Quick Pasta e Fagioli: An Easy Italian Bean and Pasta Soup
A quick vegetarian pasta e fagioli made with creamy canned beans, small pasta, tomato, aromatic vegetables, and rosemary. It is a hearty Italian-style lunch that comes together in one pot.
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 30 mL
- 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped (about 1 cup/150 g)
- 1 medium carrot finely chopped (about 1/2 cup/65 g)
- 1 celery rib finely chopped (about 1/2 cup/55 g)
- 3 garlic cloves minced (about 3 teaspoons/9 g)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 g, or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (0.5 g)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste 30 g
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes 240 g
- 2 cans cannellini beans 15 ounces each, drained and rinsed (2 cans/850 g total; about 3 cups/510 g drained)
- 5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 1.2 L
- 1 cup ditalini or other small pasta 6 ounces/170 g
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt plus more to taste (3 g)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 0.5 g
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 15 g
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese for serving (about 45 g, optional)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and a pinch of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and rosemary. Stir for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen its flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, drained beans, vegetable broth, remaining salt, and black pepper. Increase the heat and bring the soup to a gentle boil.
- Spoon about 1 cup of the beans into a bowl and mash them roughly with a fork. Return the mashed beans to the pot; this naturally thickens the broth without needing a blender.
- Stir in the ditalini. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook, stirring often so the pasta does not stick, until tender, about 9 to 11 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. If the soup becomes thicker than you like, stir in a splash of hot water or broth. Ladle into bowls and finish with parsley and cheese, if using.