This is one of my favorite soups, and browsing over the ingredient list, it doesn’t appear to be anything overly impressive. It’s not loaded with gooey cheese bombs like this Lasagna Soup, nor topped with an entire Mexican restaurant like some of our Tortilla Soups. It’s super simple ingredients that somehow come together for something so flavorful and so comforting. There’s nothing I love more on chilly fall days than to smell a pot of hot soup simmering away on the stove-top, and this one is simple and delicious; a perfect weeknight meal.
Ingredients Needed
- bacon – cooked and chopped
- onion
- garlic cloves – minced
- oregano – you’ll get the best results from freshly minced, but you can use dried
- red pepper flakes
- diced tomatoes
- canellini beans – Fagioli just means “beans” in Italian, so these creamy white beans get added to the pot along with canned tomatoes and broth.
- chicken broth
- salt
- small-shaped pasta – try varieties such as ditalini, orzo, mini bowtie, and stellini. Any small pasta shape will do. I like to choose pasta that is similar in size to the other things in the pot, so it all fits nicely on the spoon. Bow Tie or mini bow tie work really great; I especially love the minis.
- parsley – freshly minced
- pepper
- Parmesan cheese – freshly grated
How to Make Pasta a Fagioli Soup
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Cook bacon in a large pot until crisp, then sauté onion, garlic, and seasonings in the drippings.
- Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and water; simmer to blend flavors.
- Stir in pasta and cook until just shy of tender.
- Remove from heat, stir in fresh parsley, and season to taste.
- Serve topped with Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil, and extra herbs if desired.
Storage & Other Tips
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.
- Freezing Leftovers: If you plan to freeze this soup, omit the pasta. Pasta will absorb liquid and becomes mushy when thawed. If you anticipate leftovers, cook the pasta separately and keep it in a bowl off to the side, then add it in to each bowl while serving.
- Making Ahead: You can freeze the soup base (beans, broth, and vegetables) separately for up to 3 months; great if you’re wanting to cook ahead.
- Serving: Pair it with an easy salad and a warm loaf of crusty bread (If you plan ahead, try it with our Rosemary Foccacia Loaves) and you’re good to go.
Frequently Asked Questions
The pasta will keep cooking in the hot broth, so it’s important to turn off the heat while the pasta is still slightly underdone.
You can prep the bean and broth base ahead, but adding pasta later is best. If you freeze the soup with pasta, the noodles may absorb liquid and become mushy.
Ditalini, orzo, mini bowtie, and stellini are my top recommendations, but any small pasta shape will do. I like to choose pasta that is similar in size to the other things in the pot, so it all fits nicely on the spoon.
Pasta e Fagioli Soup (Pasta and Bean Soup with Bacon)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 ounces bacon 4 slices, chopped medium
- 1 onion chopped fine
- 4-6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon oregano, fresh, minced or 1 tsp dried
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
- 2 15.5-oz cans canellini beans rinsed
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth, low-sodium
- 2 ½ cups water
- salt
- 8 ounces small-shaped pasta 1 ¾ cups; try varieties such as ditalini, orzo, mini bowtie, and stellini
- ¼ cup parsley, fresh minced
- pepper
- 2 ounces Parmesan cheese grated (1 cup)
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until crsp, about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, beans, broth, water, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the pasta and cook until just slightly underdone. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle individual bowls extra herbs if desired, and then with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.
Make Ahead
- This soup can be prepared through step 1, cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Reheat over low heat before proceeding with step 2.
Questions & Reviews
Congrats- I knew we were due pretty close- I had #5 right on time yesterday. Good luck and take a break!
How many does this serve? Would the pasta get mushy upon reheating??
Congratulations!!! I hope that you are all enjoying newborn snuggles and hopefully sneaking in a few moments of sleep here and there!
Congratulations! 4 kids, wow! That’s amazing 🙂 This was my favorite soup growing up when we would go to the Olive Garden…can’t wait to make this at home!
Best wishes to you and your family! The soup looks fantastic.
Congrats on your new baby! I loved having my babies in the Fall. It gives you the perfect excuse to stay cozy inside.
CONGRATULATIONS on your new baby!!
Sara – congrats on the new baby! What joy!
Thank you for this recipe! I can make this with ingredients I can find in Japan (the beans may be a bit of a challenge, though). Congrats on your baby–perhaps mine will take the hint and show up too! After all, I would really like to see my feet again! 🙂
Congratulations and welcome to the cute little baby! He is beautiful! Boys can be beautiful when they are tiny little babies, right? P.S. The soup sounds delish!