teaspoon of salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Add more cooking water as needed and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt if necessary.
- Remove about 1 cup (or two ladlefuls) of the soup and blend it into a smooth purée. Set aside.
- Add ditalini pasta to the soup along with 2 cups of the reserved bean cooking water. Cook until the pasta is al dente, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Add more cooking water as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
- Stir the blended soup back into the pot to create a creamy texture. Adjust seasoning as needed. Add chopped fresh rosemary, cover, and let the soup rest for 3 minutes.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly ground black pepper, a drizzle of olive oil, and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Notes
- Soaking the beans is essential for a creamy texture and may aid digestion. Don’t skip this step.
- Cook dried beans over low heat to keep the water barely simmering. This helps prevent the beans from bursting, though it’s not an issue for this recipe if they do.
- Chop the onions, carrots, and celery into small, evenly sized pieces to ensure they cook uniformly.
- The amount of bean cooking liquid needed for the pasta can vary. Add it gradually to avoid excess liquid, and if the soup looks dry, add another ladle.
- Fresh rosemary is ideal, but dried rosemary works fine too.
- This recipe is highly adaptable—experiment with different pasta shapes, beans, or vegetables. Diced potatoes and chopped greens are great additions.
Nutritional Estimate Per Serving
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.
