• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Salt & Lavender

Hundreds of easy-to-follow recipes for busy weeknights! Eat well flavored!

  • ALL RECIPES
  • 30 MINUTE MEALS
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Site Policies
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Easy Pasta e Fagioli

January 2, 2019 10 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my affiliate disclosure for more details.

Pasta e fagioli is a classic Italian soup that’s perfect for a cozy night in. Beans, pancetta, garlic, and plenty of veggies make this one flavorful soup!

Easy, authentic homemade pasta e fagioli - a classic Italian soup of pasta, beans, veggies, and pancetta. It's so simple and flavorful!

What is pasta e fagioli?

Pasta and beans! This dish started as a “peasant” dish with inexpensive ingredients, and it’s definitely stood the test of time because it’s so tasty.

I also have a vegetarian pasta e fagioli recipe (made in the slow cooker) and a vegetable and bean soup if you’re interested.

What’s pancetta?

Pancetta is a salty Italian bacon, basically. You can substitute normal bacon or even prosciutto if you wish. I buy pre-diced pancetta from the deli section of my local grocery store, but you can definitely cut it into cubes yourself if you buy a chunk of it.

Easy pasta e fagioli soup - a traditional Italian dish the whole family will love! You can make it with bacon or pancetta. 

How to make pasta e fagioli soup

  • Sauté the pancetta, carrots, onion, and celery;
  • Add garlic and diced tomatoes and cook until the liquid has reduced;
  • Add chicken broth and beans and bring the soup to a boil;
  • Add the pasta and cook until it’s tender.

The secret to making this soup really flavorful is the step where we add the tomatoes and reduce the liquid. It really concentrates the flavors and is well worth the extra 10 minutes or so that it takes.

Pro tip: If you find the soup is a bit thick for you, feel free to thin it out by adding more chicken broth or water. If you have leftovers, the pasta will likely soak even more of the broth up, so same thing… add more water or chicken broth when reheating if you wish.

Want to make this soup in your Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot pasta e fagioli recipe instead.

Traditional pasta e fagioli - pasta and beans! This soup is quick, healthy, easy to make, and totally delicious.

Aside from being delicious, this soup is relatively healthy. There’s not a ridiculous quantity of pancetta in here… just enough that you know it’s there. It’s hearty and filling and perfect for winter temperatures.

Serve this with some extra parmesan grated on top and a slice of crusty bread and you will have some very happy tummies!

Healthy pasta e fagioli - a tasty traditional Italian soup of pasta and beans that the whole family will adore!

Have you ever made this traditional Italian soup?

Questions? Let me know in the comments below!

Easy, authentic homemade pasta e fagioli - a classic Italian soup of pasta, beans, veggies, and pancetta. It's so simple and flavorful!
5 from 1 vote
Print

Easy Pasta e Fagioli

Course Soup
Cuisine Italian
Keyword pasta and bean soup, pasta and beans, pasta e fagioli soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Author Salt & Lavender

Ingredients

  • 1 (4.4 ounce) package diced pancetta
  • 1/2 large onion chopped
  • 4 sticks celery chopped
  • 3 medium carrots chopped or sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices
  • 4 dashes Italian seasoning
  • 4 cups chicken broth/stock
  • 1 (15 fluid ounce) can red kidney beans drained
  • 1 (15 fluid ounce) can white kidney beans drained
  • 1 cup pasta (ditalini or macaroni)
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Shaved parmesan cheese optional, for serving

Instructions

  1. Add the pancetta to a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté until it starts to get crispy. I like to prep the other veggies while doing this step.

  2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

  3. Stir in the garlic, followed by the diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Be sure to scrape up the brown bits. Let it bubble until the liquid is noticeably reduced (stir occasionally) to help concentrate the flavor. This should take 8-10 minutes or so.

  4. Add the chicken broth and beans to the pot. Increase the heat to high. Once the soup is boiling, add the pasta.

  5. Reduce the heat to a rapid simmer and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the pasta is nice and tender. I suggest stirring every few minutes so the pasta doesn't stick the bottom of the pan.

  6. Season soup with salt & pepper as needed (the soup should be fairly salty already). This soup is delicious served with some shaved parmesan! 

Recipe Notes

  • The pasta in these types of soup tends to soak up the broth, so you may want to add more broth/stock when reheating leftovers. If the soup is too thick for you once the pasta has finished cooking, thin it out with more chicken broth if desired.
  • You don't have to be exact with the pancetta measurements... anything in the ballpark works.
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth if sensitive to salt. 
  • Want to kick the flavor up even more? Throw in a parmesan rind when cooking this soup.
  • Try the Instant Pot version of this recipe if you wish.

Filed Under: Healthy, Pasta, Pork, Recipes, Soups

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lily says

    November 12, 2019 at 8:20 AM

    5 stars
    This was perfect for my picky toddler. He of course weeded through all the veggies and beans but loved the super flavorful broth and pasta. Such a relief to get him to eat something besides mac and cheese and hot dogs! Thank you! -ps He also loved the stuffed pepper soup, which is on frequent rotation in our house.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      November 12, 2019 at 2:41 PM

      I am so happy to hear that, Lily! Haha sounds like a victory to me! So glad the stuffed pepper soup is a hit as well! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Roxanne Langley says

    November 4, 2019 at 7:36 PM

    The easiest and a great Pasta Fagioli recipe. Made it over the weekend and everyone really enjoyed it. Add a load of crusty toasted bread and your set.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      November 5, 2019 at 11:15 AM

      Wonderful! So happy you liked it! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kristen says

    September 29, 2019 at 11:29 PM

    How do you recommend making this in the slow cooker? Looking forward to this!!!

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      September 30, 2019 at 11:08 AM

      Hi Kristen! You could try cooking it on low for 6-8 hours and then adding the pasta in about 30 min prior to serving. I have a similar recipe that you could always base it off of: https://www.saltandlavender.com/crockpot-vegetarian-pasta-e-fagioli-soup/

      Reply
      • Kristen says

        October 5, 2019 at 11:53 PM

        Great!!! Can’t wait to try. So glad I found your site!

        Reply
        • Natasha says

          October 6, 2019 at 9:08 PM

          🙂

          Reply
  4. Jeff the Chef says

    January 3, 2019 at 2:47 PM

    What a beautiful soup. I have to admit that tomato-based soups aren’t my thing, but there’s so much more than tomato going on here that I’d tempted to try it. No doubt if it were on a menu, I’d order it.

    Reply
    • Natasha says

      January 5, 2019 at 10:24 AM

      I’m the same way, actually. I definitely enjoyed the leftovers of this one, though. Was good after holiday indulgence haha. Thanks Jeff!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!  Read more…

Get new recipes in your inbox weekly!

Footer

Follow me on Instagram

  • This Italian sausage and tortellini soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and easy to make with very little prep time. I've had this recipe on my blog for a couple of years now, and it's easily my favorite tortellini soup of all time. One reader said: "Super easy and tastes fantastic! I made it with Hot Italian sausage. This recipe will be added to my go to comfort dishes." ⁠⠀ ⇢ Tap @saltandlavender for clickable recipe (link is in my bio)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⋄ #saltandlavender #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #foodblogger #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #eatrealfood #goodeats #wholefoods #foodblogeats #foodblogfeed #LoveFood #foodandwine #foodporn #soup #souprecipes #tortellinisoup #tortellini #easyrecipes #Italiansausage #imsomartha #thatsdarling #foodie #dinner #dinnerrecipes #comfortfood
  • This Crockpot beef stew recipe is simple, hearty, and totally delicious. It’s a comforting classic dish that the whole family will love! ⁠⠀ ⇢ Tap @saltandlavender for clickable recipe (link is in my bio)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⋄ #saltandlavender #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #foodblogger #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #eatrealfood #healthyfoodie #goodeats #wholefoods #LoveFood #tastingtable #heresmyfood #stew #beefstew #imsomartha #comfortfood #easyrecipes #slowcooker #Crockpot #Crockpotrecipes #fallrecipes #beefrecipes #thatsdarling #foodie #eeeeeats
  • This creamy mushroom chicken recipe has the most deliciously tender pan-fried chicken smothered in a garlicky mushroom sauce. It’s quick and easy – it can be on your table in about half an hour. ⁠⠀ ⇢ Tap @saltandlavender for clickable recipe (link is in my bio)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⋄ #saltandlavender #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #foodblogger #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #eatrealfood #goodeats #wholefoods #foodblogeats #foodblogfeed #LoveFood #foodandwine #chicken #chickenrecipes #chickendinner #dinner #dinnerrecipes #easyrecipes #thatsdarling #imsomartha #foodie #foodporn #eeeeeats
  • This easy loaded baked potato soup recipe is simple to make, thick, creamy, and hearty. All your favorite baked potato flavors are packed into this comforting and warming meal!⁠ 😍 ⇢ Tap @saltandlavender for clickable recipe (link is in my bio)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⋄ #saltandlavender #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #foodblogger #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #eatrealfood #goodeats #wholefoods #foodblogeats #foodblogfeed #LoveFood #foodandwine #potatosoup #bakedpotato #bacon #eeeeeats #foodporn #soup #souprecipes #easyrecipes #dinnerrecipes #comfortfood #loadedbakedpotato #imsomartha #thatsdarling
  • It's Friiiday!! If you're looking for a treat for dinner tonight, try my shrimp Alfredo pasta! Tender shrimp and fettuccine are smothered in an amazing creamy garlic sauce.⁠⠀ ⇢ Tap @saltandlavender for clickable recipe (link is in my bio)⁠⠀ ⁠⠀ ⋄ #saltandlavender #feedfeed #f52grams #thekitchn #foodblogger #whatsonmyplate #getinmybelly #eatrealfood #goodeats #wholefoods #foodblogeats #foodblogfeed #LoveFood #foodandwine #eeeeeats #AlfredoSauce #fettuccinealfredo #comfortfood #foodie #foodporn #dinner #dinnerrecipes #TGIF #foodporn #imsomartha #thatsdarling #pastarecipes #shrimppasta

© 2019 Salt & Lavender Inc. · Privacy Policy, Disclosure & Disclaimer