Pasta e Fagioli Soup

 

Craving a cozy and comforting meal? Look no further than pasta e fagioli! This classic Italian soup, also known as "pasta fazool", is the perfect blend of hearty beans, savory meat, and delicious pasta in a flavorful tomato broth.

Want to try your hand at making this soul-warming dish at home? It's easier than you think! Simply brown some ground beef or sausage, add in your favorite beans, pasta, and a few other key ingredients, and let it simmer to perfection.

Trust it, once you take a spoonful of this delicious soup, you'll be hooked! So why not give it a try and bring a taste of Italy to your dinner table tonight?  

Ingredients

1 cup ditalini pasta or any other small pasta that I have in the pantry

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed

1 pound ground round chopmeat

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 cups chicken broth

1 16-ounce can tomato sauce

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¾ teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed (I never use these as I don’t like Northern beans)

Instructions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat and set aside. Do the same type of cooking for the ground round mean.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the stockpot. Stir in garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, Italian sausage and chop meat then 1 cup of water; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil; add beans reduce heat and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes.  

Stir in pasta and beans until heated through.

Serve immediately.

Let everything simmer away in some tasty broth until it's nice and tender. Next, stir in some cooked short pasta and the beans. Finish it off with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and a generous dusting of parmesan cheese. And there you have it - a delicious, hearty soup ready to be devoured. Enjoy!

Pasta e Fagioli Pro Tips

I use 80% to 90% lean ground beef for a flavorful soup with less grease. Italian sausage is a must for a tasty alternative!

Get creative with pasta choices - ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shell pasta all work well.

Mix up bean varieties for a delicious combo. Or stick to one type if that's your preference.

Italian seasoning adds a perfect blend of herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, and thyme. Grab a premade mix or DIY your own for that authentic flavor! Enjoy your hearty bowl of Pasta e Fagioli!

Looking to meal prep some Pasta e Fagioli soup? Here's a tip: leave out the pasta before freezing to keep it fresh. Freeze for up to 2 months, then simply thaw, heat, add cooked pasta, and voila - a delicious meal ready to enjoy!  

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Pheonix University in Business Management, then a degree in Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology, her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. In her spare time, Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, Gouache, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.