Pasta e Fagioli, or “pasta and beans”, is a traditional Italian hearty soup. It is full of delicious flavors like beans, tomato and Parmesan cheese.
Everyone in the family will love classic Pasta e Fagioli beans soup because it is easy to prepare. It can be cooked in advance and eaten throughout the week as well as for Sunday family gathering.

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)
Pasta e fagioli, or "pasta and beans", is a traditional Italian hearty soup.
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
pasta e fagioli pasta and beans
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 300 g cannelini beans soaked overnight and drained, 10 oz
- 200 g (7 oz) small pasta
- 200 g (7 oz) tomatoes diced
- 30 g (1 oz) butter
- grated parmesan cheese
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 celery root, diced
- chopped parsley
- olive oil
- salt
Instructions
-
In a clay pot sauté onion, carrot, celery, parsley, butter and 2 Tbs oil.
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Add tomatoes, drained beans, salt and enough water to cover vegetables and bring to boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the beans are tender.
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Transfer about 2 cups beans and their liquid to a food processor and process to a thick puree. Stir the puree back into the beans.
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Add pasta, cook, stirring constantly, until the pasta is tender.
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Serve with parmesan cheese.
How much water are you supposed to use?
@Leanne
Add enough water to cover the vegetables. If water evaporates during cooking, add some more.
I always heard that you don’t add salt while cooking beans because it takes longer for them to soften. Just water, not broth?
Salt will slow down the cooking of the beans in the beginning, but it will eventually speed the process up. You can see more about that here:
http://www.finecooking.com/item/9162/cooking-beans-in-salt-water
I’m using just water because I’m adding celery, onion, carrots and parsley which create a broth while cooking together with beans. Of course, you can substitute water with soup, if you like.
I’m glad to see that there is a website with the “real” italian recipe for this dish. Usually the recipes I have seen use canned beans and while this is ok making it with uncooked beans gives it a flavor and texture not possible with canned beans. This recipe is how my mother (born and raised in Italy) used to make it and how I make it to this day. I does take longer but the flavor is worth it. Thanks.
I’m trying to post an original recipe wherever I can. I’m glad you appreciate it.
Yes! This recipe is almost like my mammas Pasta Fazool, she used ditalini pasta.
How comforting,you get a two in one meal,a soup and a pasta dish.
Yes, exactly! 🙂