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Tuscan Bean and Pasta Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)

October 17, 2015 by Marilena Leavitt 4 Comments

Italian Pasta Fagioli

As the temperatures drop outside and the nights get colder, we turn to comforting soups and stews to sustain us and warm us up.  This hearty and healthy soup does not involve long hours simmering so, with a little planning, it can easily be ready in half an hour, especially if you have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go!

Pasta e fagioli, simply means pasta and bean soup.  There are, of course, many versions of this soup throughout Italy, from region to region and even from family to family.  They all, however, highlight simple and rather humble ingredients that when cooked together result in a delicious and satisfying meal.

Most Italians would no doubt use dried beans for this soup, which you could as well, provided you soak them in water the night before.  When pressed for time, however, good quality canned beans are an acceptable substitute to the dried beans.  Traditionally, ditalini pasta is used for the soup, but any type of small sized pasta will do.  For a vegetarian version, omit the pancetta and replace the meat stock with water.  Before serving, do not forget to drizzle the soup with your best finishing olive oil and maybe another sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and you are ready for a real treat!

Tuscan Bean and Pasta Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)
Tuscan Bean and Pasta Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)
 
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Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
50 mins
 
A classic Italian bean and pasta soup
Author: Marilena Leavitt
Recipe type: Bean Soup
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 4 oz. pancetta, cut in small cubes
  • 3 TBSP. olive oil
  • 1 sm. onion, finely chopped
  • 2 sm. carrots, peeled and chopped finely
  • 1 sm. celery stalk, chopped finely
  • 3 med. garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1 sm. pepperoncino, minced (or pinch of red pepper flakes), optional
  • 16 oz. canned Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano), (processed in food processor with their juices)
  • 1 lb. cranberry (or pinto or cannellini or light red kidney) cooked beans (or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained)
  • 3-4 cups homemade beef or chicken stock, hot
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • --- freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • ½ lb. ditalini pasta (or other small sized pasta)
  • 1 TBSP. butter
  • 5 TBSP. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
Instructions
  1. Cut the pancetta into small cubes and cook it in the olive oil in a large pot until just beginning to brown. Add the onion, the carrot, and the celery. Cook for a few minutes and add the garlic and rosemary. Stir in the minced pepperoncino at this point, if you like some spice.
  2. When the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, crush the tomatoes in a food processor and add them to the pot with their juices. Simmer for a few minutes and add the drained cooked beans. Allow to cook for 10 minutes, before adding the hot stock and the seasoning. When it comes to a boil, stir in the pasta.
  3. Continue cooking, squashing some of the beans against the side of the pot (so that they help thicken it the stock), until the pasta is fully cooked. Just before turning the heat off, swirl in 1 TBSP. of butter and the grated cheese.
  4. Let the soup sit for five minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. The more it sits, the past absorbs more liquid and the soup thickness. If necessary, stir in some hot water or stock to thin it out. Serve with a drizzle of your best olive oil.
Notes
An authentic pasta e fagioli should not be a broth, but rather, you should end up with a thick soup that is almost a stew. This is a great standby for weeknights where you do not have much time and need to whip up something quickly. The results are really wonderful on a cold autumn night!
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Tuscan Bean and Pasta Soup (Pasta e Fagioli)

 

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Filed Under: Italian, Pasta, Soups Tagged With: hearty italian soups, Italian Cooking, Italian Cuisine, Italian soups, Mediterranean comfort soups, mediterranean cooking, mediterranean food, pasta and bean soup, Pasta e Fagioli Soup, tuscan pasta and bean soup

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Comments

  1. joanneshenk says

    October 17, 2015 at 9:59 AM

    This soup is amazing and perfect for a cold-weather meal. I love the little bowls that hold the salt and pepper — so pretty!

    Reply
    • Marilena Leavitt says

      October 17, 2015 at 10:05 AM

      Thank you Joanne. Appropriately enough, I got those little bowls in Tuscany!

      Reply

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