The Italians have graced us with countless delicious recipes. I’ve loved pizza and spaghetti for as long as I can remember, of course, but I’ve only recently discovered pasta e fagioli. Pasta e fagioli translates to “pasta and beans.” Pasta and beans may not sound terribly enticing (unless you’re me), but I assure you that this Italian stew is truly irresistible. Lots of aromatics, crushed tomatoes, fresh parsley and Tuscan kale turn pasta and beans into a hearty meal-in-a-bowl situation. I can’t claim that this recipe is 100 percent authentic, but it’s the best I can do.
If you appreciate homemade minestrone soup, marinara, lasagna or baked ziti, I think you’ll love this stew. It’ll warm you right up on cold days, and tastes even better the next day. I designed this pasta e fagioli recipe to make use of canned beans, so this stew is ready in about an hour! I bet you have most of the ingredients in your kitchen already. It’s an excellent candidate for a relaxed weeknight.
How to Make the Best Pasta e Fagioli
How do we turn basic ingredients into something magical? The trick is in the method. You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a rundown with some extra reasoning behind it:
Watch How to Make Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta e Ceci Variation
Pasta e ceci means “pasta and chickpeas.” This dish is just the same as pasta e fagioli, but uses chickpeas specifically for the bean component. Give it a try by making this recipe with chickpeas!
Craving more soups?
If you love this recipe, you’ll also enjoy:
Classic Minestrone Soup The Best Lentil Soup Seriously Good Vegetable Soup Homemade Vegetarian Chili Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
Please let me know how your pasta e fagioli turns out in the comments. I’m always so happy to hear from you.
*Tomato recommendation: I always use Muir Glen tomatoes, and used their fire-roasted crushed tomatoes since they don’t offer plain. Make it gluten free: Use a small, sturdy, gluten-free noodle, such as a corn and quinoa blend. Make it dairy free/vegan: Don’t add cheese. Simple as that. If you don’t have a stand blender: You can use an immersion blender to blend (carefully) a portion of the liquid with the beans in a separate (heat-safe) container. Or, skip this step altogether. Your soup will be a little more chunky and less creamy, but still very good.
