Hardy Pasta e Fagioli Soup is an easy dinner recipe made with beef, pasta, vegetables, and beans, then simmered in a rich spicy tomato broth. Just follow these step by step photo instructions.
Pasta e Fagioli means “pasta and beans” and this is a traditional Italian peasant soup. If you think of this soup as thick Italian Minestrone Soup with meat, beans, and pasta, you will be fairly close.
The most well-known version is from Olive Garden restaurants and this is an easy copycat version you can do at home with great results.
The idea for this soup started with my son, who was home for the holidays. The discussion turned to recipes, and this is one of his favorites.
I was in a soup mood and needed leftovers. In spite of this not being very “cooking for two” friendly, we finished every last drop without freezing.
My Rating
An excellent soup as expected. This would be a great company recipe to cook ahead.
Pro Tips: Recipe Notes for Pasta e Fagioli Soup
This is a thick soup as written. I liked it better with another can of broth.
The Pasta
This is an interesting soup and deserves an interesting pasta. So an interesting shape and some color will add to the enjoyment.
This is a great recipe to make gluten-free or use other alternate pasta types of your choice.
I frequently add uncooked pasta to recipes I develop but cooking time and effect on the fluid in the recipe can vary some.
The Seasoning
You can use Italian Seasoning (1 tablespoon) to replace the herbs in this recipe.
Can I Make This Soup in a Crock Pot?
I have seen recipes for that but I don’t see the reason to do that. If you want to use a crock pot, then cook on low for 4 hours then add al dente pasta and cook another 10 minutes.
I don’t suggest uncooked pasta added to the crock pot. Cooking time and amount of extra fluid needed will be too variable.
Storage
This soup should not be stored with the pasta already added. So store without pasta then reheat and add some freshly cooked al dente pasta.
If you know you will be storing some of the soup, remove the amount to store before adding pasta. Of course, you should cook less pasta.
Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
Other Italian Recipes You May Enjoy
The ingredients for this soup but pasta and the broth are not pictured.
Start with browning 1 pound of ground beef in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. I used the Dutch oven. Drain excess fat.
While the meat is browning, dice one medium onion and chop three stalks celery. Juline one large or 2 medium carrots. Mince 2 cloves garlic.
Add the prepared veggies to the browned meat. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Cook 1/2 pound of pasta al dente.
Rinse one can each of red kidney and great northern beans.
Add two 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes, 15 oz can tomato sauce, 12oz of tomato or V8 vegetable juice, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon thyme. Add the rinsed the beans and added a can of beef broth. Add the second can of broth if you want a little more of a soup texture. Simmer for 1 hour.
Sorry for the quality of the picture, it is the only one I have.
After the soup has simmered for one hour, add the al dente pasta a simmer another 10 minutes before serving.
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Pasta e Fagioli Soup
Hardy Pasta e Fagioli Soup is an easy dinner recipe made with beef, pasta, vegetables, and beans, then simmered in a rich spicy tomato broth. Just follow these step by step photo instructions.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Servings/Adjust Amount: 8 servings
8
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground beef
- 1 onion – medium diced
- 3 stalks celery – chopped
- 1 carrot – large or 2 medium julienned
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 12 oz tomato juice – or V8 vegetable juice
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 14 red kidney beans – Low sodium, rinsed
- 14 Great Northern beans – Low sodium, rinsed
- 14-28 oz beef broth
- 1/2 pound pasta al dente
Instructions
-
Start with browning 1 pound of ground beef in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Drain excess fat.
-
While the meat is browning, dice one medium onion and chop three stalks celery. Julienne one large or 2 medium carrots. Mince 2 cloves garlic.
-
Add the prepared veggies to the browned meat. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
-
Cook 1/2 pound pasta al dente.
-
Add two 14 1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes, 15 oz can tomato sauce, 12oz of tomato or V8 vegetable juice, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon basil, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon thyme.
-
Add 1 can each of drained and rinsed red kidney and great northern beans. Add a can of beef broth. Add the second can of broth if you want a little more of a soup texture.
-
Simmer for 1 hour then add 1/2 pound of pasta cooked al dente. Simmer ten more minutes and serve.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- You can use Italian Seasoning (1 tablespoon) to replace the herbs in this recipe.
- Like all soups, you can vary the veggies and spices to your taste.
- This is a thick soup as written. I liked it better with the second can of broth.
- This soup should NOT be stored with the pasta already added. So store without pasta then reheat and add some freshly cooked al dente pasta.
- If you know you will be storing some of the soup, remove the amount to store before adding pasta. Of course, you should cook less pasta.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days and frozen for 3-4 months.
- Make this gluten-free by using gluten free pasta.
Check Out Other Great Recipes
Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 731mg | Potassium: 902mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1879IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition is generally for one serving. Number of servings is stated above and is my estimate of normal serving size for this recipe.
All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
Originally Published January 5, 2013. Updated with expanded, detailed instructions and refreshed photos.
