Pasta e Fagioli Soup
A hearty, comforting Italian soup made with pasta, beans, and vegetables. Perfect for meal prep and easy weeknight dinners, this one-pot dish is completely vegetarian and can be made vegan with a single swap.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large soup pot
- Blender
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion medium-to-large, finely chopped
- 2 carrots scrubbed clean and finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or minced
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 15 ounces
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 2 cans cannellini beans or Great Northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained (15 oz each)
- 1 cup small pasta about 4 oz; cavatelli, ditalini, elbows, or small shells
- 2 cups Tuscan kale chopped; or chard/collard greens with ribs removed
- 1/4 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about ½ medium lemon
Optional Garnishes
- Italian parsley more, chopped
- black pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese omit for vegan
- extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Instructions
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent, 6 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until they begin to bubble.
- Pour in the broth and water. Stir in the bay leaves, oregano, and red pepper flakes if using. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
- Scoop out 1½ cups of soup (avoiding bay leaves) and blend with ¾ cup beans until smooth. Carefully return the blended mixture to the pot and stir.
- Add the remaining beans, dry pasta, chopped kale, and parsley. Stir and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often, until pasta is tender and greens are wilted.
- Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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Notes
Let the soup rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving for deeper flavor. Add water or broth when reheating leftovers, as pasta will absorb liquid over time. Freeze in portions for easy future meals.