Healthy Pasta Fagioli Recipe (Italian Pasta and Beans)

My family’s Pasta Fagioli recipe! The classic Italian peasant dish of pasta and beans in red sauce. Yes, this is my kind of comfort food and one I’ve been eating since I was a kid. Which, really should come as no surprise.

It’s pasta and beans, after all, two staples in my diet, and the foods I reach for night after night when I’m looking for something quick and satisfying.

This is the recipe that my grandmother taught to my mother and the one that she in turn taught to me. It’s the recipe that I’ll one day pass on to my kids when they are a little older and I’m so happy to share with you.

Pasta e Fagioli reminds me of home, of boisterous family dinners and my momma. 

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients Notes for Pasta Fagioli 

This recipe couldn’t be easier to put together– you only need a handful of ingredients and they are probably in your pantry right now. As with many classic Italian dishes, this one was born out of necessity– beans, pasta, tomato sauce, and some parsley. It’s all you need for the most delicious bowl of hearty stew.

I swear by Hunt’s plain tomato sauce as that’s what my mom always used. These days, there are so many varieties of plain tomato sauce in stores, but I still use Hunt’s most of the time. I usually think that store brands or lesser brands are fine in many recipes, but for this one, I’d recommend a better tomato sauce as it comprises so much of the pasta e fagioli recipe.

Note that tomato sauce is not the same as marinara sauce– that won’t work. It must be plain tomato sauce that you can find near the other canned tomato products.

I use northern white beans, but cannellini or navy beans will also work. If you want to use chickpeas, check out my recipe for pasta e ceci instead.

Lastly, ditalini pasta is preferred here. In a pinch, other short pasta will work, but I highly recommend seeking out Ditalini. I don’t recommend subbing in black beans or red kidney beans in this soup as it will alter the flavor too much.

Can you add in additional vegetables? 

This is my family’s recipe and I’ve kept it traditional. However, if you want to add in more veggies then you can sauté celery or carrots with the onion and add in finely chopped spinach or kale when you add the parsley.

How to Make this Pasta e Fagioli Recipe

Cook the Onion

Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes.

Add Tomato Sauce

Add the tomato sauce, parsley, and beans. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Cook the Pasta

Cook the pasta in salted water. Make sure to salt the pasta water as you’ll add this to the finished beans. The cooked pasta water is what gives this soup so much flavor. I typically add a scant tablespoon to a large pot of water, knowing that I will not sure all of the water. Add the cooked pasta and 2 cups or so of pasta water to thin. Add 1/2 cup of pasta water at a time to adjust the thinness; it should be like a soup broth. Serve with parmesan cheese on top and more chopped fresh parsley.

How to store leftovers

This taste even better the next day. To store leftovers, place in an airtight contain for 4-5 days in the refrigerator. You’ll likely need to add a little more water as you reheat it. 

To freeze, place it in an airtight container (like these Souper Cubes!) with enough headspace for expansion and place it in the freezer for 3-4 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and warm in a saucepan or in the microwave.

Whether you are looking for comfort or just a giant bowl of goodness, this soup is for you. I know there are several varieties of this soup, including the one made famous by Olive Garden, but this is how my grandma made it, how my mom made it, and therefore, how I make it. 

Generations of women can’t be wrong, right? It’s classically a vegetarian soup, and you’ll get plenty of protein from the weight beans– no bacon, ground beef or sausage required. Enjoy the dish how it was meant to be, a marriage of the inexpensive ingredients pasta and beans. 

And, if you’re wondering how to pronounce it. Pasta Fagioli is pasta fazool, emphasis on fa and then zool. My kiddos call it pasta fa-who!