Pasta Fagioli
A healthy vegetarian pasta fagioli recipe, the ultimate comfort food! A giant soup bowl filled with hearty white beans & ditalini pasta in a creamy red sauce.
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil, for sautéing the onion and garlic
- 1/2 small white or yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more for extra kick
- 1 28 ounce can plain tomato sauce
- 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
- 2 14 ounce cans northern white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 lb. Ditalini pasta
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the chopped onion along with a pinch of salt and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook another minute or so, stirring constantly and taking care not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato sauce, parsley and beans. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
- While the sauce is cooking, cook the ditalini pasta in lightly salted water. Make sure to salt the pasta water as you'll add this to the finished beans and 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.
- Once the pasta is al dente, drain and reserve 2-3 cups pasta water. When ready to serve, add pasta to the tomato and bean sauce and thin with pasta water. You will probably not use all 2 cups. Add 1/2 cup at a time, stir, and add more if need be. It should thin the tomato sauce out so it is thin like a soup broth.
Notes
I usually serve this with a little parmesan cheese on top, dairy-free parm works as well!
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 425kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 18gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 951mgPotassium: 1253mgFiber: 10gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 860IUVitamin C: 16mgCalcium: 129mgIron: 6mg