PASTA & BEANS IN PASTA FAGIOLI SOUP

The simplest pasta e fagioli soup, made with tomato, borlotti beans, sautéed vegetables, and of course pasta! This flavorful, hearty Italian soup is full of warmth and comfort. Serve it with a glass of wine and some crusty bread.

Although I enjoy the thick, chunky texture, it is simple to flatten it out by adding additional stock. You may also add less pasta to prevent the sauce from thickening too much.

MINESTRONE SOUP VS. PASTA E FAGIOLI
Many people inquire as to what distinguishes minestrone from pasta e fagioli, but the truth is that they are two quite distinct soups.

Carrot, celery, onion, beans, and pasta form the foundation of the soup known as pasta fagioli. Although it has a thick thickness, it doesn’t contain any chunky veggies as minestrone does.

PASTA FAGIOLI SOUP RECIPE: STEP BY STEP
Chop the carrot, celery, red bell pepper, and onion into small pieces.

In a large saucepan, sauté the vegetables for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender, before adding the minced garlic and cooking for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the chicken or vegetable stock and canned plum tomatoes after all the vegetables are tender. After bringing it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it for 10 minutes.

For a smoother texture, blitz around half of the soup after adding the borlotti beans (cranberry beans) and simmering for 1 to 2 minutes.

It’s not necessary to purée the soup, but I like to do so to give it a smoother texture.

Add the pasta and remaining beans after that, and cook the soup for a further 7-8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, before serving.

SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Because this pasta fagioli soup is so filling and substantial, the only accompaniments you should serve with it are a sizable piece of crusty bread (so you can mop the bowl clean) and, of course, a bottle of wine.

That is the best and simplest it can get, in my opinion.

VARIATIONS
The flavor combination of pancetta and rosemary in this soup is one that I also like making.

Prior to adding the vegetables, I first sauté the pancetta for a few minutes.

All you have to do to change things up is add the rosemary when you add the stock.

a rustic dish of pasta fagioli soup and crusty bread

COOKING ADVICE FOR PASTA FAGIOLI SOUP
Don’t add the pasta if you won’t be eating the soup right away since it will expand and eventually become mushy and very soft. As an alternative, only add the amount of pasta you intend to consume; for example, if you only want one bowl, cook the soup with only 1 tiny handful of dry pasta.
You may also use cannellini (white) beans if you don’t have borlotti beans on hand.

You don’t need to mix the soup if you want it chunkier. Before adding the pasta, I like to blitz around half of the broth since I want a thicker texture. Because it’s so simple and practical, I like to use an immersion blender for this.
Leftovers can be frozen in a suitable container or kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days (without pasta).

Soupe ai Pastaioli
Borlotti beans (cranberry beans), tomato, and of course pasta make up the simplest 30-minute pasta fagioli soup. It is incredibly filling, nutritious, and flavorful.

Ingredients
Olive oil, one tablespoon
One carrot
1 stalk of celery
Red bell pepper, one
1 white (yellow) onion
2 cloves of garlic
28 ounces of canned or precooked borlotti beans (cranberry beans) (800g)
1 cup tiny pasta, ditalini, tubetti, or ditali (200g)
4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock ( 1 litre)
14 oz (400 g) of plum tomatoes in cans (400g)
pepper and salt

Instructions
Chop the carrot, celery, red bell pepper, and onion into small pieces. Avoid letting the vegetables brown by sautéing them in a big saucepan for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are tender. Add the minced garlic to the vegetables and sauté for an additional one to two minutes.
Add the tinned plum tomatoes and chicken or vegetable stock after all the vegetables are tender. After bringing it to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer it for 10 minutes.
Use an immersion (hand-held) blender to blitz about half of the soup for a smoother, thicker texture after adding the remaining half of the borlotti beans (cranberry beans).

Add the pasta and remaining borlotti beans after which boil the soup for an additional 7-8 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente, before serving.

Notes Avoid adding the noodles if you won’t be eating the soup right away since it will expand and eventually become mushy and very soft. As an alternative, only add the amount of pasta you intend to consume; for example, if you only want one bowl, cook the soup with only 1 tiny handful of dry pasta.
You may also use cannellini (white) beans if you don’t have borlotti beans on hand.

You don’t need to mix the soup if you want it chunkier. Before adding the pasta, I like to blitz around half of the broth since I want a thicker texture. Because it’s so simple and practical, I like to use an immersion blender for this.
Leftovers can be frozen in a suitable container or kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days (without pasta).